The editor of the Evening Standard was one of the guests on the London segment of the Politics Show today. Geordie Greig’s interview with Tim Donovan was highly revealing and ought to give those in City Hall and those following London politics food for thought.

Asked whether the Standard had been a propaganda sheet during the last mayoral election, he argued that the paper had been “extremely pro-Boris” and made public that one of his first acts after becoming editor was to have lunch with Ken Livingstone. He set out the paper’s intention to be independent and sent the clearest possible signal to Boris Johnson that he could not take the paper for granted. Boris cannot rely on our support, was his message. He also indicated that Johnson had not been happy with some of the Standard’s coverage and had complained about it.

Greig made it clear that scrutinising the mayor was very much part of the paper’s new approach.”We are going to put the mayor to the test,” he said at one point, adding later that he would be putting him to account.

The Standard’s editor also zeroed in on the debate about whether Johnson is delivering for London.  Earlier this week I noted what I felt was a significant passage in one of Katharine Barney’s reports for the paper:

“…the lack of overall action is the latest in a series of U-turns and delays in policy by the Mayor.

“Last week he was forced to admit the removal of the western extension of the congestion charge could be delayed by up to a year, and he has also said his pledge to reinstate the tidal flow at Blackwall Tunnel was proving more difficult than anticipated.”

On the Politics Show Greig developed a similar point, arguing that Johnson needs focus and needs major ideas, and used the international comparison of how Johnson’s policies would be perceived in, say, New York. His message seemed to be that getting rid of one type of bus in favour of another is not enough in itself on the international stage.

And Greig was clear that he saw the Standard’s role as protecting what was right for London. This is not verbatim, but I wrote down that he said of Boris Johnson that if we have to take him on, we will take him on. That’s a refreshing thing to hear the Standard’s editor say.

So, much of Greig’s interview will be difficult viewing for a mayor who was elected with completely uncritical, indeed slavish, acclaim from the Standard only a few months ago. Greig’s case is all the stronger because it is not a switch to an anti-Johnson line, but a case for holding the mayor to account.  It’s what the readers ought to expect of a London paper.

In two other respects the interview was notable. One, in his case that the paper will remain the same basic product even as it goes over to a freesheet. He is seeking to reassure both readers and presumably staff that the Standard’s content will be broadly the same and will not dump serious news and comment even as its distribution mechanism alters.

And Greig also reasserted the case that was made when Lebedev and Greig took over – that the Standard’s approach should be to embrace the breadth and vitality of London. It should celebrate London and its cultural success and role as an economic engine room for the British economy.

It’s going to be a challenging time for the paper but I think Greig struck the right note in his interview with Tim Donovan today.

Update, Monday 5th October: Roy Greenslade has blogged on this, with some more verbatim quotes on Greig’s attitude to the mayor. Read Roy here.