Whats the appeal of Boris Johnson ???

Lady Rose

I'm going to tread into dangerous waters here ..... This is not a comment on political policies but of a personality.

We've just had the London Mayoral Elections and totally bucking the trend from the rest of the country, Boris Johnson secured a second term in office.

What I have found interesting is the remarks a lot of political commentators have been making as to what is his appeal and is he a possible future prime minister. I think its fairly obvious to anyone who followed the election is was a personality race not a political one.

One political commentator compared him to Churchill in that he is ' a maverick genius not trusted by his own party' and one American commentator said he is 'one of the most interesting politicians of our time'. The one I liked was a Conservative insider who said 'everytime he drops an F bomb he goes up 3 points in the polls.'

This is the man who apparently said of his own party leader and Prime Minister ' I survived an endorsement by David Cameron.'

Is his appeal mainly confined to London where we like a bit of quirkyness or is it much broader ... When he's there at the Olympics in his ill fitting suit and scruffy blonde hair what will the world think?

So why do people like Boris so much?

Wilde

I think it's because there is an air of believability with him, in times when politicians are not very popular I think he breaks a certain mould. The competition was tight, but Livingstone has too many skeletons in his closet. I think the country (not just London) view him as a breath of fresh air.

His background is common knowledge, but unlike his peers who might wear their status on their sleeves, Boris just rolls his up and gets on with the job; straight to the point, no overblown rhetoric or sensationalism. The press and his colleagues frequently mock his eccentricity but to the voting public, it is a token of endearment which only wins hearts and minds when matched with his track record.

I personally get the impression that there is nothing hidden with Boris, it's all out on the line, I think that gave him the edge.

Regards,
Wilde

don p

i think hes great, jovial, not the norm type political boring person. ive saw him on chat shows and so on, and i think hes great,,,

Moore Than

Not a great follower of politics, but I have noticed there is a great deal of apathy and disillusionment with politics and politicians in general. What, with the expenses scandal, Leveson Inquiry etc. Many politicians these days appear bland and have little personality or charisma. The key thing with Boris Johnson being he is different. He's got personality, he's a bit of a maverick, and when he talks you can never be certain what he is going to come out with. The electorate of London do appear to view him as a breath of fresh air. It's certainly what the UK needs right now.

Lady Rose

Moore Than wrote:

The key thing with Boris Johnson being he is different. He's got personality, he's a bit of a maverick, and when he talks you can never be certain what he is going to come out with.

When he opens his mouth you do hold your breath waiting to see what coming next thats for sure. )

He also has a tendency to apologise when he stuffs up which is quite novel.

Just wandering too, if any of our overseas friends here have heard of him and if so whats the impression he gives ???

Sir Miles

Wilde wrote:

I think it's because there is an air of believability with him

Couldn't agree less, I'm afraid....it's because he SO UNBELIEVABLE, I reckon....I'm sure Londoners must have a great sense of humour in electing him....AGAIN ?:)

Unless it's a case of then they can point at him and tell everybody else - "and you think you have problems, look at what we have"....

Wiff waff indeed !! )

Wilde

Boris had a 3% lead, so it was a narrow victory. I know what you mean by being 'unbelievable', a number of his quotes have given me cause to release an incredulous laugh, I admit. However I am and always have been driven by results and I admire anyone who can deliver the goods. Beyond the hair and lacklustre image, he's doing okay.

minigeff

Bottom line is Boris Johnson is the Markus Brody of the political world.

A bumbling bit of a flapping idiot who everyone warms to. I saw him present an episode of Have I Got News For You once and I've never laughed so hard at that show.

Lady Rose

minigeff wrote:

Bottom line is Boris Johnson is the Markus Brody of the political world.

A bumbling bit of a flapping idiot who everyone warms to. I saw him present an episode of Have I Got News For You once and I've never laughed so hard at that show.

That was a real turning point for him. That also included the 'Have you taken cocaine?' line to which he replied 'Yes, but it made me sneeze' ... )

The Marcus Brody ref made me chuckle. Can just imagine Boris bumbling along on a horse he can't ride ....

But I think Sir Miles is right. I cant see his appeal spreading further than London. Dont think they would put with his nonsense 'Up North' . ( especially in Liverpool where he managed to seriously offend everyone a few years back with an article he had written over the beheading of Kenneth Bigley)

Jamesbondjr

His appeal is strictly limited to the image he has managed to forge for himself whereby he appears to be a ridiculous bumbling idiot lifted straight from a Monty Python sketch.

