Boris Johnson will today be urged to oppose plans to relocate eight production journalists 130 miles away from local newspapers in London.

Members of the London Assembly are putting forward a motion calling on the capital’s Mayor to write to Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure Walker over plans for up to eight journalists to be relocated from South London to the company’s production hubs in Newport or Weymouth.

Titles affected include the Croydon Guardian, Sutton Guardian, Epsom Guardian, Wimbledon Guardian, Wandsworth Guardian, Balham and Tooting Guardian, Mitcham and Morden Guardian, Kingston Guardian, Surrey Comet, Elmbridge Comet, Richmond & Twickenham Times, and The News Shopper – for Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley.

Mr Johnson has previously backed striking journalists at the newspapers in June, having signed a parliamentary early day motion in his role as Uxbridge and Ruislip South MP.

The latest motion, submitted Caroline Pidgeon MBE, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in the London Assembly, reads: “This Assembly agrees with the Mayor that local newspapers are part of the fabric of London’s local communities and play a vital role in informing people about grassroots subjects that matter to Londoners.

“This Assembly believes that local newspapers continue to be a key source of information for many of London’s diverse communities, and perform a powerful public scrutiny function by holding local government and other organisations to account for their actions.

“This Assembly is concerned by the recent announcement that Newsquest is to move eight posts on its titles in south London to its production centres in Weymouth and Newport – a move which the Assembly believes will threaten the quality and long term survival of local papers in south London.”

It then calls on Mr Johnson to write to Henry expressing “further concern” over the relocation of local media jobs outside London.

Newsquest London has been approached for a comment.