Boris for Mayor?

[Jonboy]

As usual, thoughts on the back of a postcard please.

[Ladygooner]

Not in a million years - hopefully!

[*Bob*]

Well.. at least you can't make the accusation that there aren't any real differences between the candidates.

[Jah Lush]

For some reason, which I find baffling he's rather popular, a popular buffoon though. I certainly wouldn't vote for him.

[*Bob*]

Boris would make a fantastic Mayor.. but I'm thinking more of the kind of town mayor who wears a gold chain does handshaking photoshoots for the local rag when the church does a bring-and-buy sale.

Not the kind of Mayor with real power in a major world city.

[Brendan]

Yeah perhaps if London had an official city fool he would be the perfect candidate.

Seriously though the more I consider it the more I can see that he will actually be a strong candidate. He has gumption which is exactly what makes Ken so successful.

[Fear 'n boozin]

I'd vote for him, not sure he's as much of a baffon as he/the media makes out.

[James]

At the risk of sounding unpopular I think Ken is doing a great job, despite the best efforts of the Evening Standard and their cronies.

The buses have improved beyond all recognition, and congestion charging is a pretty massive success too. He also seems to be trying to pull the train operators into line on the whole Oyster issue (until now they have just been trying to run off with the profits).

The last thing we need is some affable loon like Boris to come in and ditch all of this in favour of pulling strings for the Kensington & Chelsea brigade. Let's face it, he seems like a nice bloke but he is a Tory - so that's where his interests will lie.

[*Bob*]

James, how right you are.

I'll be voting for Ken, despite the constant bleatings from The Mail and Cabbies that eeee's ruined laaaaandon.

The idea of voting for Boris on the grounds that he 'might not be quite so much of a tit as he makes out' is an odd one.

[mamafeelgood]

james i agree with what you say and today the standard runs with an amazing title along the lines of 'surge in popularity for boris.' well you don't say? in just 24 hours. how happy they would be to see the back of the newt king himself.

[Jah Lush]

Well said James and Bob. Couldn't agree more with you.

[Ladygooner]

Vote for Ken!

[Ted Max]

With the full support of the ES, Boris will campaign against the gesture politics (handshakes with Chavez, mad mullahs etc) and rehash all the old stuff about the congestion charge extension, hoping to mobilise a massive Tory vote in West London - the area most affected. One or two City types will be wheeled out to opine that Ken is risking the City's status as people will take their deals elsewhere if London become "uncompetitive".

But Ken will win with a huge majority, the Tories will wonder why as everyone they spoke to asured them Boris was such a nice chap. The rest of the country will wonder why a local election has to be on the national news every night.

[Louisa]

Great, we are gonna go from a lunatic communist to a bumbling fascist! Great to see democracy in action!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Add me to the pro-Ken list - with the slight caveat that he has been there a fair old while and a change may not be a bad thing

Only problem is, in every election Ken has stood for he hasn't had a single strong opponent. Fear'n'Boozin is correct; Boris is far cleverer than the buffoon he likes to portray, but I'm not sure what he stands for. And I wouldn't vote for him

One of Ken's strengths is he has his position and is willing to spend years in the wilderness until his time comes round again. And despite the opprobrium heaped upon him when he was "wasting millions" opposing the PPP tube deal he has again been proved right with the Metronet fiasco

But good to see most people on hear differing from the predictable anti-Ken-squaks eminanting from Associated Press and LBC. He ain't perfect but until a better candidate stands forward..

PS - That better candidate is not Gary bleedin' Bushell

[Jonboy]

The London Mayor is one of the top 4-5 jobs in politics - so should get national coverage. 1/3 of all the countrys GDP is generated here etc etc etc.

Can't see Ken winning with a huge majority as he only got 36% of the vote last time. Even Steve Norris got 28% so the Boris effect is a real possibility...

[Louisa]

The role of London mayor is not that important, it's just a figure head represting a large city on the world stage, central Government would never release significant powers which would potentially diminsh the role of the lower chamber.

[snorky]

Ken is an acconmplished administrator. Whatever we think, you cant argue with that. and thats wots the jobs about - administering London

Boris ?

IM sure hes a loverly fellow, but would you vote for him in a proper role like this ?

[mockney piers]

It's more than just a figurehead. It may have been slightly hobbled by central government, but it's role regarding policing, planning and transport make a very real day-to-day difference to Londoners, which is after all what this is all about.

Here's boris' occasionally entertaining site

http://www.boris-johnson.com/

and about as close as I can find for Ken

http://www.london.gov.uk/

Personally think it's time for a change, 8 years is about as long as any elected official should remain in power.

I didn't mind Ken, though I think Ken was Ken's number one fan. I've a sneaking suspicion Boris is actually quite a shrewd operator. He's not in hock to the car industry the way Norris was (I worked for a while at their official lobby, the SMMT and he was always popping in) so as long as he doesn't have plans to undo bus lanes, congestion charge etc, he'll be getting my vote, if just because despite appearances he isn't as pompous as Ken.

I'm no tory, but change as good as a rest, and noone else seems to stand out; heaven forbid we got someone like Blears down the line.

[Fear 'n boozin]

that's nicely summed up MP, and kinda reflects my thoughts. I'd certainly vote for Boris, and I equally think Ken's been there long enough, but I wont decide until I've had some scrap paper through my letter box.

For what its worth, on the Ken front, I think I feel as though he's not been bad, but nothing special. A B, maybe.

[mamafeelgood]

well just to clear it up the london mayor has one of the strongest mandates in the country and actually has immense political weight so i don't buy this 'the mayor is just a figure head'. s/he is far from it. the congestion charge is one example of how ken has flown in the face of westminster to implement a policy that is not being bandied around as a national possibility.

as for our west london neighbours most of them have been pleasently surprised with the results of the extension (what friends have said). anyhow, richmond council hit the 4X4's way before anyone else dared.

so if chelsea and westminster want to vote for boris so be it, but i can't see it being a blue revolution...

[mamafeelgood]

sorry, typo: i meant ..." now being bandied around..."

[AnotherPaul]

Nooooooo!

I don't think Ken's ideal and a change might be good but if the choice is between him and Blonde Boris the Bumbling Baffoon then my vote is as good as cast.

ap

[spadetownboy]

Fear 'n boozin Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'd vote for him, not sure he's as much of a

> baffon as he/the media makes out.

hes certainly not,thats the image he likes to protray but hes a lot more clued in than what he pretends to be,got his fingers in a lot of pies and is raking it in with the various columns he writes as well as his tv and personal appearances.whether or not he would be capable of taking over from red ken is another matter, as much as people dislike ken he has had a fairly positive effect,and remains a very popular figure,which boris no doubt is as well however his bumbling type nature could be the very thing which works against him as voters may take the act too seriously to think he capable of occuping a postion of authority. boris,s problem is that he reminds me too much of his namesake mr yeltsin.

[James]

Agree about Blears Mockney. Revolting little puppet of the Blair/Brown machine to be found trotting out the party line everywhere she goes (does she have her own opinion about anything!!?). That's what I like about Ken - whatever anyone says about him he's his own man.