Who gets the last laugh?
Boris - Mayor of London? What a joke, it was said. I confess that that is what I thought when first told that he was thinking of running. So much so that when I broke the story I didn't take it seriously enough to argue that it should appear on the main news bulletins.
Well, tonight the joke is on those who didn't believe that the blonde bombshell from Henley could ever unseat the man who saw off Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair to become Mr London.
This is the first significant Tory election victory since 1992. Boris is the first Conservative to wield significant political power since John Major's defeat. What's more he is doing it in the most visible place of all - the capital city. As someone who is a friend of Dave (as he calls him) Cameron, Boris must know that his performance as Mayor could help determine whether people will take the risk of electing an untried and untested man to be their Prime Minister in two years time.
In a well judged act of generosity Boris used his victory speech to pay tribute to the man he beat as "a very considerable public servant" and to acknowledge that many who had voted for him had found their pencils wavering above the ballot paper.
Ken returned the compliment by offering to help Boris. He did an equally big favour to Gordon Brown by saying that the responsibility for his defeat lay with him and him alone.
Labour hope that Boris will prove incapable of doing the job and that this will expose David Cameron too.
The future of British politics will be profoundly affected by who gets the last laugh - Boris or those who think he'll be a joke as Mayor.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~17~RS~)
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Its time for a change. Labour is tired, and needs a long rest.
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As much as I didn't want Boris to win I would rather he did a good job than do badly just to sabotage the tories. If Labour really want him to fail it just shows how bad party politics is.
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I now regret sniggering at the election to a position of power of another ridiculous walking cliche as a result of the cult of celebrity and smugly stating "only in America". At least 'Arnie' reflects an aspect of American/Californian ethos: working hard to become the best in whatever field you chose.
Take a minute to think how 'Boris' is going to represent London, England and the UK to the world.
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People forgot that Boris is actually bright, even if he has acted the buffoon. He attended Oxford, where he was president of the union, and you don't get buffoons winning that. Look at his early history - he looks better than many other politicians
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Come on Nick - stop giving it the Labour spin. Ok, Boris is a bit of a clown (we've all seen him on HIGNFY) but isn't the electorate telling us something?
I prefer exuberance over incompetence any day of the week.
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I wanted Ken to win. He was Mr London who was driven to improve London's public transport.
And it's a shame that he won't be able to see through what he started with the Olympics.
A very clever, witty move in order to acquire massive investment funds for his city from the government. He did his job as Mayor, and instead of being commended for it - he's been replaced as a result of our bitterness towards Labour nationally, and been replaced by somebody who from his appearance or propaganda does not offer a single hope that would enable us to trust him to run the capital hot dog stand, let alone the capital city.
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No matter what your background, no matter what your accent, no matter what mistakes you have made previously, you can re-invent yourself and become the Mayor of London.......Ken proved that!... What a truely wonderful country!
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Both Boris and Ken gave very honourable and generous speeches and there seems to be genuine respect between them - it would be great if they can put the partisan politics to one side and work together.
I like the way they and the other candidates walked off the stage when the BNP candidate stepped forward to make his speech.
One thing no-one has pointed out is that Livingstone got 50% more votes than in either of his two previous mayoral elections - compare and contrast with the local elections where Labour were generally shipping votes everywhere. He may have lost the election, but he is still probably Labour's most electable asset. Will they select him to run against Boris next time round? Will he want to?
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This is a disappointing blow for Labour but my first reaction is to let Boris have his moment in the sun and not worry about it. I?m sure a lot of Labour politicians will be spitting nails and feel very unhappy but this is just sourness and gets in the way. The Zen Buddhist strategy for dealing with this is literally just to drop it. That?s it. No think tanks required.
I note those on the political extremes who call for tolerance and patience, or opportunity and sharing tend to implement these things only on their terms and only in their favour. This is a mistaken approach. It just fuels the contrary and partisan, or narrow minded and greedy approach typical of the worst left/right split.
The mob wanted their king and got their king. Gordon Brown would be mistaken to fight Boris but a strategy that brings corporate arrogance to heel and invests in creating genuine opportunities for people at the bottom would be a good long-term strategy. This would win over the rest of the country and drain Boris? powerbase in the City.
Time to dig up the spirit of John Smith?
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Having worked with Boris before, I know he is a very smart, very "on-the-ball" man and I look forward to him governing London over the next four years.
As an aside (in reference to the poster above) - he might not be there come the Olympics ... the London 2012 Games are scheduled to take place 3 months after the next Mayoral elections!
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I've always looked on Boris as something of a buffoon, but surely he could never have got where has has without some kind of intelligence underneath? It'll be interesting to see how much of his public image is merely him acting the fool.
Ken Livingston has had 8 years in office, and I think it's probably time to see a new face as mayor, especially one who has a good deal more charisma. As to the substance behind it, we'll have to wait and see, but I'm willing to give Boris the benefit of the doubt for now.
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After the local election results it was on the cards that Boris would do well. Yes he is well known by everyone in the country but regardless of the celebrity status of Boris, the candidate that people have voted for is a representative of the Conservative party.
You don't vote for someone because you like them but not like what they stand for. Boris is Conservative to the core and he will be fully backed by the Conservative party machine and David Cameron.
After Tony Blair and now Gordon Brown is it possible to be any worse at representing our capital city and country?
I don't think so!
Well done Boris and good luck!
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I'm pretty sure you are factually incorrect in saying that Livingstone "saw off Margaret Thatcher"...please explain because my recollection is that Thatcher utterly destroyed Livingstone, the archaic left wing of the labour party, much as Boris has done.
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Those who will not give Boris a chance are guilty of this conceit:
"A shallow salesman"
Congratulations, Gordon Brown - you just alienated the whole of the private sector.
When will this dithering incompetent prime minister realise that the 'shallow salesmen' who represent the whole of the private sector are trying to pay the wages of the public sector.
No 'shallow salesman' has the same kind of shallow disrespect for hard working public sector employees that this dithering incompetent prime minister shows for the people who ultimately pay for his salary and his future pension.
The utter conceit of these people is beyond belief. Where do they think the money comes from?
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Things can only get better...
Here's to Boris!
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"They say he is shortly off to the Congo. No doubt the AK47s will fall silent, and the pangas will stop their hacking of human flesh, and the tribal warriors will all break out in watermelon smiles to see the big white chief touch down in his big white British taxpayer-funded bird."
Boris Johnson, Telegraph, 0/01/2002.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2002/01/10/do1002.xml
"Men in general judge by their eyes rather than by their hands; because everyone is in a position to watch, few are in a position to come in close touch with you. Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are".
Niccolo Machiavelli.
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Nick> Well, tonight the joke is on those who didn't believe that the blonde bombshell from Henley could ever unseat the man who saw off Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair to become Mr London.
Unless Boris has had a sex-change I'm unaware of, the word is "blond".
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I note that the anti-Gordon mob damn him if he spends money on services and damn him if he cuts money to services. This contrarian smear has been core to the Conservative campaign.
Boris Johnson got in an a public smile and 'off the books' sneer. It was exactly the same sort of strategy followed by George W. Bush. He may have won but damned his own soul in the process.
You cannot build an empire on blood. This trick proves the Tories still don't get it and remain unfit for government. They're just too short-term and self-serving. This is immoral and always ends badly.
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Well done Boris and the rest of the Conservative team in London. To say the result is about National politics could be true . Would that it were 45% of voters turned out Nationally and voted in the same trend as Thursday , that would show Brown exactly what the country thinks of his stewardship .
On a Londoncentric issue I hope exmayor Livingstone is a big enough man to take up Boris's offer of a position within the Mayrol higherarchy . Love Ken or loathe himthose years of experience can't be let go to waste for the sake of party politics.As for Paddick ? He can become one of the extra coppers on the streets we are promised .
London voted , London expects results .
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What a joke! Boris Johnson the newly crowned Mayor of London!
All the "Great" work Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell have done has finished. In my view Gordon Brown is finished!
Once we have further investigations into the Saudi Arms deals which nobody has mentioned recently, then Mr.Bean will be packing his bags.
But don't get me wrong I'm a Liberal voter and must admit If the conservative gains are going to be made profitable then I think the public would like to know maybe just one conservative policy!
Cameron= total spin, no substance!
Can anyone even you Nick tell us one Conservative policy???
Takes a bit of thinking dosen't it!
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Boris Johnson London Mayor = The lunatic has taken over the asulym!
I'm gonna crawl back into my padded room and take the nice sweeties the kind lady has given me!
I'll give him a few weeks until he puts his foot in it!
He actually looked worried when the winner was declared because the reality had sunk in! He'd won, now he's got to be serious for a change!
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Well, we will see if that expensive and expansive Eton education is worth all the money...
And, of course, YouGov get there results right, they are psephologist, not statisticians. All that studying of pebbles always gives them the edge over the cruncheads.
You have to feel for Red Ken though: the "fare's fare" true red Londoner brought down by a Scott dropping a 10p tax.
I bet he's at home listening to his 1978 Jilted John (Shuttleworth) single, after three, "I've been going out with a girl, her name is Julie..."
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"I note that the anti-Gordon mob damn him if he spends money on services "
But he doesn't spend it on services, that's the point. He spends it on paper pushers.
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The election of this half wit public school toff bodes ill for Mr Brown. Like Caesar's Seer warning of the Ides of March I propose to set out a 10 point plan to save Labour at the next general. Readers please note the absence of New. Step 1 Apologise quietly for illegal war.Brown has been deafening in his silence on the matter. Step 2 Tax the alleged non domiciles till they stop leeching the state. Step 3 Abolish faith schools and recognise religion is dangerous nonsense that should be consigned to the rubbish heap of the past. Further steps will follow at appropriate intervals.
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@invisibleMorrissey - Better a foot in the mouth than the snout in the Public trough, I'd say !! St. Boris was said to have executed a few dissenting Boyars when he Christianised his country. Perhaps this Boris will wipe out the cronyism that is alleged to be rife at City Hall !!
Perhaps he can hang on to Lee Jasper for a little while more before hanging him out to swing in the wind !!
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Oh joy. Boris can be Britain's answer to Dan Quayle. Only in Big Brother watching, beer swilling, baseball cap wearing, 4 by 4 driving illiterate Britain. Is this the best that Eton can turn out. Give me Eric Blair any day of the week.
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Victory to Boris, but did the Evening Standard get paid (or unpaid) by the Conservative Party to run the most negatively biased and prolonged campaign against Ken Livingston? As London's only paid evening newspaper, I was surprised at the sustained negative coverage pointedly aimed at attaching the image of Ken Livingston. This evening paper tried to insert anti-Boris articles now and again to show "non-bias" but this was just an unethical fig-leaf.
I hope others will declare that even in democracies, where the media have a quasi-monopoly, that political coverage ought to be truly "fair". I shall not buy the Evening Standard again but will have to thole Boris Johnston being London's mayor - the "Toff's placeman", for the foreceable future.
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So, from the BBC website front page picture, it looks like Toffs United win the cup!
If I were David Cameron, I would now be ringing every half way capable senior Tory poilitician and Central Office apparatchik and begging them - begging them - to go and work with the clown in City Hall so that this doesn't become an electoral liability...
