Thursday, May 15, 2008

Don't do it, Boris, don't do it

Perception, especially in politics, is as important as reality. The way people feel and what they see really counts.

So the news that Mayor of London Boris Johnson is to carry on writing his Telegraph column worries me. I've said I think he should stand down as MP for Henley ASAP (especially given the disasterous LibDem candidate selection decision) and let another fight the by-election. I don't think he should write newspaper columns regularly either.

It doesn't matter if he has the spare time to do it on a Sunday or otherwise. It's the message it sends.

He wants to say, "I'm a full time Mayor, I am working all day to make the City better for you." This move doesn't say that. Come on, Boris, speaking as someone who has read your column year after year, it's time to hang up the pen and get on with enacting your excellent manifesto.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree, Boris needs to be 100% for London, especially with the 2012 Olympic Games construction, and to have no conflicts of time or interests. Henley constituents deserve an MP who puts in 100% for them.

I hope Boris doesn't become tripped up by self importance with continuing other roles.

Anonymous said...

Scarey as it is Anthony I find myself agreeing with you and I think Boris should give up being an MP and writing his column. Whilst I do not understand for the life of me why those in London voted for him I think the least they deserve is his 100% attention.

Anonymous said...

Antony, i am surprised you have not yet put up the Crewe result.
Very bad news for Labour.

But in the Norwich context, very very bad news for the Greens, less than 1% of the vote.

Given the humiliation the their London Mayoral candidate got too, one wonders when our own Norwich Captain Pompous Rupert Read will be regaling us all with his fantasy Greens to rule the world messages on his blog. After all he said dear M/S berry would ge the best ever green vote in London. Dream on dear boy!