His hero: Jaws mayor who kept beach open
HE’S not averse to opening his mouth wide. But in an unusual pitch for Britain’s top political job, Boris Johnson yesterday revealed an unlikely hero – the mayor from Jaws.
In the 1975 movie, Amity Island mayor Larry Vaughn refuses to close the beaches despite the panic as a great white shark devours swimmers.
But Mr Johnson told yesterday’s audience the character could provide inspiration at a time when Britain needs ‘politicians who aren’t afraid of some short-term downside to their own political careers’. ‘The hero of Jaws is obviously the mayor,’ he said.
Mr Johnson said he ‘saw the pressure and stress on the shops and businesses’ of Amity Island as the shark spread terror among beach-goers.
‘In real life he would have been right,’ he added. Although he admits the mayor’s decision was ultimately questionable, Mr Johnson said ‘sometimes we’ve also got to be bold and think for the long term’.