Boris Johnson triggers fresh cronyism claims with Andrew Gilligan job Journalist Andrew Gilligan is to continue working for the Telegraph while being Boris Johnson's part-time cycling adviser. Photograph: David Levene Boris Johnson has triggered a new row over alleged cronyism after it emerged that he has offered the post of cycling adviser to Andrew Gilligan, the journalist who did more than any other to topple the London mayor's main rival, Ken Livingstone. Gilligan is expected to take up the post part-time while retaining his current staff position at the Daily Telegraph, but will curtail his coverage of London issues. It is understood he will be paid the normal adviser rate on a pro-rata basis. Most of the mayor's advisers are paid more than £90,000. The two have a long-standing relationship. Johnson hired Gilligan at the Spectator after the award-winning journalist lost his job following the BBC's war with Alastair Campbell over the Iraq dossier and the furore over the death of government scientist David Kelly. In 2008, investigative articles by Gilligan about Livingstone, his associates and the running of the London Development Agency were said to have inflicted serious damage on the Labour candidate and his election campaign, allowing Johnson to seize the mayoralty. In 2012, Gilligan played another prominent role, airing accusations about Livingstone's tax arrangements which seriously hampered his ill-fated campaign. The mayor has the power to make a limited number of direct appointments without reference to the normal recruitment processes of city hall. But the arrangement is bound to cause disquiet, with Labour sources already questioning whether Gilligan, a keen cyclist, has the policy and municipal experience to have been chosen above any other possible candidates. Critics have already raised concerns about other appointments. Despite misleading him and resigning in disgrace, Johnson's former deputy mayor Ray Lewis has been brought back into the fold to help the London mayor boost mentoring. Veronica Wadley, Johnson's former colleague at the Telegraph and editor of the Evening Standard during the 2008 campaign, has an arts and volunteering advisory role. It is said she first suggested Johnson to David Cameron as the man to win the mayoralty for the Conservatives. A spokesman for Johnson said: "It has always been the mayor's intention to appoint a cycling commissioner. Final discussions with Andrew Gilligan have been taking place regarding a part-time role but at this stage no formal announcement has been made. Johnson has been under pressure to dispel claims that he has not been taking the issue of cycling seriously. Campaigners have been critical of his vision for the use of road space and have raised concerns following a string of fatal cycling accidents in the capital, most involving lorries. Gilligan himself has been critical in the past, describing Johnson's network of "cycle superhighways" as pointless. But on Thursday he told the city hall blog The Scoop that there was much more logical thinking now and that Transport for London was "moving in the right direction." Len Duvall, leader of the Labour group on the London Assembly, said:"Boris's arrogance apparently knows no bounds. He is going to appoint someone with no experience of making transport or cycling policy to a senior paid position at City Hall. This is truly startling. It looks like Boris has just appointed one of his friends without any independent evaluation of his skills or suitability for the post. What is even more concerning is that Boris has now given well paid positions to two people who helped him get elected in 2008 - Veronica Wadley and Andrew Gilligan. This looks like Boris is using taxpayers money to reward his friends and build a team to become leader of the Conservative party. In the past few months Boris has appointed Veronica Wadley, Gerard Lyons and Ray Lewis. So far that's £242,000 of taxpayers money on jobs for his friends, plus whatever he chooses to pay Andrew Gilligan. Does Boris really think Londoners are too stupid to realise when he's pulling a fast one at a time when he's telling everyone else to tighten their belts?