Let's have a scrap! This week the Mayor of London.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Oh, there's no fear of that, the riots proved they dont even want the right to property! :P

But what if they should frighten the horses?

[gaelic cowboy]

Sounds clever, means nothing.

I just summed up 98% of 'intellectual' discussion on the internet.

As for voting, I just ask "which individual/party is going to help me get a job?". When I find one that fits that description I will make the effort to vote and maybe care about what is going on in the world of party politics.

None of course

[econ21]

Ken, as he seems a fundamentally decent human being.

Boris seems a ruthless populist with no discernable principle beyond self-advancement. I am still curious how he has had such a successful career after being recorded agreeing to give his crooked friend, Darius Guppy, the address of Stuart Collier, a journalist, so Guppy could have the journalist beaten up. He makes Lord Archer look like the Archbishop of Canterbury in comparison.

[Vladimir]

Well that's an entertaining opinion. Does he seem "fundamentally" decent to you because of ideological sympathy?

[InsaneApache]

There's nothing decent about Ken. Ken's for Ken.

He is dangerous though.

[econ21]

Well that's an entertaining opinion. Does he seem "fundamentally" decent to you because of ideological sympathy?

Maybe in part it's ideological sympathy. But he just seems one of those rare politicians that when he talks, sounds like he is thinking about the issue, telling you what he believes and that the values underlying his beliefs are good, altruistic, public spirited ones. Most politicians tend to unthinkingly rejurgitate their soundbites, positively shimmer with insincerity or embody mean spirited or alien values. There are some on the right that are exceptions - Ken Clarke comes to mind - but I admit they are rare. (Ron Paul impresses me with his thoughtfulness and honesty, but I just find his "liberty at any price" ideology alien.) I don't think Boris is thoughtful, don't think he is honest and don't think he has any core values whatsoever. He should have a criminal record, not be sacking the top policeman in the UK.

I must confess my regard for Ken's humanity comes partly from watching some crass TV show where a comedian shadowed him with a TV crew and tried to embarass him with stunts like a mock comic beating of another accomplice. Ken's reaction was very genuine - turning away in disgust, spurning the comedian and his camera crew.

[Vladimir]

Thank you.

I honestly have never heard anything good about him so I was genuinely curious. To us, Tony Blair was a great PM and I know how that worked out. I know I'd never vote for Ken but it's good to know he had some redeeming value.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Firstly, B

Maybe in part it's ideological sympathy. But he just seems one of those rare politicians that when he talks, sounds like he is thinking about the issue, telling you what he believes and that the values underlying his beliefs are good, altruistic, public spirited ones. Most politicians tend to unthinkingly rejurgitate their soundbites, positively shimmer with insincerity or embody mean spirited or alien values. There are some on the right that are exceptions - Ken Clarke comes to mind - but I admit they are rare. (Ron Paul impresses me with his thoughtfulness and honesty, but I just find his "liberty at any price" ideology alien.) I don't think Boris is thoughtful, don't think he is honest and don't think he has any core values whatsoever. He should have a criminal record, not be sacking the top policeman in the UK.

I must confess my regard for Ken's humanity comes partly from watching some crass TV show where a comedian shadowed him with a TV crew and tried to embarass him with stunts like a mock comic beating of another accomplice. Ken's reaction was very genuine - turning away in disgust, spurning the comedian and his camera crew.

Firstly, Boris is definately a thinking man - there's no doubt about that. You should read his column in the Telegraph, don't worry it's free so you won't be soiled.

Secondly, Ken baits Muslims - to the extent that he flirts with anti-Semetism.

Thirdly, Ken said some extremely nasty things about tax dodgers - he pays all his earnings into a private comany and they pays corporation tax, rather than the higher tax band.

[Beskar]

I love the Boris "Have I got news for you" episodes. They are so drawn out where they keep baiting Boris off-subject resulting into more hilarity.

[gaelic cowboy]

Boris can be a bit of a foot in mouther sort of fellow though cant he, sure he recently pissed off the various Irish associations in London with some stupid comments about Sinn Fein dinners.

Boris Johnson says sorry about St Patrick's Day 'lefty Sinn Fein crap' remark

It probably would have went unremarked but for his current position and that it was quite near to Paddy's Day to start with, it was a stupid thing to say in an election year.

[Idaho]

Both Ken and Boris are egotistical idiots more interested in their own presitge and status than anything else.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Both Ken and Boris are egotistical idiots more interested in their own presitge and status than anything else.

Yeah, but Ken's a Crypto-Anti-Semnite.

[InsaneApache]

Yeah, but Ken's a Crypto-Anti-Semnite.

Fixed.

[rvg]

Yeah, but Ken's a Crypto-Anti-Semnite.

He's not running for mayor of Tel-Aviv though.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

He's not running for mayor of Tel-Aviv though.

No, he's running for Mayor of London - a city with probably one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe and definately some of the most important Synagoges and Rabbinical Seminaries in the Commonwealth.

[rvg]

No, he's running for Mayor of London - a city with probably one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe and definately some of the most important Synagoges and Rabbinical Seminaries in the Commonwealth.

