London Mayoral Elections

[Rollo]

I like Red Ken but I also like Boris, but which one is best? There's only one way to find out... VOTE!

You'd think that given Mr Hunt's escapades, the boil over with the Leveson Inquiry and general disdain for Cameron's toffiness that "Brand Tory" would be enough to poison Boris' chances of winning the election for Mayor of London, but the latest poll sees him up 56-44 over Ken. Mind you, Ken himself isn't that popular having been in instigator of the Congestion Charge.

Is it purely because that Boris is Boris that Boris will win the election or is it because London itself is more to the right because of The Square Mile?

[EuroTroll]

Can I just say I love Boris Johnson? He's my favourite politician in the whole wide world. :)

[Mark]

The thing is in London that Boris and Ken have very strong personalities which completely override their political affiliations. Personally if I were in London I'd probably vote Boris. Mostly because Livingstone just seems to be 'anti-everything', 'lets make your life harder'.

[Dave B]

It scares the life out of me that in a city of about 8 million people it comes down to a choice of these two hopeless, corrupt* individuals.

* Ken Livingstone has told 85 different lies during this campaign (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/andrewgilligan/100155430/ken-livingstone-has-told-85-different-lies-during-this-campaign/)
Ken Livingstone earned £1.2million over past 3yrs (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4289480/Ken-Livingstone-earned-12million-over-past-3yrs-more-than-Boris-Johnson-at-times-but-saved-220k-with-tax-ruse.html)
Ken Livingstone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Livingstone#Cronyism_and_corruption_allegation s)

News International's offers to Boris Johnson revealed in Leveson evidence | Media | guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/may/02/news-international-boris-johnson-leveson?newsfeed=true)

[gadjo_dilo]

I like Red Ken but I also like Boris, but which one is best? There's only one way to find out... VOTE!



I'm confused. I don't think that the quality of a candidate can't be proved by the quality of voters.....

[odykas]

My vote would go to Boris :)

[Malbec]

Is it purely because that Boris is Boris that Boris will win the election or is it because London itself is more to the right because of The Square Mile?

As Mark said, both Boris and Ken have strong personalities that shine through. They also have policies and ideas that are very distinct from the parties they supposedly represent.

Ken was too left wing for the Labour party when he ran the GLC back in the '80s and while he's mellowed slightly in his old age he's far more left wing anyone else in British politics these days (in fact he got thrown out of the Labour party to discourage him from standing for the mayoral post first time round) apart from some fringe extremists.

Boris might look like a true blue Tory but his policies differ markedly from the Tories in many respects. For example his views on immigration are to rubbish the hardline views of the Conservative party and advocate a more open system which is essential for the London economy, and on this topic again he is far more 'left wing' than any mainstream party.

Basically London has a completely different economy and social makeup from the rest of the country and the political views held here are therefore markedly different. The Tories didn't realise this in the first mayoral elections where they fielded someone who ran with national Conservative policies and they lost spectacularly. Boris's platform is far more London-centric so together with his personality this makes him extremely electable.

In the end though, it doesn't really matter because the mayor only does three things that make a difference, public transport, housing and standing up for London on the national scene and there's little difference between the two candidates on these issues despite the huge gulf in philosophy between the two. The fact that London has a mayor at all has made the difference IMO.

Anyway this morning I cast my vote for Boris!

[Rollo]

I'm confused.

This is a cultural reference which may confuse non-UK residents. This instructional video might help...
Scone fight - Harry Hill's TV Burp - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6biYPUXMeZE)

[Gregor-y]

I'll say Ken this time because they need to take turns.

[anthonyvop]

I'll say Ken this time because they need to take turns.

That is a real horrible way to decide who to vote for. You would vote for somebody who's policies you find reprehensible just because it is their "turn"?

[Gregor-y]

Humor - conservatives just don't have a sense of it. At least here in the US an' A.

[Mark]

Londoners have a fantastic sense of humour. They elected Boris after all.

[Gregor-y]

And Ken, for that matter. It's all part of the je ne sais quoi of the place.

Speaking of major cities and culture, MCA's death has had me listening to early Beastie Boys albums and thinking about New York City in the same way. Chicago has it, too, but maybe just half a tier down.

[anthonyvop]

Humor - conservatives just don't have a sense of it. At least here in the US an' A.

Not according to Jay Leno

Jay Leno: Republicans 'Laugh at Themselves More' Than Democrats | NewsBusters.org (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/04/22/jay-leno-republicans-laugh-themselves-more-democrats)

And I agree with him.

Remember that Political Correctness is the Purview of the Left

[Gregor-y]

That article wasn't funny at all. Just more strident anger as befits a site that claims it exists to expose the liberal media.

Damn, I forgot how good Paul's Boutique is.

[ArrowsFA1]

Not according to Jay Leno...And I agree with him.
Boris proves it. Conservatives are funnier. Comedy gold.

[BDunnell]

That is a real horrible way to decide who to vote for. You would vote for somebody who's policies you find reprehensible just because it is their "turn"?

Has irony always been your strong point?

[BDunnell]

Boris proves it. Conservatives are funnier. Comedy gold.

Used to be funny when he first appeared on Have I Got News for You — when, if you remember, he started out by getting all upset about the raising of the fact that he once agreed to beat up a journalist who was looking into his great friend the fraudster Darius Guppy. Now, the joke doesn't seem as funny any more.

[driveace]

Well looks like Boris is in .I think the problem with Ken is that,last time he was Mayor,he had about 6 friends who were bordering the edges of being non desirables.And money was spent silly on his friends,and his girlfriend,who he has since married,is as corrupt as Ken .So Boris may appear as a baboon,and a fool,but I believe the better man for the job .

[BDunnell]

Well looks like Boris is in .I think the problem with Ken is that,last time he was Mayor,he had about 6 friends who were bordering the edges of being non desirables.And money was spent silly on his friends,and his girlfriend,who he has since married,is as corrupt as Ken .So Boris may appear as a baboon,and a fool,but I believe the better man for the job .

I think you may mean 'buffoon'. And from where do you derive the accusations about Livingstone's partner-turned-wife?

[ArrowsFA1]

It seems as if the rest of the UK has little interest in city mayors.

[driveace]

I think you may mean 'buffoon'. And from where do you derive the accusations about Livingstone's partner-turned-wife?

Yes obviously I meant Buffoon,but my iPad altered what I typed.Where do I find information about the present partner/wife of Ken?Well we do have papers and television in the UK that covers these stories,including lots of goods that were ordered whilst he was Mayor,that were booked or ordered by his girlfriend and had to be signed for by only her.Do you believe he was whiter than White ,as obviously the voters knew something you did,nt.