Boris Johnson

Aww poor Boris and Zac people aren't being nice about them. They are sensitive souls and it isn't their fault they are stinking rich. Hang on though it is their fault they don't put their money to good use and work for charitable purposes but are putting themselves up for positions of power and pursuing policies that make poorer people suffer. So say what you like about them. If you stand in the firing line expect to get shot at!

Baffling, last year Michael Foot was declared not suitable for PM because of the coat he wore on a Remembrance Sunday - by some right wingers here, - yet Zac and Boris , one a hope to be mayor and one a desperate to be PM have had their characters assassinated . Seems inability for a man to keep his trousers on in the company of a certain type of woman is understandable but a disabled man wearing a coat - expensive and new but not an overcoat- is mocked

www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2016/02/26/pick-of-the-week-bad-arguments-and-broken-promises

Boris has done some good things, but the list of broken promises is longer.
Not all his promises could be found, because it's difficult to find out what he said; intentionally, I presume.

Has he actually ever said he wants to be PM? Its hard to believe that anyone would want that particular poisoned chalice. Boris's incredible popularity makes him more of a 'celeb' than a serious politician somehow. The nation just seems to have an inexplicable soft spot for him.

Very few say I want to be PM, they wait for a leadership bid , check their number of supports and only then speak out.

Its hard to understand why anyone would want to be PM. At any one point more than half the population doesn't like you and on any issue they are damned if they do something and damned if they don't.
I can't see Boris as PM but if he ever was I reckon all the other countries would excuse him almost anything as they would smilingly say "oh what's old Boris up to now?" Could be in our interests.....

Not sure I agree that he'd be excused silliness, j10. I think he could be a serious and effective politician, with a daft side, obviously. I think it's his daft side that people find refreshing. Can you imagine Cameron or Osborne doing anything just for the fun of it? I can't. Nor Corbyn, come to that. Politicians are a humorless bunch on the whole. Someone with a wicked grin has a certain 'charm'.

(no, I don't find Boris charming in the usual sense; and I do think he talks sense sometimes).

I reckon that he must possess that elusive attribute: charm. Otherwise I simply don't understand what it is about him that makes him so likeable. It certainly is refreshing to have a politician with a sense of humour. What might he do for a laugh though?! I can't help it btw. I just like him.

Same here Jane10. He was at a fete local to me a year or two back. He was very sweet, laughing and chatting to everyone, and buying himself a cake from the cake stall.

So Boris chatting and acting the fool is charming but Corbyn riding his bike and behaving perfectly naturally makes him unsuitable for PM. Mmm I suspect there is a bit of class distinction going on here.

I didn't say anything about Corbyn. If he was as entertaining and likeable as Boris I'd like him in the same way. I don't dislike him now. He's OK with me but that's all. Class doesn't come into it.

trisher. It's got nothing to do with class. Corbyn has had a personality bypass and Boris has one. Simple as.

Boris has a personality? Yes, but a totally fake one. Lovely.

What's a 'fake' personality? If you don't like it it doesn't mean its fake!

It's fake if it's hiding his real nature. I think it is.

I don't think other countries would fall for it either.

Who says its hiding his real nature. What ridiculous speculation just because you don't like him.

Well, was it Peter Mandelson who famously said that New Labour was intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich

As long as they pay their fair share of tax?? Obviously Tony and Cherie have taken him at his word.

However, perhaps someone who travels to work on their bike (Boris) or the Tube (Ken) is more aware of the normal everyday lives of Londoners than someone with vast inherited wealth such as Zac who may not be aware of how the plebs vast majority of people live.

trisher I would like to see Corbyn laughing - perhaps he does occasionally - if so, I missed it lol

Class - why does that come into it? Boris may have gone to Eton, but Corbyn is posh too!! If we are counting that against them, which I would not.

I just cannot see Boris as a Statesman representing the UK on the big stage, neither can I see Jeremy Corbyn.

So who is left in the wings? Perhaps we shall have a more dynamic electoral system by 2020 and a LD recovery, bringing about a coalition and a completely more dynamic new politician into number 10. One who perhaps is presently not in the running for leadership of any of the 3 main parties.

I would love to hear who you would nominate as the being the best candidate to be our PM after the next election. But please NOT Boris.

Corbyn laughs quite a lot, just not in front of the cameras.

He was laughing this week when at a meeting after PMQs and saying that Cameron was jealous of his dress sense.

Corbyns nice but he just plain ain't got Boris's inexplicable charisma. I agree that neither of them would be credible on the world stage. I just hope that there are some talented people of integrity waiting in the wings but, in the world of professional politicians, ie that's all they've done in their lives, I'm not very optimistic.

An LD recovery?
They havent been in contention for more years than I can remember. Plus politics lately is more about extremes. Not that I considered LD as middle as the road as many people do or did.

Boris has charisma ?

it takes all sorts, but a man in a crumpled raincoat does nothing for me[JC]

Charisma is like beauty , in the eye of the beholder?

Charisma brings to mind con men , car sales men etc

For you maybe Anniebach. How else can you explain his popularity? You may say 'not with me' but plenty of people, like me, just like him. See Jings comments above.