Crowds gathered for selfies with Mayor of London Boris Johnson as he swept in to Edgware to drum up support for the Conservatives.

Mr Johnson, who is standing as the Tory candidate in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, popped into shops and restaurants along Station Road on Tuesday with Tory candidate for Hendon Matthew Offord, at one point climbing into a street sweeper to pose for photos.

The visit is the second the mayor has made to the Hendon constituency this month, having launched the Tory London campaign in Mill Hill three weeks ago with Mr Offord, who is hoping to retain the seat he won in 2010 by 106 votes.

Speaking to the Times Series, Mr Johnson denied the Conservatives’ pledge to extend right to buy to housing associations would exacerbate London’s housing crisis.

He said: “What it will mean is that for some people there is the option, the possibility in their housing association, of being able to buy. I don’t know how many there will be in London. The crucial thing is to keep going with building good new homes.”

On Labour’s proposed mansion tax, he said: “For lots of people it will be very tough, because they are in a property whose value has inflated through no fault of their own, just because they’re living in the most successful city in the world.

“Of course there will be oligarchs and bankers and whatever who can well afford to pay it, but there will be many cases of people who are really hit by it. There’s an injustice there.”

Mr Johnson also dismissed the idea of a Tory-led coalition government involving UKIP.

He said: “I don’t envisage nor do I desire - in fact, I positively dislike the prospect of any coalition with anybody.”

On last week’s Ashcroft poll, which put Labour ahead in Finchley and Golders Green, he said: “I’ve just been up there today, and it felt very strong there for Mike Freer. I think he’s doing a great job.”

He also repeated his assertion that “as long as there’s a Conservative mayor and a Conservative member for Finchley and Golders Green, the 13 bus route will be safe”.

It was announced last week that plans to cut the 13 bus from Golders Green to Aldwych had been scrapped.

Asked whether this meant the number 13 could go if a Conservative fails to get re-elected as MP, Mr Johnson said: “It’s something I can’t bear to contemplate, but suppose somebody were to follow me into City Hall without my particular agenda, it would be very sad.”