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The real tragedy here is that so many people in London saw the only way to protest about Labour was to vote for someone whose only track record is to open his mouth to change feet! Let's face it a three legged donkey would have got elected. What is interesting is what happens next. Unless Boris is a puppet with someone else pulling his strings as well as a buffoon London is in for real problems at a time when it needs strong leadership. In a country where the media has created almost total cynicism towards all politicians we are about to find out what happens when it falls apart. Good luck London, you very sucessfully gave labour a kicking - now you have to live with your actions. The last laugh may be on you.
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Yes labour is spent, but life long Labour supporters voting for the Tories? What stops a protest vote going Lib Dem?
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Anyone who really belives Boris is just an upper class, ignorant buffoon has clearly never made any effort to find out about the real man behind the public persona.
The Boris we all laugh at on HIGNFY is an act. You don't get the jobs he's had, make the money he's made and generally 'be Boris' by being genuinly stupid.
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Boris has got many talents but I wonder about his capacity for slogging through some of the boring stuff which comes with this type of office. I will be surprised if he completes a term and amazed if he wins a second. But I wish him well. Ken had passed his sell by date.
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They said Alex Salmond could never be Scotlands first minister.They were wrong.They then said he would be a disaster as First Minister.They were wrong again.I suspect Boris Johnson is about to similarly confound his detractors.Good luck Boris!
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A fool who has read the classics will do better than one who has not.
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StrBoris Day! thus a miraculous (joke?) appearance by Disraeli in the sky above High Wycombe! (http://bishopalan.blogspot.com/2008/05/disraeli-in-sky-with-diamonds.html)
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I voted for Ken, simply because I think he has worked his socks off and done a decent job over the last eight years.
While I don't think it is likely that Boris will do a particularly good job, one thing does hearten me. It is good to see that a slightly maverick politician with character and who has pretty much avoided blanding-down has managed to get elected. I hope it is a trend that continues.
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What a mean spirited group of losers the Labour posters to this blog have turned out to be.
Boris won, he received 53% of the vote to Kens 47%, so stop moaning and deal with it.
I did not vote for either Ken or Boris, however, as my own Liberal Democrats performed so badly I tip my hat to Boris for getting rid of Ken.
Labour and Ken have been a disaster for London, I look forward to a new chapter in the political history of our capital.
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LondonCeasar, I thought you might like to know that Eric Blair went to Eaton but keep you Apidistra Flying anyway!.
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I think Boris will be great for London. At last a man who knows how to MAKE money and not just how to spend someone elses.
This country has been held to ransom for too long by people who call spending our money an "investment". They are financial bulemics who gorge themselves on our money and then spew it away.
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Boris is no joke I have never heard a politician give such a nice victory speech Boris showed that he is not from the nasty breed that have taken over government If Gordon Brown wants to find a role model then he should ask his MP.s to Follow Boris.Maybe its to much to ask but if we can get away from sleaze and spin and just plain talking like Boris we might just get a decent Government. Well done Boris you have shown that you are more than a clown you are a gentleman.
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Who gets the last laugh? Boris of course as it would always need someone of special ability to unseat Ken 'the special one' Livingstone. Ken throughout his career from West Norwood to London Mayor has made an art form of being able to say what most people want to hear, but doing exactly the opposite. Those who've come across him either hate him or love him because of this trickiness, and I'm glad that he is now finally off the gravy train that he has milked for years. Well done Boris, build a good team and as an ex-Londoner from Ken's backyard West Norwood, I hope you have a very successful four years in rectifying the problems that abound in London.
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This is probably te best news Brown has had this year. At last there is a Conservative politician with some responsibility for what happens in the real world, and I find it difficult to see BoJo (HIGNFY last night) as a safe pair of hands. If I was Cameron I think I'd be worried.
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To those who voted for the crazeeee blond fop -
OMFG, What have you done?
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brilliant...brown's best chance of election victory is for the public to see what a complete mess the clown makes of the job of mayor...at least when hartlepool elected the mascot hangus he could take off his monkey suit...boris is who he is...LOL at you London...:)
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Nick says (deep sigh) "The future of British politics will be profoundly affected by who gets the last laugh .."
No, that is not correct at all.
The Scots and Welsh could not care less who is running London.
They know that it is {part of} another country.
How long will it take before the politically apathetic English cotton on?
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Furthermore, Jack Straw says that the Government would get behind Londoners' decision at the polls.
That is completely untrue.
At every turn over the next two years, the Government will do all within its power to ensure that Boris Johnson is a disaster as Mayor, in the hope that this will reflect badly on the Tories competence.
I am afraid that is Party Politics for you, very tribal and completely destructive.
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Well done Boris!
Good speech too: In victory magnaminity.
(Ken's speech was gracious too - credit where it's due.)
All in all, it's been a good couple of days for Britain and for London.
(Plus, the delightful bonus of the thought of Polly Toynbee and her ilk stewing in their rancorous juices for the foreseeable future).
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After 8 years of ruling the roost KL was beginning to think himself invulnerable and beyond criticism.
He did not listen and started to believe his own ego centric propaganda. What ever your political complexion this is a sure sign of a career going into decay; at least in a democracy.
If BJ is to learn anything he needs to learn that while London is vast, diverse, multi layered and multi cultural (even BJ grandfather was Turkish as far as I am aware);
London is principally a commercial centre whose grinding wheels, ethnic diversity and infrastructure creates a large amount of wealth for those living or working within in as well as the UK at large.
We don?t need a politician as much we need a manager who can effectively manage this big machine for the greater good
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I feel physically sick.
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Well done Sian Berry and the Greens for stopping BNP coming in the top four.
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Re #16
Finally I see the quote used against Johnson. "watermelon smiles"
Anyone ever heard of sarcasm? Or is it too complicated a subject for Labour voters to understand?
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As long as I'm alive, Ken will never be his own worst enemy.
But his concession speech wasn't just the most gracious thing I've heard from him. It was the first time since that awful day in May 1997 when the Great Impostor came to power that a Labour politician has admitted responsibility for anything.
Last night he showed himself a bigger man than he ever managed during his eight years in power.
The fact that Boris was almost as gracious and big-hearted in victory was an added bonus.
What other city on earth could produce two such characters? Never thought Livingstone could make me feel proud to be British. He managed it last night.
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Now we can look forward to Brown and his fellow incompetents making Boris Johnston's governance of London as difficult as they can,just as they try to do in Scotland. Hopefully, as in Scotland they will be facing an opponent with more integrity and will in his little finger than Brown has in his whole body.The fact is that the populace is so sickened by the Labour party that with any luck,at the next election it will be consigned to history for ever.
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BTW if anyone thinks Boris will be good for London, wait until you're queuing three rows deep for tiny Routemaster buses stuck behind dozens of huge 4x4s while the train and underground services fall apart...
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I think the joke is on the population of London, actually. What a shame - Ken is a great loss.
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Living in Yorkshire I don't really care that much who won Lord Mayor of London.
However well done Boris, it was time for a change Labour is well past it's sell by date.
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Well done Boris!
Boris is a refreshingly natural, unspun politician who has bags of character - something too often missing these days. We have got so used to our sanitised, over-marketed, branded, current public figures that we are at risk of forgetting what an un-PR'd version looks like.
His victory speech was generous to a fault and he finished by saying he was going for a pint! Totally believable.
Anyone who thinks he's a clown should read some of his books. Yes, Boris is great on HIGNFY - so is William Hague. It is possible for a politician to have both a sense of humour and brains.
I wish Boris all the very best.
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'You don't vote for someone because you like them but not like what they stand for.'
I think this is debatable. Reading through many threads on the forums, the Labour disastrous results seem to lie on a mistrust for what Brown, Hartmann, Cooper etc. are saying. It would seem that on this occasion, personalities were taken into account: the British voted against the disliked personality of Gordon Brown and in London, for the exuberant personality of Boris Johnson who seems to give a breadth of freshness. People decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
It is now up to Boris Johnson and his party to ensure that his popularity does not decline (do not convert gold into lead like the French President Sarkozy did) while his programme promises are respected and deliver. This is where what they stand for counts.
Bearing in mind that the sell by date of politicians is no more than 4 years, it gives Boris a chance to prove his competences but also to spend all his fresh energy on his programme. Unfortunately, like most of the politicians, long-term power had started to cloud Ken's vision.
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Congratulations to Boris, but someone had to do the job!
People had just had enough of Labour and Ken Livingstone and wanted change, Labour especially looked tired and jaded just like their policies appearing to lead nowhere, look at the U turns.... needing advisor's on this and that is no way to run a government.
When as reported if true, that Ken Livingstone said he wasn't interested in the Olympics he was only interested in the 'prosperity' gain makes you wonder what sort of leader is that, especially with the escalating cost that no one dares mention.
What is a government that listens after an election when they ought to be listening before an election...
.... all hype, too much spin, I'm always right, manipulated target figures and crime statistics.
Are you listening David and Boris - we're saying we've had enough, get the message!
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What a hideous embarrassment for Londoners this is.
I know people were bored with Ken but to elect an unreconstructed Thatcherite to rule our city... have people forgotten so quickly how destructive her policies were?
We now look forward to chaos on the roads, public transport fares sky-rocketing, divisive policies and the Capital's silverware sold off to the lowest bidder. London is a fat cats' party pad once more...
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"03 May 2008, Charles_E_Hardwidge wrote:
I note that the anti-Gordon mob damn him if he spends money on services and damn him if he cuts money to services. This contrarian smear has been core to the Conservative campaign."
Brown's big problem is that the New Labour strategy has largely been to throw money at things without really thinking or spending wisely (just so long as the arbitrary "targets" were met).
They could get away with that in a period of record breaking global boom.
But now they are having to pay the piper and basically have choices of some how trying to maintain spending in a much less favourable environment (largely by raising tax yet further everywhere). Or make cuts to investment that wasn't well spent in the first place (potentially leaving a very implosive situation where they do).
Add this to pure middle ground electioneering at the expense of core voters (the 10p Tax band), as well as pretending inflation is lower than it is to basically give yearly PAY CUTS on top of that, and it's no wonder Labour is floundering around.
Presently there also seems to be no way out for them, so completely have they become trapped in a mire of their own making.
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get real should go to coventry!
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Will no-one REALLY get the point of these elections?
We have FINALLY seen the true legacy of Tony Blair and can rejoice at the ashes of New Labour with its cynical manipulation of facts and peoples lives,
Good for Boris, and as to Livingstone having been GOOD for London??
Please!
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I like both Boris and Ken, the public out there have sent a message to all the major parties, stop hiding behind spin and get out there and be accessable to the people!
They are both outspoken, both have made mistakes in the public eye, both have learnt from them and become stronger for it.
Good old fashioned politicians at their best, providing well constructed arguments to win over the voters.
Brian Paddick showed no such grace and intiative, and the voters spoke loud and clear about him.
Well done Boris and Ken, I never doubted you both for a second, lets hope you have inspired more politicians to come out and not be afraid to tell it like it is!
