Boris Johnson has pledged to reflect London's "wonderful diversity" in his first administration at City Hall.
The Tory candidate told black newspaper New Nation he thought affirmative action was needed to make the GLA more representative.
"I think if you've got equally qualified candidates [for a job], one black and one white, then for me I would want to appoint someone from a community that needs support and encouragement. If I'm lucky enough to be elected, you'll see that in my administration," he said. His remarks are certain to anger some grassroot Tories who are opposed to any system that could be considered to favour one group over another.
Mr Johnson repeated his apology for offending black Londoners by using the terms "piccaninnies" and "watermelon smiles".
He said: "It's taken me a while to realise that people were as upset as they were. Because I wrote those words in a way that was intended to be satirical, it's taken a mental journey to understand that actually there was offence given, and it does matter. But I do understand that now and I'm sorry."
