London mayor annoys Irish community with St Patrick's Day remarks

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has annoyed the London-Irish community there by dismissing the annual St Patrick's Day gala dinner as "leftie crap".

In a letter to the Guardian newspaper, prominent members of the Irish community in London have described his remarks as "contemptuous", particularly, they say, given the positive impact Irish people have made on the city of London over the years.

The gala dinner was attended by influential Irish people such as Bob Geldof and the Irish Ambassador to the UK.

Mr Johnson cancelled it without reason back in 2009.