And image is all it is. Over the years he has managed to reveal himself as an arrogant, ignorant and disrespectful fool with the likes of the article that Lady Rose mentioned. Over the years he has managed to offend China, Papua New Guinea, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Skegness, Bognor Regis and a whole host of others with articles and throwaway comments that reveal his true nature. These type of things are just brushed off as 'Oh, well, that's Boris' - anyone else and people would be calling for their head. He lingers due to this bumbling image.

The majority of people I know in London really can't stand him and his policies.

minigeff

Jamesbondjr wrote:

Over the years he has managed to offend China, Papua New Guinea, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Skegness, Bognor Regis and a whole host of others

Yeah but it's not like any of them are important is it?

The Domino Effect

Jamesbondjr wrote:

The majority of people I know in London really can't stand him and his policies.

Perhaps they also can't stand Ken Livingstone and that's one of the reasons Johnson was re-elected? I have friends who are life-long staunch Labourites yet love Boris. They would never vote for him, but would probably rather see Boris as mayor than the return of Livingstone...although they'd likely never go quite so far as to admit the latter.

Boris has a great sense of humour and is extremely clever...but he's also a bumbler. Whether by design or by nature, I'm honestly not sure. As others have said, he's certainly a breath of fresh air which Ken most certainly is not.

Out of curiosity, how many people voted this time? Was it a low voter turnout? If so, his victory may be down to apathy. If it was a high voter turnout, then that's more interesting.

Moore Than

The Domino Effect wrote:

Out of curiosity, how many people voted this time? Was it a low voter turnout? If so, his victory may be down to apathy. If it was a high voter turnout, then that's more interesting.

The turnout was 2,208,475 = 38%
I don't know how that compares with previous elections but it does indicate a certain amount of apathy to me.

Wilde

People like to make things personal in politics, it's terrible. But as Thatcher once said; 'If they attack me personally, it means they have not a single political argument left'. (I'm not a Thatcherite, either)

Brass-tacks, the guy is doing a good job in the city and that is all that matters. Too many hang-ups on cuts and the 50p tax rate - What people forget is the ebb and flow of contemporary party politics; the swing from left to right or 'spend to austerity'. You cannot please them all and you never will.

I think that London is one of the hardest metropolitan cities to mayor in Europe, many different people many different ideals and values; disillusionment and apathy must creep in eventually, which is the impression I've always had from Livingstone. I think it takes a character like Boris to do a good job and so far he's winning.

Out of curiosity, how many people voted this time?

38% I'm led to believe.

Lady Rose

Wilde wrote:

I think it takes a character like Boris to do a good job and so far he's winning.

He certainly stands out in an area full of bland, faceless self serving people.

Not sure how he's acheiving it mind )

One thing about Boris is he's not an apologist for what he is. He's a well educated, wealthy 'posh' boy and thats exactly what he delivers. He doesn't try to be 'ordinary' which I can appreciate. Nothing makes me vomit more than someone who tries to be 'one of the people' when they're not ( yes, I mean you 'Dave' Cameron and Ed Milliband. )

Still, whilst I dont mind Boris playing about with The Tube and cycles, not sure I'd like him in charge of our nuclear programme

thesecretagent

I see Boris as more human than other politicians. Yes he's from a privileged background and probably not in touch with the common man, but sometimes maybe the common man should stretch themselves a little! Boris makes mistakes, he says the odd stupid thing, but that shows a human quality. He'll blatantly divert a question with some ridiculous stalling, just to think about the question and buy some time. I'd rather have that than a silky smooth snake who can just lie without a second thought. I like a man who goes to a conference on green transport, congestion and parking issues - then arrives late and parks his Porsche on a double yellow line. Priceless!

Wilde

Lady Rose wrote:

Wilde wrote:

I think it takes a character like Boris to do a good job and so far he's winning.

Nothing makes me vomit more than someone who tries to be 'one of the people' when they're not ( yes, I mean you 'Dave' Cameron and Ed Milliband.

Quite, I'm not a fan of 'call me Dave' either and I'm not a fan of the old boys brigade, despite having been subjected to it through many years of education. I like people who walk the walk, regardless of who they are or how they may slip-up in front of the (gutter) press. (Paxman included)

Oh, and politicians have never been in control of nuclear programs, war or finance; they receive their orders just like the rest of us! :v

Napoleon Plural

Whatever you think of Boris, you could read his book on Rome, get it out the library if you like. A top read, great stuff. But he makes an interesting analogy of Octavian or Augustus as he was later known. An outsider you should always bet on, unlike Mark Anthony who got stuffed by him. You can see a similarity with Boris and David Cameron.