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Nick, remind us cause we have already forgotten what Boris will be changing. Did he say he would abolish the Congestion Charge? cause some are saying that they voted for him to get rid of this charge! I wonder who will be having the last laugh!
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Commiserations to the BNP - beaten by the Greens! What a joke!
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I'm all for punishing parties that don't deliver, but this mass lurch towards the Tories just highlights how clueless most voters in this country are.
People moan about boom and bust economics but it seems like we're heading towards boom and bust politics. So the Tories win the next general election, have their honeymoon period, then the public gradually realises that they are as powerless as Labour are to shield this tiny island from the global economy. Then the Tories get booted out and we start all over again with a so-called rejuvenated Labour party.
Totally boring. When are we going to change our political system and get rid of this ongoing and ineffective cat fight between two or three parties that half the country can't even bring themselves to vote for?
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The NHS targets largely met their objective and have helped raise the overall quality of outcome, and the money has largely gone on increased doctors and nurses pay. To some degree the poor perception is driven more by staff not seeing the bigger picture and getting greedy.
I would agree that effective inflation his higher but profit hungry corporations are clever at finding ways to edge prices up. Some years ago I quit my telephone company over the net cost to me going up when they tried to tell me the price was going down. And they?re still at it.
Both business and public have to accept their part in asset stripping and consumerism. Labour got pilloried for taking this on. Now Britain is hollowed out and bankrupt Labour is getting pilloried for giving people what they asked for. Perhaps, Gordon should just rule and be damned.
All hail Blessed Leader!
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When Gordon became PM I and some friendes became worried; we found ourselves agreeing with him! We thought it wouldn't last though believing he would revert to type eventually and so it has proved. The surprise however is how quickly he and his party have begun to implode. Every generation must suffer the effects of a Labour government to appreciate two things. First, Labour believes government can spend our money better than we can, hence the huge tax burden with little tangiable improvement for those paying them. Second, they kill enterprise; look at CGT and the fiasco over the 10p tax rate. The effect of the Local and London Mayoral elections is that we have a PM never elected and now without a proper mandate to govern. He bottled the decision about his much trawled election and is going the same way as james Callaghan. I don't doubt Gordon Brown himself believes what he says and therein lies the rub. His arrogance is so complete even he is beginning to believe his own publicity. The people have spoken Mr Brown; please call a General Election and lets cut our losses.
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I don't think there is any case for laughter at all. This feels like a reactionary vote for extremism which sends a shudder down my spine. Thanks for everything Ken and thanks for your consideration. It was good having a mayor who sought to make London inclusive. That time is over now I fear
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Suggestion for Boris, and B.
The promise to deal with congestion and revenue.
Resolve congestion charges, CO2 emissions, and cut a tumour off the body electorate, putting the parasitic divisive plunder force to decent work, by stopping; barking for parking, and chasing stationary vehicles to create CO2, and allow people to be their own judges of whether they can tolerate congestion, by staying away. By simply raising the tax on petrol, while easing the congestion by encouraging people to stay parked free. The change over can be adjusted to match precisely the dual easing with the fuel taxing.
Problem, you will need co-operation of someone caught in his own PR spin drama. ?I am paid to listen and lead?. Why is he even speaking then? Listening means being quiet? Never mind if it is too difficult, the next sentence is true, the previous sentence is false. ?We need a bill o'frights, and must cut out spin?.
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Who is the man in the dark suit who seems anxious to be included in all today's pictures of the new Mayor? It looks like Nicholas Parsons, but I'm not sure.
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Someone suggested sending poster getreal to Coventry - please - we don't want him.
I was delighted to see an election of personalities - probably the only two politicians in the country known by their christian names. And to try and ban the use of the name Boris ! What will the thought police come up with next ?
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Boris will be good for London, it's unlikely (even with his connections to the boss) that he'll bend entirely to the dictates of the party machine. He's funny, intelligent and a little risky, but, I think that's what we need right now.
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Boris can do it!
This week the Thames Valley Police reported that crime in the Henley area was down by 18% over last year, and violent crime and criminal damage down by a masive 55%.
This follows a Safer Henley campaign led by Boris folllowing a rise in late night crime and a violent death on the streets of Henley.
The efforts of Boris and local campaigners led to more police visibility at the right places and right times, better monitoring and quicker reaction to CCTV - with results!
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I know you wrote this very early in the morning, but is Boris really a "blonde bombshell"? (He still looked like a bloke last night...) And, Nick, in the UK people don't run for election, they stand.
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I see Charles-E-H is in full flow again! Always entertaining.
Lots of people saying Ken was an excellent mayor and an excellent character. In that case, do you support his connections with certain regimes and extremists?
As for Boris, give the man a chance. I prefer a politician who speaks his mind, considering that many of his comments have popular support, but we can't upset the PC brigade, can we?
Gordon Brown will be praying that Boris makes a mess of things, but the man is shrewder that that. And after all, it is not he who is taxing the living daylights out of the British taxpayer.
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Heavens - it is nice to know that justice is doled out in a even handed fashion. Boris Johnson can do no wrong - except he has - done wrong.
So we lose Ken and cronies and get MP Boris and his take on how to run London. Except it will be Boris's cronies - be afraid - be very afraid.
Language is fascinating isn't it?
David Cameron - classmate of this pariah - er - parish - said Mr Johnson's success in the Mayoral election was "spectacular"!
Not good for London and Londoners - spectacular!
Oh dear - oh dear. More royalty.
Subject: Labour May Day massacre
Anagram: Bar assume Cad royal - May
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I like Boris as a person. He is a genuine character. But ...
I'm not from London so didn't see any of the debates but from what I read today he had virtually nothing to say.
Bendy-Buses seemed to be his main policy. Is this what really perusaded the people of London to vote for him.
The main issue is British politics is that the electorate always think that people who currently have power are idiots and we'd be so much better with the other lot. We had it in 1997 and we've got it again now. But there's never any substance to back it up.
I'm no big Labour fan and they have plenty of problems but personally at the moment I despair at the fact that, instead of Labour, the British people think that a bunch of privileged Old Etonians who have never had a 'real' job in their lives are a much better alternative. How exactly are these people supposed to relate to the issue affecting the vast majority of people in this county. Don't forget it is the "Old Etonian" types of this world who went into banking instead of politics who thought it was a good idea to lend lots of money to people who can't afford it to repay it.
David Cameron is as much a 'Policy Free Zone' as Boris but people feel they can relate to him because of his slick PR machine. His live is as much detached from the ordinary British person as it is possible to be.
Unfortuately nothing will change as the current system suits the Big 2 and they know that eventually the British public will fall out of love with the current holders of power and elect the other side.
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Labour isn't imploding. They're crouching before they pounce.
All hail Blessed Leader!
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I am so happy Boris won the London election....For anyone who spouted the rubbish that he was a 'clown' and that he was 'bumberling fool' you can all write Boris a PERSONAL message of apology....the guy is no fool...he is a heavy weight.
I hate the way people presume that he is a Pratt based on the bias view that he came from a privileged background.....who cares is he went to Eaton.....so what if he went to oxford.....that doesnt mean he is not aware of today?s issues....if anything its a sign of a highly educated man....so anyone judging him based on these superficial presumptions you should be ashamed...
It was time for a change anyway....although Ken did a good job it was his arrogance which let him down....how mighty are the fallen.
I wish Boris the best of luck. x
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This a crunch time for Tories.
If Boris does well, maybe the Tories can win the next election.
But if Boris does badly, it could be the end of Tories for good.
Let's hope it's the latter.
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Lets hope Boris is successful , his appointment I suspect will be bad for London but great for the rest of us because this should be be the kick up the backside that the labour party needed and even more so the brat pack rebels. The rebells are the best weapon the tories have they love them, it makes me cringe whenever they stand up to speak in parliament if they dont get their act together they'll be joining Ken in the dole queue. my message to my beloved Labour is dont let the biased media get you down, do as the Tories do dont put your disagreements on the world stage discuss them quiet and in private. The country needs you we cant put up with another Tory goverment and certainly not bully boy Cameron
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Grandantidote, I've noticed that you are more obsessive about accusing David Cameron of being a bully than Charles is about Hailing the Bumbling Leader. Is this because you believe that if you repeat a lie often enough some people will be stupid to start believing it is true?
I realise Cameron is having some success at characterising Brown as a ditherer, but that is because it has some basis in truth. Just as Tony Blair had success with the Tory sleaze accusation because this also had some basis in truth.
On the other hand your bully boy theme won't wash.
Two other recurring themes that puzzle me in all these posts are:
1) Boris doesn't have any experience.
Well, how many people do have experience of being Mayor of London? If previous experience was a necessity we would never change the governing party. In 1997 the first Labour Cabinet had almost no previous ministerial experience, which was unusual but a result of 18 years of being out of power, but that didn't prevent them from being elected.
Besides, Boris has more real worl experience than many other politicians. He has been a successful editor of a magazine, this is more genuine business experience than almost all other politicians.
2) David Cameron doesn't have any policies.
There was the inheritance tax policy or the non-doms policy for starters. They must have been pretty good ones as it didn't take Labour long to implement a new stealth tax on the Conservative Party which meant they could nick them.
They have committed to Labours spending plans for a couple of years, which is about as far as Labour went pre-1997 election.
Although we mustn't forget that Labours 1997 manifesto included commitments to a 10p starting rate of tax and an ethical foreign policy (no imperialist wars, no corruption in the arms trade sort of stuff).
One of Gordon Brown's proudest boasts is giving independence to the Bank of England in his first day or two in the job... that was not in the manifesto and was not mentioned prior to the election.
So all in all, I don't see Cameron doing anything wrong on the ploicy front or anything too different to Labour.
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to poster 14, who seems to be slightly deluded as to what is happening at the minute...the other reason that things are so bad at this moment in time is the result of the credit crunch caused by the excessess of ...er...the banking industry, also known as ...the private sector, the cost of which is £50 billion and counting.
Aw! Did I burst your bubble? I gues we'll add that one to the housing bubble before it. Yowch!
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Anagrams are fascinating, #78 ystavani; here's what your name yields: Via Nasty - a road London has unfortunately been travelling for the last eight years! We forget that there was never any need for a mayor in the first place so I find it fitting that for a nonsensical post we have a non-sensical man. Boris Johnson: No job is horns.
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"Labour crouched and ready to pounce"?
Right over the edge of the precipice maybe if we are lucky. Not crouched really just desperately trying to hide from the questions that really matter .
One thing to remember from Thrsday's result is that Boris was elected by the people to his position , Brown merely inherited his which also turned quite a few voters from the Labour way .
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Not Gordon. He's just seen the latest Scottish poll figures putting the SNP at 45%.
http://cybernat.blogspot.com/2008/05/happy-birthday.html
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I like the comment about biased media - would this be the same media represented by the Labour Donor and offshore American previously known as Rupert Murdoch ?
David Cameron is a policy free zone like Boris ? The only policies Labour have are the ones they steal from the Conservative Party. We get the usual spin coming in - "Boris's only policy is on bendy buses" Though in his acceptance speech he talks about eradicating crime on the underground.
