Are you going to vote for Boris Johnson? If so, WHY???????

[scampadoodle]

Because I know voting for Ken yet again is tantamount to inviting a benign dictatorship (wish Labour would field a different, viable candidate) but Boris Johnson ??? He is a buffoon with no relevant experience. At least Paddick has run a police force. (& no, editing the Spectator does NOT count).

But I am really really worried that he'll get in. Bye bye Oyster & cheap bus fares...

Why don't the tories parties put up proper candidates?

Perhaps not. Though the temptation of a course where I don't even understand the title is perversely strong.

Snap . I am now teaching Literae Minimae to a bunch of nine year olds and am grappling with the very real possibility that this shared interest in primary Latin could bring me into BoJo's orbit sometime next month

I'm probably a bit out of touch, as grumpy baby and long hours at work means I've not read a broadsheet for weeks, but has BoJo proposed any policies other than Not Being Ken?

Boris has set himself on a collison course with tube workers according to the Guardian today.

'A senior Conservative figure told the Guardian that Cameron "will not allow" Johnson to damage the party with a gaffe-prone tenure as mayor. He said experienced figures would be drafted in to guide him and rein in his undisciplined streak if he won.'

So Boris will be a puppet mayor if he wins.

I will vote for Ken again despite the cronyism and that I don't like some of his friends much at all. I have either voted Labour or voted for a mix of Labour and Socialist Alliance, and in one election cross voted Labour/Respect (voted for individual local candidate, would not have voted for Galloway under any circumstances, ugh)

I'm voting for a continuation of improving public transport - I hate bendies but I like there being more buses, more frequency, and the overground lines being reintegrated back into London's network and improved. I like lower fares though London's still too expensive. I think Venezuelan oil may well have been a good idea. I don't believe he needs all these advisers on huge salaries but I don't think that's about the Labour Party - what I've seen of Lib Dems or Tories in local government doesn't suggest they're less corrupt, far from it!

I'd prefer to see the local government of London run very differently, but if Boris gets in he already has the majority on the GLA to take away Freedom Passes, free transport for kids and cut back buses. And I really dislike him!

I want to point something else out though to people who feel really unhappy about Ken - this is an election where second preferences will count. They won't transfer automatically, you need to express a second choice. Protest vote and then give Ken your second preference.

Am loving motherinferior's reminisces on this thread.

I had one of them long flappy efforts too, I'll have you know. Combined with my long black skirt, I nearly drowned after finals, having been collected by a puntful of young men (all from comprehensive schools, natch, and force-fed pimms laced with vodka, and returned to college via the Cherwell.

Ah, happy days.

Re: Ken and 'cronyism', ALL politicians have 'cronies'.

IMO, if anyone thinks that Boris or Brian Paddick would be any different if they got into power, I would say they are being a bit naive.

True 'nuff, Izzy.

Interesting story in today's Evening Standard:

www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23470409-details/I%27ll+steal+Boris+ideas%2C+admits+ra ttled+Ken/article.do

I'm not in the UK anymore. Who is ahead in the polls currently, and when is the election?

Did anyone here see the debate? Was it broadcast on telly and/or radio? How did the candidates fare?

Evening standard are always anti-Ken IMO.
Not sure what the polls are doing - have deliberately avoided since saw Boris doing well as cannot bear the idea of him getting in.

I think Brian Paddick is a good choice
Never Boris No!!!

Have lived in SW London all my life and don't think Ken has done me any harm, either now or when he was head of the GLC. Happy about the Olympics and like the congestion charge. Also like free bus travel for children.

Boris, is funny on TV, but don't think he has any interest in managing anything.

Can't MN get them on for a live web chat ? I'm sure they would be up for it...?

Good idea

I find it quite scarey that Boris actually has a chance of getting in. he has never shown the remotest aptitude for being a politician, and seems to be largely ignorant of the realities of ordinary people's lives.

but hey ho. I'm glad I don't live in London.

paddick won't get in because he's not charistmatic enough. is there still time for the lib dems to field a celeb candidate? vince cable maybe. or what's paddy ashdown doing these days?

I agree Sanora. I am really worried that this buffoon has a chance of running London

there needs to be a policy that you can't run for more than 2 terms, would solve the problem of having a slimy mayor for another 4 years
can't stand him

Not voting for the BJ imbecile. Possibly going green, even if it's a wasted vote.

Very frustrating. I really think we need to get rid of Ken, especially in the light of his refusal to declare donations to his campaign.

He has had two terms - now he should move over and let someone else in - in most political posts there is a limit on the number of terms.

Personally I don't mind Boris himself. He is a lot more intelligent than you would think under the clown act. However, I think a vote for Boris is a simple vote for the Tories. He will only last 6 months before he is forced out of office by some gaffe or other. Then who will take over?

I fully suspect they have their real candidate waiting in the wings. Steve Norris was so blatantly corrupt (on the BoD of Jarvis, for heaven's sake) that I would not fancy my chances with them.

So it must be Brian Paddick, but whether he has the clout to actually unseat Ken I don't know. I like him though.

BJ is a complete and utter buffoon without any of the qualities or characteristics required for the Mayoral role. Voting for him as a protest against KL is a dangerous game to play. I'm voting for Ken, despite his many imperfections. At least he cares passionately about London. I have no idea what BJ cares passionately about.

did he refuse to declare donations or did he just fail to declare? because they are very different things.

He is trying to hide behind a loophole in the law - very cynical.

article from the LES

the law should be changed. but I don't think you can call it "hiding behind a loophole".

This isn't the full story - the limit on donations to his personal campaign is 1k, but the limit on a party donation is 5k. So he has declared that all donations to his campaign are to the 'labour party' so that they are masked up to the higher level. This was only once he had been challenged on the Gerald Ronson donation.

The very fact that he is receiving donations from developers is iffy, particularly in a post with so much power over planning permissions.

I suppose it depends whether politicians are going to be overtly or covertly corrupt. I realise that they are all corrupt, but it is the degree of nonchalance within Ken's camp that bothers me.