Former deputy mayor: ‘Boris believes he has a divine right to be PM’

Boris Johnson believes he has a "divine right" to run the country and thinks he can do a better job than David Cameron, according to one of the Mayor's former deputies.

Ian Clement said Mr Johnson would be jealous if the Tory leader wins the general election and if he fails, the Mayor would be "gearing up" to take his job.

Mr Clement was forced to quit last year. He was ordered to do community service and received a suspended sentence for fraudulently claiming the cost of restaurant meals.

Tory insiders suggested Mr Clement had been discredited as a source of information with a source in the Mayor's office adding: "I find it hard to believe that he could have ever been in a position to make these claims. He never had that kind of access."

Mr Clement told the Mirror: "Boris is arrogant. He thinks, I'm more intelligent than Dave, I'm more popular than Dave, I'd do a better job than Dave. I could even be Prime Minister'.

"He thinks he has a divine right to rule the country. Boris isn't a team player, he only wants to be the captain."

He added: "Boris thought the fact Cameron called himself Dave' was hilarious. He would always make a point of calling him Dave' and then roll his eyes when he called."

He also revealed the Tory leader's fury over Mayor's plan to build a major airport in the Thames estuary.

"I was in a meeting with Boris when his mobile rang. It was David Cameron calling. You could hear him shouting down the phone about Boris's plan for the Thames estuary airport," he said.

"Boris calmly held the phone away from his ear and raised his eyebrows. He put the phone back to his ear and said, Yah Dave, yah' before holding it away again'. Cameron was obviously furious."

Mr Clement added: "If the Tories get into power, Boris will be more jealous of Dave being prime minister than happy for a Tory victory. If they don't get in, Boris will be gearing up to take Dave's job."

According to Mr Clement, Mr Cameron told him that Mr Johnson was a "loose cannon" and that he would have to "keep him in check".

Mr Johnson went to Barking in an unannounced visit to help the campaign against the British National Party, it emerged today. The Mayor took to the streets on Friday with Tory candidate Simon Marcus. Barking is held by Labour minister Margaret Hodge with a majority of 8,800 but it is being contested by BNP leader Nick Griffin.