wasn't Dave the Chimp available?

[Floyd-the-k]

I've just read that Tory Twit Boris Johnson has become Mayor of London.  As a long-time Spectator reader, I find this inexplicable, having read a lot of his 'aren't I a jolly Wodehouseish quipper' editorials and endured all the space he gave his girlfriend to pretend to be Dorothy Parker.
   Was the other guy that bad? Is it all an anti-Brown backlash? etc etc

over to you

[TordelBack]

A pedant will be along presently.  That pedant isn't me.

[W. R. Logan]

>A pedant will be along presently

8-)

Orangutang

http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/2000ad/mediumres/368.jpg">

[Steve Green]

I seem to remember a lot of similar comments when Ken ran as an independent up against Frank Dobson in the first election.

E.g. he'll be a disaster, what were you thinking etc.

Turned out he wasn't that bad for a while, and I was glad that he at least tried to stop PPP on the tube, which has been a disaster in Metronet's case.

I just think he became complacent and extremely arrogant and got severely punished for it, much like the government has.

So, in the end it was more an anti-Ken vote rather than a pro-Boris one.

I expect the tories to keep the new mayor under tight scrutiny anyway, so he can have as little negative effect on their poll ratings.

[+rufus+]

Borat Johnson is the biggest disaster London has faced since the plague.

Thanks to all who couldn't be arsed to vote...you get what you deserve apparently.

In which case.... we're stuffed.

:-( Ruf

[Jim_Campbell]

"Was the other guy that bad?"

I don't know how actual Londoners feel about old Ken, but I hated London for the three years I spent at University just outside the city.

I went back last summer for the first time in nearly 20 years, and I found the place cleaner, friendlier and generally much improved.

A large proportion of that might be perceptual on my part, but the improvement in air quality alone is something that Londoners might not notice living with it day to day, but which struck me as quite remarkable.

Cheers!

Jim

[TordelBack]

I went back last summer for the first time in nearly 20 years, and I found the place cleaner, friendlier and generally much improved.

Agree with Jim here.

I only have a tourist/business visitor's perspective on London, and I couldn't comment on how directly the office of Mayor contributes to these things, but to my casual eye London works far better than it did a decade ago - public transport, traffic and litter all seemed much improved on my most recent visit last November.

Anyway, Angus Deaton was a far better chairman.

[opaque]

I think that was one of the perceived problems with Ken, that the London people visit as tourists and business people, ie the centre of London isn't the whole of London and some people were feeling under represented.

I would agree though that it has got better in the middle from say 10 years ago.

[Tanky]

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[Peter Wolf]

 Dont know really.

 I was glad that Ken Livingstone got the job instead of the official choice of candidate that Labour was forcing on everyone that was Frank dobson/Captain birds Eye.

 But now with Boris Johnson i really dont know.I didnt vote not being a Londoner.Will Boris Johnson behave and not upset potential voters for Blair MK2/David Cameron ?

 I hope not.


 Someone i used to know or still do if you count seeing someone twice in 20 years went to school with Boris Johnson.


 I was in central London a short while ago and met up with my mum and dad and my mum has gone off London "[long sigh] It used to be such a beautiful city - now look at it !" but i think she was having a go at the people around as well as the place and all the rest of it.


 It was disappointing that Ken did become arrogant and complacent.Very disappointing.

 Gordon Brown is such a useless twat that he doesnt deserve a backlash.Waste of space.There should be a backlash against Labour full stop then everyone can go and vote for Blair MK 2/Cameron and carry on with the pointless merry go round of UK politics.

 enough.

[Robin Low]

I was just wondering what actually qualified the twat to run London. Looking on Wiki (not 100% reliable, I know), absolutely nothing at all, it seems. No practical experience whatsoever. But that's true for most politicians, of course.

I do find it funny that global problems are seen as being entirely the fault and resposibility of Labour, and that the Conservatives are seen as capable of sorting it all out.

Regards

Robin

[Buddy]

I've visited London every other year or so for about the last ten years and I can't see much difference from the first time to the most recent.

Except the closure of some good comic shops, now that's the real issue here, never mind congestion charges, pollution, council tax etc... what about the comic shops!!

As for Boris now in charge, well you can forget about the Olympics being ready on time.

That was always going to be a disaster, Wembley was a year late and wayyyy over budget and that was just one building. How they gonna build all the stuff required for the Olympics on time and on budget!! And with Boris in charge you have to factor in the idiot influence.

Also, did I hear there was a 35% turn out for the election?? If so that means about 20% of the population (just guessing the numbers here) has now influenced 100% of the city.

Is this right?

Still, maybe he'll surprise us all, but I doubt it.

[Adrian Bamforth]

I think the pro-Boris movement is based a few things:

1. His bumbling personality suggests he's less able to lie or spin in a cunning way. Ken by comparison is now very slick especially with the media, a real "ice-cream to eskimos" type.

2. Boris is a very visible personality and you're unlikely to not know what he's up to, and is less likely to disappear into the beurocratic world. Compare that with the Liberal Democrat - I can't even remember who it was.

3. He apologises for his goofs and willingly takes the full brunt the backlash when it happens. He has a large capacity for allowing himself to be mocked. If he messes up, he is just as likely to apologise and stand down.

4. Being so far outside the demographical mix of the average Londoner he can treat all communities equally and is less able to be accured of bias or undue political correctness (since he is clearly no more like the average white Londoner than the average Black Londoner). There was actually nothing wrong with his comments mentioning "watermellon smiles" when read in context and it suggests he's not going to tip-tie around issues of race.

5. Let's face it, it's going to be hilarious.

[Dan Kelly]

@Umtpty: According to the BBC turnout was 45%.  Which is a record in the mayoral elections.

@Ade:  >5. It's going to be hilarious.  Not for those of us living there!

I just wish that the following could have been sent to everyone in london...

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/may/01/boris.livingstone" target="_blank">graunian

[Dark Jimbo]

I like him. So there.

But then, I don't have to live in London.