Borismania
October 10th, 2012 at 10:00 am by David FarrarThe Telegraph reports:
The Mayor of London blew into its conference in Birmingham, a hurricane of blond hair, media attention and other people’s speculation about his prospects of one day taking David Cameron’s job.
His reception – in a city not noted for its Tory support – was more suited to a rock star than a politician, with crowds of passengers chanting his name at New Street station.
Boris got mobbed – at Birmingham train station? That’s incredible.
I think people like Boris, because they know what they see and hear is the real thing – warts and all.
At the conference centre, he was surrounded by a scrum of cameramen and photographers so intense that one was thrown to the floor and required medical attention.
As much as I’d love Boris to be PM, I think his personality is better suited to being an Executive Mayor than a Prime Minister – which is much more about leading and managing a team.
But if there are any resignations of Conservative MPs in London seats, the temptation may be too much.
October 9th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
He’s a bloody good sort, ol’ Boris!
Vote:I’d love to see him as the British PM. There’d never be a dull moment, that’s for sure.
October 9th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
He’s too honest, he’s already admitted stray rooting in the past, you can’t have a Prime Minister thats liable at any moment to tell the truth – too disconcerting for everyone.
Vote:October 9th, 2012 at 8:44 pm
He’s very likeable, but most members of the British public have scant inkling for what he believes in, or even his policies as mayor of London.
His popularity would be as transient as any other politician’s, otherwise.
Vote:October 9th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Another modern phenomenon, celebrity politicians.The media help to create and then break.
Vote:Shallow world.
October 9th, 2012 at 9:22 pm
@Kowtow: Celebrity politicians aren’t a modern phenomenon. Politics has always been showbiz for ugly people.
Vote:October 9th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
Boris as pm
Chris Christie as president.
A great couple they would make
Vote:October 9th, 2012 at 9:52 pm
But if there are any resignations of Conservative MPs in London seats, the temptation may be too much.
Seriously DPF, the only temptation that Boris finds too much these days is his next legover.
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 10:12 am
Also from the Telegraph.
“Capax imperii nisi imperasset…”
As Boris will know, his old tutor was echoing the Roman historian Tacitus on the Emperor Galba: “He was up to the job of emperor as long as he never became emperor.”
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 10:32 am
He is getting this attention because he is seen as a threat to David Cameron and the media love stirring up leadership speculation stories to sell news papers.
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 10:38 am
David Cameron is the John Key of British politics. Enough said.
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 11:20 am
He can hardly do any worse than the past few chancers….
At least he’s entertaining, and it would be refreshing to have someone in charge who is “what you see is what you get”
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 11:32 am
Dime
“Boris as pm
Chris Christie as president.
A great couple they would make”
I agree, if for no other reason than it would drive Bedwetter crazy.
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 11:37 am
Yes but what I see is a pompous asshole. Yes people, I think he’s a pompous asshole. Once spoke pompously about how scousers have a tendency for self-pity citing Hillsborough as an example. More recently Hillsborough was exposed as a litany of bad-management and avoidable death due to organisational and police incompetence. I read of no reference to this or apology from insensitive, pompous Boris.
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Dunno where you’ve been hiding then. The issue was over an editorial in the Spectator when BJ was editor and a backbench MP. The Conservative leader at the time, Michael Howard, sent him to Liverpool to apologise and he’s since made an additional apology following the Hillsborough report.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/sep/13/boris-johnson-apologises-hillsborough-article
FWIW He was bang-on with regard to Scousers and their tendency to sentimental self-pity, he just picked a bad example to cite. I also struggle to align your tag of “pompous” with someone with such a gift for self-deprecation, how many other politicians would have turned the “stuck on a zip-line” incident into such a positive?
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Thank you James.
I didn’t realise he’d done all that. I retract my former accusation. ‘pompous’ is inaccurate a description. Except . .
However, I think ‘pompous’ is a valid term for anyone who basically writes off the population of a whole city with a rather dismissive sneer. However. . .
I get the impression you don’t even think he’s ‘insensitive’, so perhaps we can agree to differ on ‘arrogant’ as in ‘self-serving’, which would appear to cover every thing about Boris’s actions you cited.
I think ‘self-deprecation’ wouldn’t be necessary if he hadn’t been such a unthinking plonker in the first place – As for turning it into a positive – that’s a pretty long bow to draw.
But I take your point.
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
If you want entertaining leaders Peter support Tim Shadbolt for PM with Ewen Gilmour as List deputy
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
What’s wrong with a military junta, Hone as CinC with a very big Russian style cap and plenty of medals and fruit salad on his chest.
Vote:October 10th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Boris is a Bully Boy..
Vote: