Boris Johnson urges rich to back charitable causes

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/24/boris-johnson-rich-charitable-causes

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Boris Johnson has urged the super-wealthy in Britain to give more to philanthropic causes, as he helped launch a €9m (£7.5m) competition to improve city life.

The London mayor called for US-style charitable giving by the wealthy, saying attitudes were changing in London and he had seen some "amazing" acts of philanthropy across the city.

But he said too often those who amassed colossal wealth chose to buy a grouse moor or "schlosses in the home counties", rather than giving to good causes.

"There is still something in Britain that regards giving on a huge scale as being somehow ostentatious. That is ridiculous, that is absolutely ridiculous," he said.

Johnson was speaking at the launch of Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, a competition aimed at inspiring European cities to generate ideas to improve city life.

It will award €5m for the main prizewinner and €1m for four other cities that come up with the best ideas.

Johnson described New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, who was present at the launch, as "one of the great philanthropists of our age".

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