Boris Johnson controversially quoted Chinese dictator Chairman Mao after an email instructing fellow City Hall colleagues to back his view of leaving the EU emerged on Monday (March 7).
The London Mayor echoed a line by the former Communist leader Chairman Mao to say he was in favour of allowing "a hundred flowers to bloom".
It comes four months after Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell drew widespread criticism for referencing Mao in Parliament during a debate on the November Spending Review.
Mr McDonnell defended as a "joke" the incident in which he threw the communist leader’s Little Red Book across the despatch box.
Boris is not the only Conservative politician to follow Mr McDonnell's example, however, as fellow Tory Jonathan Lord, MP for Woking, last month also used the flowers quote as he opened a new centre for elderly healthcare .
Email telling staff to agree with Mayor a "cock up"
He called the email, sent by chief of staff Edward Lister, a "cock up" and not something he agrees with.
The memo was sent to senior staff telling them to "either advocate the mayor's position or otherwise not openly contradict it".
It was sent a mere 24 hours before the London Mayor accused pro-Europe campaigners of trying to gag opposition supporters, referring to the treatment of British Chambers of Commerce leader John Longworth, who was forced out after speaking in favour of Brexit.
But it turns out his own staff were also told to keep quiet, according to an e-mail seen by the BBC.
Mr Johnson insisted the e-mail was a 'cock-up', telling the corporation: "Nobody has been gagged.
"I was only made aware of this edict very late last night and it ceased to be operative as soon as I was made aware of it.
"All I can say is it obviously hasn't been operative because my advisory team take a very different view from me."
A photograph of the email, thought to have been sent on March 4, on the BBC website shows Sir Edward explain that "GLA officers, can, when not at work, express personal opinions (which may be contrary to the Mayor's views)".
The message then reads: "Whilst this is the formal position for you also, I would expect, given your roles, you either to advocate the Mayor's position or otherwise not openly to contradict it".
A spokesperson for the Mayor's office told getwestlondon : "The mayor is relaxed about any of his team of advisers in a personal capacity campaigning for or supporting either side in the EU referendum.
"He wants to see an open and inclusive debate, and recognises that some of his advisors have differing views to those he holds.
"In his role as chief of staff Ed Lister advised the team that as official mayoral policy is now to support the case for leaving the EU they are requested to support that position when undertaking official City Hall business."