Wilde

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Whatever you think of Boris, you could read his book on Rome, get it out the library if you like. A top read, great stuff. But he makes an interesting analogy of Octavian or Augustus as he was later known. An outsider you should always bet on, unlike Mark Anthony who got stuffed by him. You can see a similarity with Boris and David Cameron.

I have indeed; a very good book. I certainly see the resemblance; the media often play on Cameron being the better man, trying to stoke up the rivalry. I remember watching Jeremy Paxman trying to provoke a reaction from Johnson regarding his second class degree against Cameron's first labelling him as 'intellectually inferior', what an arse!

Moore Than

Ken Livingstone appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and was asked why he didn't win. He said it was a personality contest, the media was overwhelmingly on the side of Boris Johnson, they'd given him pretty much a free ride in the previous four years. He also mentioned smears and the BBC's decision not to have a debate.

Napoleon Plural

Some truth in that, the Evening Standard is Tatlerised of late, and sidelined Ken's message. That said, even labourites voted for him grudgingly it's said (admittedly in the same right-wing press).

I think the honeymoon period lasts longer for mayor than for PM.

Wilde

Moore Than wrote:

Ken Livingstone appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and was asked why he didn't win. He said it was a personality contest, the media was overwhelmingly on the side of Boris Johnson, they'd given him pretty much a free ride in the previous four years. He also mentioned smears and the BBC's decision not to have a debate.

It was more than a personality contest, that makes it sound plastic. Livingstone has shot himself in the foot on various occasions over the past few years. Not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, as some of what he has said has been just - It simply lost him all important appeal among some of London's movers and shakers. Regressively naive of somebody who should know the way the world works, especially in politics.

Boris has towed a much finer line, yes he has upset a few people but never those who will cast a shadow over his campaign (smart). He needs a further 4 years to show what he is capable of, if he buggers up London after the Olympic smokescreen then I'll revive this post and eat my humble pie.

Kind regards,
Wilde.

Lady Rose

Napoleon Plural wrote:

But he makes an interesting analogy of Octavian or Augustus as he was later known. An outsider you should always bet on, unlike Mark Anthony who got stuffed by him. You can see a similarity with Boris and David Cameron.

I like the analogy, NP.

So we have Cameron as Ceasar, Osborne as Mark Antony and Clegg as Marcus Brutus, the man Ceasar thinks is his friend but who puts the knife in. We then have Boris as the man letting everyone else do the dirty work and coming in to take all the spoils like Octavian ....

I can work with that .... politics doesn't change does it ? ) )

Lady Rose

Wilde wrote:

Oh, and politicians have never been in control of nuclear programs, war or finance; they receive their orders just like the rest of us! :v

Yeah, we all know Sir Humphrey is in charge of all the grown up stuff )

Napoleon Plural

Lady Rose wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

But he makes an interesting analogy of Octavian or Augustus as he was later known. An outsider you should always bet on, unlike Mark Anthony who got stuffed by him. You can see a similarity with Boris and David Cameron.

I like the analogy, NP.

So we have Cameron as Ceasar, Osborne as Mark Antony and Clegg as Marcus Brutus, the man Ceasar thinks is his friend but who puts the knife in. We then have Boris as the man letting everyone else do the dirty work and coming in to take all the spoils like Octavian ....

I can work with that .... politics doesn't change does it ? ) )

Kind of, but I had Cameron down as Mark Anthony and, yes, Boris as Octavian. Not sure Caesar got stuffed by Octavian, different eras almost, if you go by HBO's Rome. Hmm, maybe I have to revise a bit.

Wilde

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Kind of, but I had Cameron down as Mark Anthony and, yes, Boris as Octavian. Not sure Caesar got stuffed by Octavian, different eras almost, if you go by HBO's Rome. Hmm, maybe I have to revise a bit.

Octavian (Augustus) was a child when Caesar was murdered and he was in no way connected to the act. Caesar was a mentor and uncle to Augustus and was later nominated as Caesar's heir. Augustus was never a threat. They both had a cruel streak and a lust for power but unlike Caesar, Augustus knew how to better manipulate the patricians, senators and those of other influence; not just with the strength of his army. (He was also one of the only Emperors to maintain the total loyalty of the Praetorians, who were largely responsible for offing emperors throughout history!)