I think fresh ideas are needed in London - Ken was a breath of fresh air when he came in - now let's make the Mayoral post an a-political one, and take the City forward.
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Not sure about Ken doing Gordon 'a favour' by accepting the blame for the loss. It seemed to me that, by taking it on the chin, he demonstrated that he has about 1000 times as much guts as Brown who - in contrast - has continued to be keen to blame external events (credit crunch) and other people (back benchers kicking up a fuss about the 10p tax rate), rather than personally taking full responsibility for labour's devastating loss. If Brown wants to stand any chance of recovering he has, first of all, to learn to be honest with himself, and then be honest with the electorate ... don't hold your breath though!
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Boris and Ken have been the very model of graciousness with the handover of power, and I hope this sets the tone. I do have some serious misgivings about Boris's lack of experience, in particular in local government -- but hey, it gives hope to all us chattering classes of the academy and journalism that something better awaits us if we tire of what we're doing!
On a serious note, if NuLabor® is at all interested in winning in two years, they will have to recapture one key element of the Labour Party of yore, and that is the commitment to social justice. Broon needs to either reinstate the 10p band or increase the personal exemption, and pay for it with a new band on the top. By some measures the British tax system is more regressive than the American one, and that's an embarrassing state of affairs for a supposedly left-of-centre government after 11 years in office.
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I'll say one thing for Boris.
At least he's honest about his Public school/Oxbridge upbringing unlike all the fakes on the government benches who purport to speak for the working class all the while glossing over their own priveleged background. Not many "bog-standard"comprehensive educated sons and daughters of the proletariat in the Labour hierarchy are there? Looking at the CV's of all those Blair babes is like looking at a roll call for all the top Girls public schools.
In the last ten years, never have so many ladders been pulled from so many greasy poles.
So, I say to all you Polly Toynbee/Guardian inspired middleclass lefty wannabes...the fact is, posh Boris would be quite at home as a member of "New Labour".
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"At 11:40 am on 03 May 2008, Charles_E_Hardwidge wrote:
Perhaps, Gordon should just rule and be damned."
That may well be what he is doing.
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I think Boris will prove a very effective mayor. He will get a great team around him and lead to fight crime, improve transport, get greener and less spin in London. Having watched QT last week he was the only one who seemed to have answers to the questions, whereas the others just sneered or said he was a joke. He is very astute and intelligent and will provide a great launchpad for the general election when this miserable government we have will be sent packing.
Yes there will be a few gaffes no doubt, but I don't think we will have any known or unknown corruption going on, which has been the situation with Ken.
Bye Ken, hope the memoirs do ok!
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Will Boris have to resign as an MP now, or will he try and do 2 jobs?
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Democracy is a wonderful thing. It gives the people a voice in who governs them. In the end the pople of London chose exuberance and enthusiasm over grey competance. Well, good for them !
Its a pity that our unelected Prime Minister won't accord the people the same courtesy. However, in the end even 'iron' brown will have to bend before the electorate. The only question really is how much damage will be done to the interests of this country and the Labour party whilst we wait.
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Boris, Blair, Cameron are all media luvvies. Thats why journalists love the schmooze and spin...and thats why they hate Brown..and quite rightly...he detests them. Thats another reason why they are kicking him when he is down. I don't think the London-based media quite know whats going on. Its a different world out here you know.
I can remember Labour posturing before the 1992 General Election and look what happened to them. The next one will be a lot closer than people think.
Finally, if London can have Boris Johnson as their mayor and elect a BNP member on their assembly, then that speaks volumes. I can assure you that Boris is not universally loved in the rest of the country. But as I have alluded to, the gullible media have fallen in love with him
I am not a Labour supporter, but this is a great result for Gordon Brown...just wait and see
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What Nick's Blog, and the slant of this site's reporting shows is that Hutton neutered the BBC and turned it into the State Broadcasting Corporation, and the tacit New Labour station.
How very sad. People no longer really trust the BBC to be impartial any more; this is one of the quiet "successes" of New Labour, the politicisation of previously impartial bodies. I give you
The Civil Service
The Police Force
The BBC
Nothing is safe from New Labour's tentacles, no minutiae of our daily life is now safe from their meddling hands.
What a great day - and I say that as a middle class Labour voter, from my first vote in 1970 until Blair lied us into Iraq. Never again.
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Congratulations to Boris.
As he has said his first priority is policing, I suggest that Boris starts by withdrawing all police protection for the cabinet, and put them on the beat.
After all, Labour has been assuring us for a decade that crime is going down, so the cabinet shouldn't worry if they don't have their personal police officers any longer, should they?
----
Proud resident of Bexley and Bromley
"It's us wot won it" (Original credits "The Sun", 1992)
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Ken signed his own death warrent when he re-joined Labour. He was always strongest when defending London from the predations of those venal morons in the Palace of Westminster. Once he went back to them, there was simply no point in him being Mayor.
London will always need a mayor who can remind the government of the day that, just because they sit in London does not mean that they own it. Thatcher hated Ken specifically because she imagined herself the ruler of all she surveyed and in the end took the coward's way out and simply abolished the mayoral election she couldn't win.
Boris is a Londoner and a relatively decent guy, as ultimately was Ken. Either one was a good choice.
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"I prefer exuberance over incompetence any day of the week."#
Compared to Johnson, Livingstone embodies competence.
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The one and only Charles_E_Hardwidge wrote: "Labour isn't imploding. They're crouching before they pounce."
Brilliant! Isn't that a line from the film "Crouching Gordon, Hidden Hamster"? Charles_E_Hodgepodge reminds me of the armless, one-legged knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail shouting: "It's just a flesh wound! Come back and fight, you coward!".
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If the Saintly Ken was so wonderful, why didn't he win? If Gordon is so intelligent, why am I always reminded of that punkish thing with the chant Gordon is a moron. Sadly, socialism always forgets one thing: human nature. You can't treat people as entirely rational beings: they act on emotion too otherwise no one would bother to follow sport or fall in love or look at art or listen to music. Too many calculations, Gordon, and not enough thinking about what real people want. A year ago, £40 would fill my car. Two weeks ago, a litre of unleaded cost me 107.9. Yesterday it cost me 110.9. I presume Gordon's driver doesn't show him the VAT receipts. The Tories renewed under Major for a while because they made a big change. Brown was part of the old act. Chuck him overboard and Labor has a chance. On second thoughts, keep him and the Tories can all look charismatic. Boris won because he does have a brain. And why pick on where people were educated. I suspect they didn't choose where they went - their parents did. Now Ed Balls gets to do the choosing for them. Now there's a name replete with comic potential. Roll on a General Election and we can get rid of the tainted, tired old has beens of tatty old "New" Labour.
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"Its time for a change. Labour is tired, and needs a long rest"!! What kind of basis is that for electing a government!
The fact that Gordon Brown is not a Prime Minister is more the issue. As was said not too long ago on the BBC Radio 4's News Quiz of the current Prime Minister "it is the tragic case of a man who has wanted a job for so long, and now he's got it, can't do it!".
The man is a Chancellor, and he was a damn good one. But Prime Minister? He just doesn't fit the job description.
It's no good to bleat on about listening you need to DO something Gordon, act!
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In an age of spin and insincere communication it is a joy to see Boris in full flow. He is brutally honest and occasionally offends and thank God for that in an age when you can be jailed for expressing views. I have never seen such a wonderful orator who can convey his beliefs with such conviction and with such unscripted humour. To those who believe he is a buffoon or lacking upstairs then you really are kidding yourselves. Most decent business leaders and politicians are successful as much due to their charisma, as their inherant leadership skills. Check out his speech last night and the one he made today. He's a class act.
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Boris Johnson's first priority, he says, is to deal with violent crime. I'm wondering what kind of signal that statement sends out to the world about London as a tourist city and host to the Olympic games forthcoming. "Hey all - London is violent - do not think about going there."
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The idea that there is something of substance behind the election of Boris Johnson is about as risible as the idea that there was something of substance behind Tony Blair's election.
They are saying that this is the best result for the Tories since Major won the '92 election. In fact, people did not vote for Major because they wanted sanity, or prudent leadership. They voted for insanity and imprudence because they knew this was the only thing that would float them off the rocks of negative equity - when they crashed out of the ERM and people realised that they couldn't even do that effectively, even a social climber's nightmare like John Prescott could have won a landslide. I imagine people see throwing a few local councillors out of office in a similar way. Remember though, the man giving advice in the Treasury on Black Wednesday was - none less than David (Dave!) Cameron himself.
Do the people who voted for Johnson seriously believe that these people would give them the time of day if they weren't after their votes?! For God's sake... just take one look at Cameron, Johnson and Osborne in their £1200 Bullingdon Club jackets and you'll get the picture far better than I could ever paint it. The website oxfordstudent.com describes the ethos of this club as...
"... the feudal idea that its quite alright to inflict damage on peasants? property, provided one is able to pay for it".
Do not a large number of Boris' disgraceful utterances fit this mould perfectly? He's not a racist. He reserves his contempt for everyone not able to make it through the Bullingdon club selection process (there are currently only 7 members). These people are the only ones able to lie face down in their own vomit and look down on everyone else. And we made him our mayor.
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1. Global Financial Crisis exposes Gordon Brown to be nothing more than an ordinary and insubstantial leader.
2. Ken Livingstone has the arrogance to run for a third term.
3. Labour, Labour, everywhere, and not a job to work in, even after 11 years.
At last the tide in the affairs of men has turned. I have been so bored by New Labour, Old Labour, free market economics and the demise of primary production in the British economy. Unfortunately David Cameron thinks that it is still cool to be a free-marketeer. So there is nothing to celebrate.
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Those who are saying that you don't get elected to positions such as president of the Oxford Union or Mayor of London if you are a buffoon seem to have forgotten about George W. Bush.
Take a look at the buttock-clenchingly embarassing speech BJ made this afternoon. I say that without rancour (pronounced properly).
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Can we wait for at least 6 months before we write Boris off? I for one like Boris and think that he may be a good, possibly very good, Mayor.
People keep on about the Bullingdon Club. 30 years ago I was doing things I would cringe at now. I have grown up and changed, although I am still considered a bit eccentric at times.
I can see a bit of Churchill in Boris (don't laugh). Churchill was a "tory democrat" who went his own way. He changed part twice - Concervative - Liberal - Conservative - and even at the end as Conservative PM wasn't really seen as a Conservative by many in his party. Churchill was, as I think Boris may be, a motivator who was good at getting others to do the right things. And he had a superb sense of humour.
Currently one of the ctiticisms of Brown is that he is dour - no sense of humour. Well both Cameron and Brown, and Haigh to boot, all have a good sense of humour and are inspiring in different ways.
Can I suggest that all of you who are criticising Boris before he has had a chance to prove himself look at yourselves in the mirror and askyoursleves if you have achieved as much as him. I know I haven't.
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mickyoung: Remember though, the man giving advice in the Treasury on Black Wednesday was - none less than David (Dave!) Cameron himself.
You do realise that you are blaming a 26 year old for this financial disaster? A man only out of university for 4 years at this point. This is a stupid arguement that Labour throw at Cameron, if Lamont truly followed only Cameron's advice then he was an idiot of the biggest sort.
