Boris Johnson: Ukip's popularity is down to people's 'general disgruntlement with politicians' - The London Live interview

The Mayor said that the expenses scandal, the war in Iraq and Europe also had an impact on Ukip's rise

Boris Johnson's interview for London Live's Power Lunch

The increase in Ukip's popularity is down to leader Nigel Farage's "straight-talking" and a "general disgruntlement" with politicians, according to London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Johnson said that other reasons for the rise of Ukip could be as a result of a combination of factors that include the expenses scandal, the war in Iraq and decisions made on Europe.

The Mayor made the statements during an interview for London Live's weekly politics show Power Lunch.

During the interview, he was asked by editor of The Independent Amol Rajan about Ukip and why he felt they were enjoying a surge in popularity.

Johnson said that he believed that Ukip had become a powerful force in British politics because people were "generally disgruntled" with politicians and the "jargon" and "mumbo jumbo" they used.

He said that there were two factors that were coming together that made it hard for politicians from politicians from the established parties to be listened to.

He said that one of these factors was that "politicians often didn't know what they were on about" and often hide their ignorance by "busking it".

He argued that the second factor was that modern politicians were "trying to be polite" and this held politicians back from being blunt in what they could say, agreeing that Nigel Farage's straight-speaking nature might have struck a chord with voters.

You can watch the whole interview on London Live's 'Headline Interview 'at 8pm this evening on Freeview channel 8 or online at londonlive.co.uk