This article is more than 11 years old

This article is more than 11 years old

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has dismissed the £250,000-a-year he earns from a controversial second job as "chicken feed".

Johnson also insisted it was "wholly reasonable" for him to write newspaper columns on the side because he did them "very fast".

The comments risk infuriating millions of Londoners struggling to make ends meet amid the economic downturn.

They are also unlikely to please David Cameron, who has ordered his shadow cabinet to give up extra work in the run-up to the general election to show their "commitment".

Johnson, who is paid nearly £140,000 for his day job, was questioned over his lucrative contract with the Daily Telegraph during an interview for the BBC's HARDTalk programme.

He responded "It'sarticle as a way of relaxation."

Johnson decided to continue with his columns for the Telegraph after being elected last year, but donates £50,000 from his annual fee to charities.

Liberal Democrat frontbencher Norman Baker said: "There is nothing wrong with people writing newspaper columns but this is an enormous amount of money and for Boris Johnson to dismiss it as 'chicken feed' shows just how out of touch he and the Conservative party are from the reality of life for millions of Londoners struggling to make ends meet in the depths of a recession."