Outspoken Mayor of London Boris Johnson was greeted like a rock star today when he visited Conyers School in Yarm.
As well as tucking into a tasty parmo cooked up by Conyers’ students he came face to face with a ‘mini me’ version of himself!
Joe Clark, a 13-year-old Year Nine pupil, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Tory politician famous for his wild blonde locks.
And for last year’s Sports Relief Joe chose to dress as Boris for a ‘Come to school as a superhero day’.
When the Mayor of London heard about the jape he just had to meet his teenage alter ego.
Mr Johnson was also in Yarm to throw his weight behind his Tory colleague, Stockton South MP James Wharton, as he bids to defend the Conservative’s precarious foothold in Teesside.
And while he was in the area he fully endorsed The Gazette’s own Teesside Manifesto, saying it would help to “galvanise the local electorate”.
But it was as the London Mayor was leaving that he was mobbed by pupils in the playground, all cheering and desperate to get that all important selfie with the larger than life character.
On meeting his mini-me Joe Clark, Mr Johnson joked: “You look much better than me, your hair is much better than mine.”
He was then offered up the famous Teesside delicacy and quickly got stuck into his chicken parmo.
“It’s delicious,” he announced, looking disappointed at having to leave the rest while he was whisked away to his next appointment.
Mr Johnson arrived during a mock political debate by Conyers’ sixth formers, and quickly had the students in fits of laughter when they were given the opportunity to fire questions at him.
Extolling the virtues of London since he became mayor he said that, among other things, bus crime was down - “But that’s not crime committed by buses”, he quipped.
He went on: “There’s a dense umbilical connection between the two parts of the economy, that’s why I have come all the way to Conyers School to tell you about this incredible link between London and Stockton.
“This area, Stockton, has produced all kinds of things indispensable to London - railways, the Big Ben bell, that was forged here.
“But did you know the company that makes the Oyster card (for the London transport system) is here in Stockton?”
He then organised a quick poll to see who students would vote for in the next election - and was enthused to see the Tories just pipped it.
Louise Spellman, Conyers head teacher, said: “The students have been taking this very seriously.
“About three quarters of students here will be voting for the first time in the May election. It’s very exciting for them.”
After the visit to the school he urged Gazette readers to take part in our Teesside Manifesto.
“I encourage people to get behind a local manifesto which supports the improvement of their area,” he said.
“I can’t tell you how much difference it makes in London when you have the whole of the business community, the media, everybody who cares about it mobilised behind something.”
Recovering his composure from his rock star send off Mr Johnson then went into Yarm with James Wharton to meet local business leaders at Muse Continental Cafe.
Whether he had another sneaky parmo there is unknown...
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