Yeah, but is he proven to be an anti-semite or is it mostly hearsay? How does his alleged anti-semitism manifest itself?

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Yeah, but is he proven to be an anti-semite or is it mostly hearsay? How does his alleged anti-semitism manifest itself?

"Jews won't vote for me, because they're rich."

To Jewish Reporter, "You're like a Concentration Camp Guard!"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/01/nick-cohen-george-galloway-livingstone?INTCMP=SRCH

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/ap...en-livingstone

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...e-mayor-before

How's that?

[rvg]

How's that?

That's pretty bad. The "surprised he's even running for office with a non-zero chance of victory" kind of bad.

[Idaho]

"Jews won't vote for me, because they're rich."

To Jewish Reporter, "You're like a Concentration Camp Guard!"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/01/nick-cohen-george-galloway-livingstone?INTCMP=SRCH

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/ap...en-livingstone

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...e-mayor-before

How's that?

To be fair, there isn't a lot of actual solid content there. Just lots of people agreeing that they don't want to support him because of er... something...

One of the articles seems to basically say that Jews shouldn't support him because he talks to Muslims.

And why are you quoting from the Guardian? I thought you only quoted from the Telegraph?

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

That's pretty bad. The "surprised he's even running for office with a non-zero chance of victory" kind of bad.

How about, "surprised his Jewish party leader lets him" bad?

I think that's it, really. If Ed just went, look, I'm not putting up with this, he'd sink.

Actually, that would be a great way for David to knife his brother, by knifing Livingstone.

For why he might win, this is what Boris is up against (London is left-leaning): http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...oners-not-vote

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

To be fair, there isn't a lot of actual solid content there. Just lots of people agreeing that they don't want to support him because of er... something...

One of the articles seems to basically say that Jews shouldn't support him because he talks to Muslims.

No, they shouldn't support him because he thinks all Jews are rich and he worked for Iranian television.

Edit: And you're not being fair, you just can't stomach the idea of a Tory running the Capital.

Well, says I, better an elitist philandere descended from Royal bastards than that racist lying twerp.

There was also the issue of him decrying tax dodgers dspite doging income tax himself.

[gaelic cowboy]

No, they shouldn't support him because he thinks all Jews are rich and he worked for Iranian television.

Edit: And you're not being fair, you just can't stomach the idea of a Tory running the Capital.

Well, says I, better an elitist philandere descended from Royal bastards than that racist lying twerp.

There was also the issue of him decrying tax dodgers dspite doging income tax himself.

An he looks a bit dodgy too this Ken fella so he does.

Put a pair of glasses on Boris an you would have a kind of modern Billy Bunter, likes the pies an a bit crass but sure he would be a bit of craic.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

An he looks a bit dodgy too this Ken fella so he does.

Put a pair of glasses on Boris an you would have a kind of modern Billy Bunter, likes the pies an a bit crass but sure he would be a bit of craic.

Aye you're right, this "Ken" does look a bit suspicious.

[Idaho]

Edit: And you're not being fair, you just can't stomach the idea of a Tory running the Capital.

I couldn't care less who runs the capital, it doesn't affect my life at all. London is always going to have someone fairly Tory in charge. I don't like either of them. Boris because he fundamentally holds the interests and views of his elite social set, and Ken because he's a weirdo with too great a penchant for power to be healthy.

[Greyblades]

At least boris is funny in a "turns up at the christmas party as santa" funny, almost sort of charming. From whats been said of Ken, he's funny in a sort of "found trying to sodomize a reindeer while dressed as an elf" funny.

[InsaneApache]

Now that's a mental image to conjure up as I eat my tripe and onions!

[Idaho]

At least boris is funny in a "turns up at the christmas party as santa" funny, almost sort of charming. From whats been said of Ken, he's funny in a sort of "found trying to sodomize a reindeer while dressed as an elf" funny.

The trouble with matey, friendly, can-imagine-having-a-pint-with Tories, is that they are still Tories. They have little experience or empathy with the lives of the vast majority of people, and support policies that those in their cultural circle endorse - ones that work to the detriment of that majority and the advantage of that cultural circle.

[Greyblades]

Now that's a mental image to conjure up as I eat my tripe and onions!

Sorry, I think I need more practice at being funny before I try to go there.

The trouble with matey, friendly, can-imagine-having-a-pint-with Tories, is that they are still Tories. They have little experience or empathy with the lives of the vast majority of people, and support policies that those in their cultural circle endorse - ones that work to the detriment of that majority and the advantage of that cultural circle.

A Tory's still a Tory, though considering milliband and his ilk I'm still inclined to side with the Tory/lib-dems right now.

[Idaho]

Sorry, I think I need more practice at being funny before I try to go there.
A Tory's still a Tory, though considering milliband and his ilk I'm still inclined to side with the Tory/lib-dems right now.

Labour are a sack of ship, it's true. The Tories though... even for them, this lot are poor. They seem to be making it up as they go along (in fact you can remove the "seem to be").

I'm looking for even lower turnouts in the next election. That's when the established parties are in big danger of being picked off by single issue candidates... as I have long predicted, and is already happening.

[Greyblades]

We can only hope.

Monster Raving Loonie Party For The Win!