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It's always strange to see people crow about how New Labour's losses show how socialism doesn't work. Are there really that many people who don't know that New Labour was a Thatcherite project from the very start?
The problem we now have is that we can vote for useless Thatcherite policies from Labour, or useless Thatcherite policies from the Tories (I don't know what the Liberals actually stand for - perhaps they're Thatcherite too? Perhap's they don't know either).
The House of Commons is totally corrupt due to the open nature of voting - if you buy a politician you can check how s/he voted before writing the cheque. We need reform at a basic level, not more pointless general elections to pick this year's face of international capitalism (you know, the fantastic system that we're all forking out £50+Bn to save from their own stupidity).
Brown or Cameron? What difference does it make?
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mikepko: "Can I suggest that all of you who are criticising Boris before he has had a chance to prove himself look at yourselves in the mirror and askyoursleves if you have achieved as much as him. I know I haven't."
Ooooh thanks Mike for reminding me to look in the mirror. Ok I did that and it occurred to me that I have never been Prime Minister, a member of the Cabinet, an MP, a local councillor, a police officer, a doctor, a teacher, a paedophile, a refuse collection officer, a barrister or a man who cheats on his wife.
So I'd better just shut up. I know my place.
It's almost as though Magna Carta never happened sometimes.
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We laughed at america when they chose George Bush and did not believe it could never happen in Britain.
Now americans are having the last laugh.
In case anyone is in doubt about what I am talinking about. London Mayor.
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There's one huge lesson to be learnt about Boris Johnson's win and that is never assume.
Never ignore the factors that influence a majority decision.
Ken Livingston despite being seen as too much for a moderate Mr. Blair, became Mayor at a time of great policitical and cultural change. He was also a champion of the city. Whether you agreed with or violently opposed some of his decisions and policies he exacted change. This is what we ask of our public figures.
The cycle begins again. I am currently living in Australia and have been doing so since last September.
This country has also seen a seismic in its policitcal landscape. While much of it sounds reminiscent to me of Tony Blair's 'Third Way' consensus politics, the people elected Kevin Rudd's Labour after a long period of the Liberals at the helm.
I suspect the same will occur for the UK now. We must always be mindful that London is not the only City in the UK, it does represent a hub of great activity and ideas.
I do not wish to write the Labour Party off, however we must recognise that economically, the UK and much of the Western world is facing a stark reality of little liquidity and a lot of debt. Add this to an unpopular war and a Prime Minister who favours substance over media awareness and we have an unpopular government.
Who knows what the next general election will hold, but Gordon Brown has a lot of work to do
The real test for Boris now is how will he continue the momentum of Ken and build on it for the people of London.
Change is vital. It keeps us in a democracy. We must never forget that.
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'Blond' bombshell...
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LeoMark66 says: "I prefer exuberance over incompetence any day of the week".
I suspect with Boris you get both, don't you? Perhaps that is why more than a million daft Londoners voted for him.
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The funniest comment on here so far has been the one complaining bias in the Evening Standard against Ken! If you had not noticed virtually all the media has been biased against the conservatives since 1997 - not much fun is it!?
The other observation about the comments and this is not funny, but rather sad, is the vindictive and rather unpleasant comments on Boris's "class" and "education" - name calling is rather pathetic - give the man a chance to perform in the role rather than condemn him. There are many people like me who were ashamed with Ken representing London, I hope Boris will do a much better job and I not ashamed of London's mayor now!
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Boris is a complete joke and the Tories will likely suffer a setback in their attempts to overhaul the govenment, due to his policies.
Ken, in my opinion, has been a trusted selection for mayor, and has proved this time after time. He is nobody's lackey, despite his current association with the Labour party. He has in the past stood as an independent candidate.
It seems strange in this day and age that the vote for something as important as Mayor of London, can be won by virtue of a candidate being associated to a failing Labour government.
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95 - Dutchhoward, Boris has had to resign as an MP to take part in the mayoral election.
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I recon Ken got the last laugh! hes done a great job lets all hope he will give Boris all the help (he did say he would) he will need!. Gosh interesting times ahead?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Personally I feel the fact that 'Boris' is going to be the mayor of London for four years including for the Olympics is a joke. I fail to see how anyone can vote for people who have had a nice easy ride and a fast-track through Eton and Oxford - this also applies to Mr. Cameron and Mr. Osbourne.
It still surprises me that people have not turned on Cameron and his 'new' Conservatives and its plain to see he is not different to previous leaders apart from a bit younger and a lot more smug.
It is our duty to ensure that the true people of this nation - the people who work hard for their families get out and vote so that this tiny proportion of society who are trying so desperately hard to be like everyone else don't get to ruin our country once again.
Give 'Boris' a chance and he will mess it up. God hope their aren't any security issues in the next four years where being able to joke won't help at all. Lets also hope that the wider international community doesn't catch on to him either and begin to feel that this it what Britain's are really like.
Over a million people voted for 'Boris' and millions more voted for the Tories in the Local elections. These people need to seriously think about what happened in 1992; they need to think about the lack of policies from Cameron and Osbourne apart from beginners media management which clearly indicates their indecision and inability to rule as they lack clear vision; people need to compare the economic recession in this country to others and realise that its not anywhere near as bad as it could be; people need to stop basing their opinions and votes on singular issues which they see on the news and in newspapers with 'Dave' never far away offering criticism but no alternatives.
The election of 'Boris' is a sad time. It shows that this country is turning back to the Tories which is unbelievable considering who is currently running and in their party. People need to wake up and give Gordon Brown a real chance before turning to far far weaker alternatives.
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Boris has had a great result, but the Tories have capitalised on Labour's basic insecurities.
It should be remembered that, despite 3 election wins, Blair and Brown have still spent more years on the Opposition benches than in government.
Even in London, with Red Ken, Labour have never been quite able to acquire the mantle of the natural party of government.
Boris will either be a total disaster or an amazing success.
It certainly isn't going to be dull!
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Gordon Brown has just appeared on Andrew Marr, hes the clown not Boris... Boris looks like one of those people with the floppy hair and a nanny who working people laugh at and yes he's living up to that image but he is a very clever man and I think he will do the job well.
Gordon Brown however is still telling us he knows what we want, what we are worried about and how it can be fixed... oh and the country and party are happy that hes doing whats best for everyone... hello? where has he been the last few days?? Gordon is the clown! He can take something and turn it into nothing by a wave of the hand. He can read our minds and tell us what we want, even if we dont know its what we want. He seems to believe that we all want massive tax burdens then to go begging to the government for handouts. He should rename himself Corky and get a red nose... or maybe his mindreading skills should make him the Great Gordanski the man who knows everything and does nothing... The mans a liability the sooner this country is rid of him the better
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Just watched Andrew Marr's interview with Gordon Brown. The question 'what is your take on Boris?' went unanswered, in spite of being asked multiple times.
The whole interview revealed a total lack of listening (as promised) even to the questions Andrew Marr tried to ask. Gordon Brown just kept on talking.
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And while we are getting rid of Gordon (anyone remember the Jilted John song? look it up it suits him!) We need to get rid of Alister Sweetheart... sorry Darling... He was the one who messed the NHS up! if he can make that much of a mess with that, just think what he can do with the country!!!
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pattjd - you complain about the privileged education of the Consrvative Party - totally ignore the private education of the majority of the Labour Party, and urge people to vote for a party that is churning out selective academies to perpetuate the class barriers - presumably with the thought that if they keep people stupid they might vote Labour back in.
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#126
Yup proves hes listening... or is he really putting his hands over his ears and singing la la la very loud??? He's lost in his own little world
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Having watched Gordon Brown on tv, I suggest that Boris becomes Prime Minister - and I'm being serious. The guy would invigorate the country.
What do we get from Boris? Great speech, the odd fluff but he doesn't care - the message gets across.
What do we get from Gordon? Mumble, monotone, reactionary politics - it takes a thumping at the polls to finally say "yes, I know things cost more after all".
The UK needs a kickstart, with all sides working together instead of this "us and them" approach. Nationalism is rife, fuelled by idiotic leaders (Salmond etc) and in part by the BBC's insistence on regular anti-Scottish debates on HYS (check them out if you do not believe me).
Boris stands up and says "Great! I won! But let's get everyone on board."
THAT is what is needed now.
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Nobody who is criticising Boris has made the least effort to find out what he stands for. They're going by excised quotes from old news columns and HIGNFY appearances--precisely what they accuse all the folk who voted FOR him of doing. This is a ferociously intelligent and driven and actually quite focused man who happens to look like an unmade bed precisely because he knows it is disarming. Boris is a cuddly toy armed with a laser beam, and we're all going to find out quite soon whether he wields it for good or ill.
My expectation is that he will do a cracking job and stun nearly everybody, including those who voted for him as a "none of the above" gesture. At the moment there is almost no difference between the labour and conservative platforms in any case, and a mayor is not lashed by a party whip as MPs are, so he has the chance to be truly original and forward-thinking. In short as blue as his tie is, he has nobody to represent here except for all of us.
By the way, being a salesman is no bad thing. Every time you send your CV out you are being a salesman, whenever you convince others to your point of view, you make a sale. I wouldn't have expected Brown, allegedly a lefty, to sneer at people who do actual work such as selling things...
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I missed the GB speech, but just happened to look at his 'acceptance speech' at the virtual coronation of the man as leader of his party, and thus PM.
He said. "As a party we have always known that we succeed best when we reach out to and engage the whole community."
So why in heavens' name is he doing the exact opposite? He seems to be able to alienate more sections of the population than any PM in modern history. Public service workers, taxpayers, low income workers, foreigners, parents, people with personal records in government hands...the list seems endless.
His policies and his earnest, dour demeanour suggest a man so hopelessly out of touch, and that should give Labour MPs cause for concern. He is the least engaging, least trustworthy, least believable political leader I've seen in my lifetime - and there speaks a left-leaning liberal-minded voter. He needs to go.
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#130
The Government needs to realise there is life north of Watford. Ideally the Scottish Parliment and Welsh Assembly should be disolved (then part of the country is not getting something the others arent) Central Government should be just that... central! not tucked away in the corner of the country then we will all be treated fairly.
The Government needs to stop changing the way figures are presented too... far too many unemployed? well dont count people who are this or that or only count people that are unemployed and claiming benefits on a Tuesday... theres still the same number out of work but if they dont meet the new rules then they dont exist.
What about inflation?? The inflation figure that matters to the man on the street is, how much do I bring in? how much do I have to pay out? how much is left? am I worse off than last week?... i.e. the increase in the cost of living... Inflation is not some figure arrived at by some Government body using some odd equation.
Maybe Boris would be an ideal Prime Minister. Maybe he would do the unthinkable for an MP... Tell the truth!
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Could any of those who have been expressing the view that any three legged donkey would have been elected mayor instead of Ken explain why the LibDem candidate performed so badly? With such a fantastic CV I don't think he can be rated a donkey!
Or maybe it is true that LibDems will run something only when it snows in hell.
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Well done Boris! However, I can't see anything but failure during his term of office - no backbone, no real political standing. He may have some success if Ken Livingstone, who genuinely loves London, helps him as stated following the election result.
