The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson will deliver a keynote speech at Thomson Reuters focused on London's role in the world economy. As his priority for this mayoral term is jobs and growth, he will examine how best to create conditions for investment in the capital and create jobs for Londoners. The Mayor will look at the city's current and future strength areas, including financial services, and at the threats facing them in the context of ongoing euro zone instability.

Boris is in the building...

The Mayor is up.

Boris: "The only piece of transport infrastructure to malfunction was a zipwire."

Boris: "As it is, London remains the greatest financial capital on earth, with 40 per cent of all the trade in the single currency, with about 640,000 jobs… dependent on financial services."

Boris: "The intention now is to make a bad situation worse."

Boris: "I think I have a pretty good idea what most commonsensical people want from our relationship with the EU."

Boris: "We want free trade... We want the freedom to set our own monetary policy... We want an independent tax policy... We want less bureaucracy and less intrusion by Brussels into
seemingly every aspect of our lives... We would like the EU to focus on completion of the Single Market... We want to be friends. We want a relationship in which we are not endlessly made to feel bad for not sharing every doctrine of the euro-religion."

Boris: "I don’t understand why we continually urge the euro zone countries to go forward with this fiscal and political union, when we know in our hearts that it is anti-democratic and therefore intellectually and probably morally wrong."

Boris: "We could construct a relationship with the EU that more closely resembled that of Norway or Switzerland – except that we would be inside the single market council, and able to shape legislation."

"A pared down relationship [with the EU] is essential and deliverable" - @MayorofLondon http://reut.rs/qhqrua #borisnewsmaker

"I don’t believe we'll be punished for a new relationship, because our partners recognise: good for London is good for EU" #borisnewsmaker

"I have to wear it or I’ve been told I’ll be reincarnated as a baked bean, or something." - @MayorofLondon on wristband he has from India

Boris: "I see absolutely no reason why trade in the euro should not continue to be dominated by London."

Boris: "London is also the most agreeable, pleasant all round nicest place to live. More green space than any other European city, twice as many bookshops as New York, more museums than Paris... less rainfall than Rome."

That's the end of Mayor Boris Johnson's speech. Reuters Breakingviews Editor Hugo Dixon is now going to ask Johnson a few questions and then we'll move on to a Q&A with the audience.

Boris telling @Hugodixon that used to be very pro-Europe but has become increasingly sceptical, esp. after time in Brussels. #borisnewsmaker

Boris turns a question back on @Hugodixon - "Why do you think that?". Laughter from audience. #borisnewsmaker

"The fault was not with American bankers, it was with the structure of the euro" - @MayorofLondon http://reut.rs/qhqrua #borisnewsmaker

Q from floor: "Is Mark Carney someone you will be able to work well with?" @MayorofLondon: "I’m sure he’ll do a bang-up job" #borisnewsmaker

On Greece: "I thought that Ouzo would be a lot cheaper by Christmas. It will limp on, with sclerotic growth rates." #borisnewsmaker

Boris thought price of ouzo would crash & we'd be snapping up Greek houses by Christmas. The price of ouzo has fallen, @Hugodixon clarifies!

"Indian investors are apprehensive about the prospect of UK departure [from EU]. The question of FDI in Britain is material" #borisnewsmaker

What's next for Brand Boris, an audience member asks. The Mayor says perhaps he will get a job with his old friend Hugo Dixon at Thomson Reuters.

"A very nice person near City Hall, whose name I can’t reveal – for security reasons" @MayorofLondon on who does his hair #borisnewsmaker

Boris asks for show of hands on the future of EU. Question slightly loaded(!) but no hands at all raised for pulling out. #borisnewsmaker