The fight between Anthony and Augustus caused the break up of the Second Triumvirate. (Lepidus was always the third man and was in no way as ambitious as the other two) Octavian had the edge for the aforementioned reasons but if Anthony hadn't given himself to Cleopatra he would probably have come out on top. Good job he didn't though as Augustus turned out to be one of the greatest leaders in Roman/civilised history.

Funny how these conversations spiral off-topic. Interesting none the less!

Lady Rose

Wilde wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Kind of, but I had Cameron down as Mark Anthony and, yes, Boris as Octavian. Not sure Caesar got stuffed by Octavian, different eras almost, if you go by HBO's Rome. Hmm, maybe I have to revise a bit.

Octavian (Augustus) was a child when Caesar was murdered and he was in no way connected to the act. Caesar was a mentor and uncle to Augustus and was later nominated as Caesar's heir. Augustus was never a threat. They both had a cruel streak and a lust for power but unlike Caesar, Augustus knew how to better manipulate the patricians, senators and those of other influence; not just with the strength of his army. (He was also one of the only Emperors to maintain the total loyalty of the Praetorians, who were largely responsible for offing emperors throughout history!)

The fight between Anthony and Augustus caused the break up of the Second Triumvirate. (Lepidus was always the third man and was in no way as ambitious as the other two) Octavian had the edge for the aforementioned reasons but if Anthony hadn't given himself to Cleopatra he would probably have come out on top. Good job he didn't though as Augustus turned out to be one of the greatest leaders in Roman/civilised history.

Funny how these conversations spiral off-topic. Interesting none the less!

Well, you live and learn ..... Very ropey when it comes to Roman history, should have looked it up )

Moore Than

Lady Rose wrote:

Wilde wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Kind of, but I had Cameron down as Mark Anthony and, yes, Boris as Octavian. Not sure Caesar got stuffed by Octavian, different eras almost, if you go by HBO's Rome. Hmm, maybe I have to revise a bit.

Octavian (Augustus) was a child when Caesar was murdered and he was in no way connected to the act. Caesar was a mentor and uncle to Augustus and was later nominated as Caesar's heir. Augustus was never a threat. They both had a cruel streak and a lust for power but unlike Caesar, Augustus knew how to better manipulate the patricians, senators and those of other influence; not just with the strength of his army. (He was also one of the only Emperors to maintain the total loyalty of the Praetorians, who were largely responsible for offing emperors throughout history!)

The fight between Anthony and Augustus caused the break up of the Second Triumvirate. (Lepidus was always the third man and was in no way as ambitious as the other two) Octavian had the edge for the aforementioned reasons but if Anthony hadn't given himself to Cleopatra he would probably have come out on top. Good job he didn't though as Augustus turned out to be one of the greatest leaders in Roman/civilised history.

Funny how these conversations spiral off-topic. Interesting none the less!

Well, you live and learn ..... Very ropey when it comes to Roman history, should have looked it up )

Hail Octavian Augustus Boris Caesar!

Lady Rose

Moore Than wrote:

Hail Octavian Augustus Boris Caesar!

Lol )

It's fate

Wilde

Moore Than wrote:

Lady Rose wrote:

Wilde wrote:

Octavian (Augustus) was a child when Caesar was murdered and he was in no way connected to the act. Caesar was a mentor and uncle to Augustus and was later nominated as Caesar's heir. Augustus was never a threat. They both had a cruel streak and a lust for power but unlike Caesar, Augustus knew how to better manipulate the patricians, senators and those of other influence; not just with the strength of his army. (He was also one of the only Emperors to maintain the total loyalty of the Praetorians, who were largely responsible for offing emperors throughout history!)

The fight between Anthony and Augustus caused the break up of the Second Triumvirate. (Lepidus was always the third man and was in no way as ambitious as the other two) Octavian had the edge for the aforementioned reasons but if Anthony hadn't given himself to Cleopatra he would probably have come out on top. Good job he didn't though as Augustus turned out to be one of the greatest leaders in Roman/civilised history.

Funny how these conversations spiral off-topic. Interesting none the less!

Well, you live and learn ..... Very ropey when it comes to Roman history, should have looked it up )

Hail Octavian Augustus Boris Caesar!

BRILLIANT! )

Napoleon Plural

Bit off topic, but this is still about the funniest thing I've ever seen

Partridge Over Britain