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#134
Ken lost london because of thinks like the ever increasing congestion charge and the totally inappropriate bendy buses... He also suffered because of his links with the Labour Party.. even though the post is supposed to be neutral.
The Liberals are a waste of space as well... I live in a constituancy thats been going between Labour - LibDem and hung Lab/Lib... Neither of them listen!
The 3 parties are all trying to be the same... all trying to fill the middle ground and be everything to everyone. There is really nothing to chose between them so it looks like people are not looking for a government who can give them the most but one who does the least damage to the country and take the least out of everyones pocket
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Makes me glad I don't live in London. Boris as Mayor and the BNP with a seat in the assembly. I hope that Boris will deliver for Londoners but I don't think he will. I think when history looks back on Ken Livingston's tenure he will be treated kindly. I think he did a lot of good.
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To be honest, I dont think who the Mayor of London is matters to anyone apart from those who live there. From an ousiders point of view this job is simply there to add a bit of pomp and to distract you from what is happening behind the scenes
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Blue or Red, Eton or Harlow I don?t care as long as it works well for all! However was Brown ever really competent, with an intelligent moral strategy? OR has this Government survived on Blair?s glamorous looks and reaping the benefits of the legacy created by the radical policies of the Thatcher / Major era. They?ve spent allot of money but where has it all gone? I remember the whole country being held to ransom by the Miners Union and Kenny?s GLC almost bankrupting London with his own Stalinist style agenda (and he does have subversive agendas). It seems New Labour is just Old Tory without any vision or real incentive scheme. Anyone out there trying like me to run their own business in London? Seems like we are finally waking UP!
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Unthinking comments by people such as Boris's sister about her Oyster and champagne celebration should be a reminder that the next election is by no means in the bag!
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I had a fairly ?normal? education and did not go to University as so many of my acquaintances , rich and poor, working class or aristocrat did. If your background doesn?t matter and individuals from less privileged backgrounds wish to have equal opportunities, then the ?playing field? of England and UK must be level for all. This also includes a leftist obsession that a private school education gives ?one? such an unfair advantage that an individual should not be allowed to compete or take part in any contest. Seems extremely Communist to me? Yes Eton is one of the best schools in the world but so what. Boris went on a scholarship and why do so many Labour MPs choose also to send their offspring to Eton and other private schools.
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One does have to agree that some of Boris?s worst enemies politically will possibly be his family... they seem to refer far too much to drink and food? The Mayors job is about good government? I think the Conservative political machine will have to envelop them and repackage some of their comments. Yes he is very intelligent, a real breath of fresh air and I think (hope) he will bring more to the role than most imagine possible. At least we are rid of Kenny and his personal leftist agendas. Hopefully we will seem far more transparency, less political contrivance and a farer city for all.
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Kenny got a similar number of votes to his last election its just Boris got more! However I think we should list some of ex Mayor Livingstone...Kennys achievements
£500 on (my) Council tax to spend on...Congestion Charge. Buses that don?t fit London Streets. More congestion created by filling in Bus stops that had already cost us millions to create. A network of expensive ridiculous Cycle lanes that don?t work causing more congestion. A Tram system that never got built causing more congestion. Less parking for business effectively creating Parking Fine Taxes. Free reign for Parking Authorities. Higher charges for Business because we all know business causes all the problems?. Higher charges for Drivers with NO alternative incentives apart from Bus or Tube. A Bus and Tube system that can?t cope with demand. The building of a hugely expensive appallingly designed London Assembly building which has major design issues and is not Eco friendly. Inconsiderately attempting to turn Londons skyline into New York for higher Rates yield. Crime Up (Thats more a Government issue) Spending millions and millions and millions on unpractical road schemes designed to slow traffic and cause even more congestion...
Oh but the Oyster Card is a real triumph in the efficiency of collecting monies but also removed conductors and allowed for repetitive expensive single journey charges.
Well done Kenny! Thank you for leaving
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Re84 So you think I should not call Dave a bully boy, you think I am hoping this lie as you call it will stick, well it does'nt have to stick, it's stuck, I can assure you although I'd like to think it was my idea but it wasn't me that first called Cameron a bully if you think he's not a bully take the trouble to listen to PMs questions he's not only a bully but he becomes almost manic when confronted with the calm parliamentarian attitude of the PM who doesnt rise to this childish name calling behaviour,but the PM did last week give us an insight into what he really does think of Cameron a shallow salesman I think were the words, who could disagree with that? David Cameron and George Osbourne are typical of flashman the school bully. As for your joy at Cameron having a policy, you think that abolishing the inheritance tax on property over a million pound is the policy we were all waiting for or was it the right step in helping the hard working families. who incidentally probably wouldn't be working if it wasn't for labour, Dave is trying to cuddle up the poorer people who have parents living in million pound homes. Nice policy that, should get them a few votes from people who already vote for them, nice one Dave, bit of an own goal though. If you think thats a good policy NOT ANOTHERFORM then it tells everyone reading this what a really caring guy you are, for the middle or upper classes, that is.The old chant "The working class can kiss my **** " comes to mind. You have also apparently forgotten that Dave through Boris out on his neck not long ago now he's his best new friend, You seem to believe that stealth tax was concieved by the labour party, well I'v been around a long time and I can never remember when there was no stealth tax.
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I watched Gordon Brown being interviewed on BBC by Andrew Marr this morning.
Mr Brown still hasn't got it. He had the gaul to say that he felt our pain and the same old spin came out - listen and learn etc., etc., etc.
This man has no intention of giving us our taxes back if he can possibly help it. He says he will fight, but what is the point if nobody wants him at No. 10?
As I said before - Gordon is suffering from Delusions of Grandeur.
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Perhaps New Labour should re-launch themselves as New New Labour.
The truth is, people seem to have had enough of them. It's time for change. Things can only get better....
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"The calm parliamentarian attitude of the PM ?"
That isn't calm - that's a vacuum !
His idea of an insult is to call someone a salesman - ie someone who's after his money !
Gordon can stroll away back to his beloved Scotland with his million pound pension in 2011 but we'll be cleaning up his mess until my children retire.
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Boris would do well to seek the guidance of Sian Berry, Green, if he wishes London to retain the eco-leadership position it has gained over the years. Ken has carried the can for some of the tough choices he made that were temporarily unpopular with some. It will cost Boris nothing to uphold these. Measures to reduce carbon will need ratcheting up, and rapidly, not relaxing.
Let's hope Boris's chum Dave C persaudes him to see the green light or at least the new green shade of the Tory logo.
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The Prime Minister?s interview with Andrew Marr this morning verged on the embarrassing. His OCD type repetition of a list the same few points, irrespective of the question, and his social awkwardness combine to make it painful to watch.
Leaving aside the style and looking at the substance of what he said, one would think to listen to him that Labour had come to power five minutes ago and were promising to put right the failings of the past 10 years.
A couple of questions for the PM:
How come you claim credit for the economic benefits in the UK during the favourable global economic conditions of the past decade but blame all our current problems on the difficult global economic conditions now, pausing only to say that you and other governments played no part in causing them ?
(a) Who are the ?hard working families? helped by Labour since they came to power and (b) Where did the money come to pay for that help? Would the answers be (a) Only those families on benefits and tax credits? and (b) The rest of us who,presumably, are either not hard working or not families ?
Two things are obvious about Gordon Brown:
1. He has good intentions
2. His road will lead to hell for the rest of us.
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re#84 and 144 I'm with grandanitidote. David Cameron has personalised politics through his attacks on the PM to a degree that makes me uncomfortable. It is sneering and thoroughly unpleasant. Brown has tried to rise above it at PMQ's but this is not working. The theatre of the Commons wont allow it.
The PM should now constantly repeat the "slick salesman" jibe as David Cameron has had this criticism coming for a long time.
No doubt about it, this will resonate with the electorate. Brown is not polished and never will be. He is however, a man of formidable intellect who works tirelessly and knows about overcoming personal setbacks (his eye injury).
The British people have an innate sense of fair play. Brown is a thoroughly decent individual. Cameron's personal, sneering attacks on the Prime Minister will cost him in the end.
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Cameron's behaviour at PMQ's is no better or worse than any other leader of the Opposition since they were first televised.
Tony Blair used it to repeat the 'Tory Sleaze' phrase and didn't he on one occasion shout across at Major that he was 'Weak, weak, weak'. But he had nothing on the vitriol displayed by John Prescott outside of Parliament when providing BBC News with their headline of the day in last months of the Major years.
The only difference recently has been that Gordon Brown has been the PM least able to defend himself. He falls back on endless lists of statistics, many of which have been found to be false when examined later and is extremely bad at making it sound spontaneous when reading from his pre-prepared response.
When I listedned to Gordon Brown this morning he appeared to be saying that all his policies were fine, the only problem being that they had not been adequately 'sold' to the electorate. So any attacks on that score would seem to be motivated by jealousy on his part.
Don't give me any rubbish about Brown's high principles in the Commons. Much of his problems with the 10p tax rate has been caused by his scheming. He left the announcement of the reduction of the basic rate to 20p until the very last line of his budget statement in order to wrong-foot Cameron who had to make an instant response, while at the same time failing to announce the doubling of the 10p rate. This was only discovered later when the fine print was examined - this could be described as the antic of a 'slick salesman' could it not?
And lets not forget his triple counting in the early years to provide a mis-leading figure for spending. Gordon brown does not have high moral values, he is a politician just like the rest, but sadly for this country, not a very good one.
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What a terrible shame that a posh English schoolboy (from Eton no less) should be allowed to make nasty, horrible, sneering comments to reveal the Stodgy, Prespaterian, Scrooge like mind of our Scottish Prime minister, who when he flees England will be able to retire to his beloved homeland safe in the knowledge that English Taxes will continue paying for his devolved Parliament and pension and that he may still have a Seat in Westminster...if he is lucky
The man is disingenuous, faux and an even worse actor than his glamorous predecessor. At least Blair was too busy screwing up the rest of the World to bother too much with England
If Brown feels my pain he can try running a small business and paying a mortgage.
This Government inherited one of the best economies in the world after Thatcher and Major (like them or hate them) and what have Blair / Brown really managed to do with it...give the Banks free reign to steal from us and then prop then up with more of our money and let the housing market boil over all because they spent too much and were too greedy.
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A little late I must say, but here is a video that has been doing the rounds on youtube. Boris fans be warned - your man has not been painted in the best light! There seems to be a good deal of research and evidence provided in the video which is refreshing. Still, if you are a partisan Tory, you will hate it! [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
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Re 151Yes we have had quite healthy exchanges across the house for generations, sometimes amusing and sometimes quite strong but Camerons rather manic and quite bullish, sometimes ignorant style is something else, even he admitted last week that his promise not to have punch and judy politics had failed and that he gets carried away with the occasion. Just what we need is a PM that cant control himself when he isn't getting his own way, they used to say that Hitler used to chew the end of the carpets in those situations, I wonder what Dave gets up to when he gets back to his office.but this behaviour is something that I would rather not see sent around the world.As for your remarks about John Prescott, he was a man who started life with nothing, he worked hard for the party he believed in, eventually becoming Deputy PM for ten years he was admired perhaps most importantly by the late John Smith, but his accent and early upbringing didn't sit well with the Eton boys club and they attacked him for it constantly but with his northern humour he was almost always able to trump them. You say his vitriol outside the house, well he received more than enough vitriol inside the house and in the media, but he's a better man and more loyal than any of his critics.
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*** BREAKING NEWS ***
Brown now supports a referendum
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/politics/Wendy-39Bring-it-on39.4049804.jp
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Was i surprised, NO. for some time now i have watched this goverment lurch from one fiasco to another, never able to make a decision without taking it to a review board of some description. Why? when we pay for a parliment to discuss various laws/needs etc of the country. We are ruled by incompetence. On the first reading of what Boris wants to do. God so basic it screams fantastic. Take drink out of the undergroud. Brilliant. Free travel. Yes, but behave. Wonderful. all i can say to Labour. No review. Hah! Watch and learn. from a guy that you played for a fool.
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Nick,
Good to see Red Ken out of work, I hope to be followed by his friends of political patronage.
Boris Johnson has not presented a good image for Eton and a Baliol Classics First.
The latter will be replaced in the fullness of time with a degree in Harry Potter Studies and other modern Fairy Stories.
If Boris has political talents then he will hire people around him that have a proven track record in public service or real business administration, preferably international. There may be a few CVs hitting the mat from his Tory Party colleagues which he should ignore as just freeloading political failures.
In my opinion, only by diluting or removing the political influences on the office Boris will hold will the prospect of high success be possible.
Perhaps City Hall can ba a pilot scheme that could be extended to our undemocratic and redundant political system and our obnoxious politicians.
This was not a vote for Boris, it was a rejection of the Labour Party past, and especially the present government.
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At last, a vote for Boris means a sign the tory's are on their way back,and not before time, perhaps we shall see Britain become GREAT again.
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Nationalism is rife (post130), but it is not fuelled by idiotic leaders.
Alex Salmond, for instance, is easily the smartest politician we have since since Gerry Adams ran rings around Tony Blair.
The bald fact is that increasing numbers of Scots and Welsh people are voting for nationalist parties.
Only the politically apathetic English have not understood what is actually happening, mainly due to a 'national' media that is not interested, possibly for commercial reasons.
The English are going to wake up one day and find that Scots and Welsh have left (the union).
In my opinion, it would be wiser for us English to pre-empt that by making our own move first.
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PS. I see that the whole Johnsin clan has come out the woodwook, and Pater tells us that young Boris 'can think' because he has had a classical education (Ancient Greek, Latin et al).
Yes, wonderful.
Ir is just a pity that 99% of the English youngsters have to be processed through the failing State driven sausage machine.
Thereby ensuring that England continues to be governed by an elite.
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Re 155 What good news. Now I guess you'll be one the thousands of voters that will recieve copies of the constitution and the treaty so that you and they can read them through and then make your decision whether to vote for the treaty or not, you are so bent on fair play [re the constitution] that you should know that you must read them to form any sort of measured answer,or how else can you come to a conclusion. you pro referendum supporters are a complete mystery to most of us, stop and ask anyone in any walk of life if they have read the above,I'll lay odds that you wont find one in a thousand has, even David Davies admitted that he had not and yet he had the gall to speak against the treaty and vote against it.
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"Alex Salmond, for instance, is easily the smartest politician we have since since Gerry Adams ran rings around Tony Blair."
When I meant idiotic, I didn't mean as a politician. He is an excellent politician, but not in the sense he respresents the best deals for the consitiuents.
Salmond, like all nationalistic leaders, is driven by a single target, but without considering the consequences.
Scotland - like Northern Ireland and Wales - do not have the basic economic infrastructure to survive in their current form. The SNP are against nuclear power and coal-fired power stations, so we cannot even put on the lights, let alone switch them off.
There are other questions for those in England who question - rightly so - why they cannot be independant.
What about all the Scots, Welsh and Irish living in England? What about the Armed Forces? Who wants the nuclear subs, since the SNP want them out as well (never mind the 11,000 jobs affected).
The reason most Scots and Welsh are going for SNP and PC is because there is no othe alternative to Labour. On a personal note, I'd rather see Boris Johnson is charge of the UK. Things might actually happen that are truly beneficial to the country, rather than for MPs themselves. I like to see a man who makes the odd fumble and comment, but has the drive to see things through.
Boris wants everyone to work together, and that is the way forward for the UK instead of this xenophobic nonsense that the media insist on driving.
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#120 - super_stevie_f
Correction of your "correction".
Johnson has not resigned, he is still MP for Henley.
Anybody heard about the Henly By-Election? No, me neither.
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Boris has said he would resign as MP soon. I'm not sure whether this is absolutely necessary. After all, historically Prime Ministers have been able to combine the demanding role of Prime Minister with their. constituency duties. (Gordon Brown is probably an exception as he is obviously incapable of most things other than telling blatant porkies - aka 'brownie points').
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I do hope the extensively quoted Diane Abbott comment that the election of Boris is an 'accident waiting to happen' wasn't meant to sound like ungracious sour grapes, because it did. Whether or not it turns out to be true, it must be in the interests of Londoners until then that we encourage Boris to do as good a job as he can.
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After hearing in disbelief that London had indeed elected Boris Johnson as Mayor of London I wonder what the world is coming to.
I have been visiting London on and off for about 15 years. On my first visits in the early 1990's the one thing that struck me is just how could this, our capital city, survive? It was dirty, the public transport was run down and even then it was nigh impossible to navigate by car. Since 2000 though I have seen steady improvements in these areas and all because one man was prepared to put his money where his mouth was - and do exactly as he said. I was suspicious of Ken becoming London mayor because of his links to the GLC and the ghosts of 'old' Labour returning to haunt the capital but I was proved emphatically wrong. Nowadays London is a very pleasant place to visit - my partner fully agrees and she has been a regular visitor to the capital for over 30 years. All this was down to the tireless work done by Ken Livingstone and his team.
As a visitor I can only wonder what made Londoners remove, in my opinion, the best servant the city has had for over a generation. Although nationally Labour has been walking from one disaster to the next of late, Ken was still dilligently working and succeeding on improving London. The woes of the Parliamentary party should not have knocked on to Ken losing his job. He was a safe pair of hands for London.
I hope that Boris confounds the sceptics, of which I am one, and becomes an effective leader of our capital. But I fear the opposite will be the case.
For now, all we can do is wait and see...
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Post 162 "What about all the Scots, Welsh and Irish living in England? What about the Armed Forces?"
What about them?
Scots, Welsh and Irish people living in England make a very valuable contribution to English society and are more than welcome, along with Commonwealth and other EU citizens.
What we English do not need is Scottish, Welsh or Irish politicians plying their trade in England because each of those countries has their very own Parliament.
Unlike us English, which day-by-day is becoming more and more politically unsustainable, as Gordon Brown is finding out.
PS. The Armed Forces of these countries must become part of an EU Armed Forces, sooner rather than later, for a huge variety of political, military and economic reasons. Pity the politicians lack the courage to spell this out in public, they simply chew it over in private and try to figure out the best moment to 'shape the public' (ala Jack Straw)'.
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Ken Lost. Simple. More people voted for Boris. He won.
Ken had The Mirror Guardian The Express The Independant The Observer and of course good old Auntie Beeb in his corner.
Boris had the Mail the Standard The Daily Star and the Telegraph.
I think aunties political spin machine did their best (Question time, newsnight, any of its news output) but you cant polish a t@rd.
People had grown sick of Ken. Boris is younger carries less baggage and offers a new start and direction.
Well done Ken. Thank you but its time to move on and give Boris a go.
Can Ken supporters just take a ten second breather from their Knee Jerk ' we hate the Tories, maggie is Satan' reaction and ask yourselves why is an Oxford educated young mayor such a bad thing.
He isnt hitler/bush/pinochet. He's an ex magazine editor and MP who seems to have his heart in the right place. You seem to be reacting as if he was some demon. He's no more of a Demon than Ken. He just has different ideas.
I wish the level of debate reached above the student union posturing of Wolfie Smith.
Get a grip
Freedom for Tooting
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Why should we be surprised? I recall that a few years ago Hartlepool elected a monkey as a Mayor. So now a clown gets to be Mayor of London!
What is worrying is that the electorate no longer think about broad issues but rather snipe from the sidelines about the issue of the day.
Although I wish Boris luck - I fear the worst
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Just a quick question when is Boris standing down as MP for Henley? Or like many of Camerons front bench will he insist on several highly paid jobs?
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So let's get this straight; the apologists for Gordon want us to give him more time, despite having lost all our documents, sold all our gold and destroyed the banking system with reckless levels of lending. After eleven years of messing it up he has to have even more time to prove himself.
By contrast; Boris is not allowed to do anything. It's a shame that NuLabour is having such a hard time of it losing power but they had better get used to it. They won't be setting the agenda for many years to come; bin taxes, 42 detention all will be defeated as the ClimbDowning Street Ditherer performs his personal last rites.
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happily neigher Boris Johnson or david cameron will be reading what is posted here. They will be getting on with the jobs. Its just sad people like ourselves who waste our time getting agitated.
On the other hand, Gordon Brown, or at least his servants, will be reading with increasing interest in an attempt to put together a strategy which might possibly interest the general public and get Labour back on the rails.
Being nasty about Churchill and Thatcher serves no purpose whatsoever. I could go on about Attlee, Wilson, Callaghan, Foot, Kinnock and Brown but it would be of no purpose.
Can I suggest that we try to be forward looking and constructive. Comments such as Boris is a clown is neither forward looking nor constructive.
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I don't have much time for the hard left or hard right, and even less for discussion that turns from policy and character and into arguing and finger pointing. People can't be bothered to take ten minutes to vote, yet, will invest their entire ego in endless and pointless squabbles online.
The Prime Minister has had peaks and troughs but, today, has accepted reality as it is. This is a notable moment. People may disagree but I've already commented the turning point has passed. It's will take 6 months to get back on track but it's doable and inevitable as a marching clock.
Zen Buddhism studies systems and components in the sense that it looks at the world and people, and its spontaneous creativity and mechancial predictability. All this has happened before and will happen again. Such is the way of things until it is not, but that's another story.
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Oi, Chuck Hogwash @173, You forgot the "All Hail the Blessed Leader!" or has it become too ridiculous even for you to praise a dead man walking?
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What, pray, does Zen Buddhism have to say about the fact that people don't actually like Gordon Brown?
This is the dilemma for the NuLabour party.
Ken Livingstone was voted out because people are bored of the empty rhetoric of the NuLabour spin machine with its boasting ways about past successes. We live in that 'success' and it doesn't feel like one to many of us.
Tellling us all that Boris wasn't serious and would only be fun at a dinner party played straight into the hands of the electorate and showed just how out of touch NuLabour are. People wanted a much lighter touch than the hectoring self righteousness of Harman, Flint, Brown, Balls, Cooper et al. The more they came out to support Ken the more people voted Boris.
'I know best' is such a tired old NuLabour mantra and Gordon Brown played the tape all over again on Sunday morning on Andrew Marr. Why do you know best, Gordon? Why exactly are you the best person to 'run the country' (whatever that means). Business men run the country by creating wealth which you tax and spend on our behlaf.
The judgement people are making right now is simple; they don't like the way you are spending it and they don't like you, Mr Brown. That is why your grim message and your grim party received only 24% of the vote in local elections and why Ken Livingstone was finally booted out.
People don't like Gordon Brown; they had the chance to show this last Thursday and they turned out in their millions so to do;
All hail democracy!
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Zen Bhuddism?
Altogether now uuuuummmmmm,uuuuummmmmm,uuuummmmm,etc.
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When asking for a comment on what Zen Buddhism suggests about Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the election results one might as well ask a hammer what it thinks of a nail. Something is what it is, unless it is not. Anything else is arrogance and insensitivity, or ego.
Suzuki was a great Zen scholar who burned all his notes on the principle that the man on the way does not comment on the way. Simply, those who comment are not doing their job, and those that are doing do not comment. This is simple to understand but hard to do.
At the risk of sounding like Yoda, "There is no try only do". One is what one does. So, a loudmouth and a braggart do what they do, and a cheat and swindler do what they do, until they don?t. Then you have something else. Life is choice. Choose wisely, etcetera.
Further reading:
Dogan's "Ceasless Practice", by Daniel Zelinski Ph.D.
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On a Zen (and the Art of the the Motorcycle) kick, of course, there is a huge difference between the 'commentariat' and those who simply get on with the {political} job.
We here are 'scribblers' who may or may not have some tiny influence by what we write.
By contrast, a Government politician sits at a desk in Westminster, and by virtue of being elected, has legitimacy when he/she sits there and signs a piece of paper that may have a direct impact on our lives.
Apparently, wielding that power gives the politicians concerned a huge ego boost.
That is the fundamental difference between them and us.
In Jeremy Paxman's rather resigned language "they {politicians} are odd people, they just want to push the rest of us around".
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How can Boris ever appreciate, or understand what life is like for the 25% poorest in a city where the yuppies left that 25% waaaay behind, years ago?
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Ian Duncan Smith and David Willets have gone some way to understanding and appreciating what it's like to be the doormat that makes up the bottom 25%. I'm sure they'll be cringing at the thought of anything Boris might say but may help mitigate that behind the scenes. As the reality of the situation sinks in Boris might have to do some swotting.
Will Boris change London, or will London change Boris?
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I awoke on Saturday and I still couldn't believe it. British politics really has turned into a Big brother style popularity contest where you vote for the bufoon because he makes you laugh. Maybe this is why the turnout was so high - all the BB viewers were motivated to go and vote because the schmucks 'recognised someone off the telly'.
There are so many things wrong with this election - where do we start?
How about:
1 - No-one actually ever wins and election, with 55% of people not bothering to vote, I would say the outright winner is Apathy and Disillutionment.
2 - In the last few hours Boris's masters were re-assuring us about Boris's hands off approach. 'Where he doesn't know what to do he will get someone in to do the job' - Ah yes, that reminds me about the countless stories of people hiring tradesmen to work and not knowing the first thing about the task - and getting ripped off. The sharks will be circling this fliudering porpoise with his multi-million pound budget, I can assure you.
3 - Boris will prove, or disprove the theory that 'any muppet can run an office - it runs itself mostly' - if he is successful then I suggest we vote Rupert the Bear for Prime minister - because everybody likes Rupert.
4 - Contrary to popular belief - the public are stupid. I feel just as strongly about the Labour party government as the next person, however I know that Ken wasn't really a Labour man, I knew he was the best man to run London and no matter how much I hate GB and his witless fools, I still voted for Ken based on his capability of doing the job. London will suffer the decision it made last Thursday.
5 - Ken didn't try hard enough - simple fact - he admitted himself he only has himself to blame. I think the evening standard joke journalsist were all too much for him and I don't think he actually wanted to serve the ungrateful and now selfish Londoners anymore.
So here's to the next 5 years under Boris. Big business will act like it's the wild west, the criminals will have a field day, the tube and buses will decline rapidly and it will definitely be every man for himself.
p.s. Can't wait to see Boris handle the first RMT negotiations with Bob Crowe to prevent the first tube strike. Oh did no-one think of situations like that? Ken had a hard time and he is of the same political ilk as Bob - god help Boris - fed to the lions...
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@ charles E hardwidge (post 180)
err....how have IDs and Willetts gone some way to appreciating what it's like for those at the bottom of the pile?
Given that one was born into forces officer class, and the other has spent all his life either as a civil servanrt or policywonk....how could they possibly achieve that understanding?
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Boris Johnson is not stupid.
Even if somebody started out as 'not too bright' you can be assured that by the time they have gone through the system at somewhere like Eton, they will be working at their full potential, quite unlike the wretched 'State' virtual monopoly system.
He may well have 'put his foot in it' politically in places such as Liverpool and Portsmouth but one would like to think he would have learnt from that.
Some here worry about what he will do when faced with the likes of Bob Crow.
I have seen Bob Crow on TV and he strikes me as somebody very competent in doing what he is supposed to do.
That is defending his members rights.
In reality, working people have very little power and are still little more than serfs.
They are mostly 'employed' and therefore actually working for the Government for about half-of-the-year (see tax freedom day).
The power of collective bargaining is just about the only power available to working people, so the Bob Crows of this world have their place and the politicians should be able to deal with that.
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London get's what London deserves.
Enjoy.
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I may generally favour Prime Minister Gordon Brown but where people like IDS put effort into producing a policy document on poverty, and Willetts spends time on the rough end of town I must give credit where it's due. It may not be perfect but the beginnings of a clue are better than no clue at all.
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charles e hardwidge; the latters is gimmockeroonie asa far as I am concerned, but I see your point.
Oh gawd, 4 years of BORIS JOHNSON. If it was anywhere else in the UK, it wouldn't matter half so much. But we are a World City, and the single biggest magnet for talent, visitors, investment, global interest in britain, FULL STOP.
people simply DON'T travel halfway round the world to work in Manchester, but they do to work in London. It is the ONLY british city about which things are known to people who've never even been on the same continent.
And now this bigotted, reactionary etonian clown is gonna turn this extraodinary city into a global laughing stock.
The Unions, especially big bad Bob Crow, will tear him to pieces.
TfL will drive him onto a state of near-psychotic confusion.
The police will be laughing at him within a year.
Property developers, within a week.
Oh Londoners, do you realise what you've done?
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Oh NO what will we do about CO2? It is become the new Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Remember the CFC Crisis...there are still huge holes in the Ozone...who cares now, we are currently waging a War on CO2
Someone previously mentioned that Boris should take note from Sian Berry of The Green Partys views which I am sure are full of CO2...and who I seem to remember suggested we all vote for Kenny?... and oh yes she is very green!
Will anyone WAKE UP to the fact that natural Phenomena, Trees and even Humans breathing out produce the largest percentage of the deadly CO2 gas! There are far worst gases that we could get really obsessed about some you only need to sniff and your done for which are mainly produced by nutty, obsessive governments in laboratories and tested on defenceless animals or poor countries with very few lawyers! Ring any bells? Methane is also not so good for the atmosphere either and is actually far more damaging than CO2, so I suggest some individuals stop eating junk food and talking out of the wrong part
Of course I know there is truth in the science but all in context as part of a balanced global vision and not used for political scare mongering or diversionary tactics to increased taxes and charges.
I?ve been recycling since I was a small boy and so did my parents and my grandparents, returning bottles, reusing packaging, although the most of todays product is the package, just buy an Apple product...also composting vegetable waste (how Rural), cycling and walking where we could, in those days you could have collected our bin once a month but we had a Black and White TV and no Computers to waste hours of real life blogging on
Life was wonderful!
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chris02london @187 is absolutely right.
BTW, a couple of years ago we were promised 'global warming' and now they're saying that world temperatures will actually get cooler over the next decade....
Can I have a tax rebate?
As for all those who think that Boris can't deal with the dinosaurs of TfL and the like of Bob Crow: you are about to be surprised. Boris will - in his neat phrase - 'humanely euthanase' them. The public mood has definitely turned against them.
Perhaps the £40K a year era for tube drivers (not exactly rocket science) is finally coming to the end it so richly deserves. And, as a bonus, it would also be nice to see parasites like Bob Crow work for a living.
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Seems the government can get away with yet more taxation under the guise of Green Tax. As long as they can make people believe that paying more tax is the only way to close the ozone layer, reduce emissions and so on, a lot will believe them and pay it. I'm waiting to see what will happen when the new and much more expensive car tax comes into being - when we're all looking the other way, I expect!
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Calling people names such as 'parasite' is not at all helpful.
'We all serve in some way' said the late George Harrison, and indeed we do.
If asked to choose between serving a group of people who do a practical job every day, as their union representative or alternatively serving a bank by dealing in obscure financial instruments, then what would you choose?
As the recent mistakes of financial traders are going to be paid for by Joe Public, in the form of more expensive credit (mortgages) then one is tempted to ask - exactly who might the 'parasites' be?
I could'nt possibly comment.
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My god, I hope the idiots who posted derogatory and arrogant comments about the "ridiculous" nature of the notion of Mr Johnson becoming Mayor of London feel REALLY stupid right now...
a buffoon?! not a heavyweight politician?! take a look at his education! take a look at some of his speeches, or his articles! he's a very clever man. and when you say "not a heavyweight politician", surely you mean he's not a boring old man? what he is, in fact, is an exciting, likeable man, with the overwhelming public support - I bet many politicians would eat their feet to be in Boris's position, not least of all, one with the initials GB!!
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Jon_C_robinson:
An Oxbridge education is a sign of privilege, not intellect.
This is the man who managed to alienate the entire populations of Liverpool, Portsmouth and papua New Guinea, and implied all Africans are homicidal psychopaths: great mayor material, and just the sort of man you want in chance of the premier police force, development authority, and public transport network in Europe - not.
And I think you need to look up the word 'overwhelming' in a dictionary too
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You don't have to be brilliant to run any major concern what you do need is the ability to pick the right person to do the job you want done. I recall the late Sir Freddie Laker saying that he employed much cleverer men than himself. What he had was vision and the willingness to take risks. Hopefully Boris will have the ability to deligate and pick the right men for the jobs he wants done.
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If I had worked hard at school and had passed the exams needed at a high enough standard to be accepted at Oxford or Cambridge I would feel a bit offended by the first sentence of comment 192.
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Come on Nick we all need a laugh! Boris is just the guy, If he gets ken on his side with Isambard Kingdom Brunel sorting out the transport wiith Bob kyle! got to stop i need to re assess me tax! damn Im 7p short!
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@ 194 studownie; and how much easier do you think it is to get to oxbridge from a top 20 public school than from tulse Hill comp (where ken went)? You DON'T think class still decides such things? If so, you're miles away from reality.
I know who the joke's on here; us, Londoners. we have managed to replace the best leader London ever had, bar none, with a gaffe-prone aristo clown who's never run anything in his life. we'll be a laughing stock within a year
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