Boris Johnson

In answer to your question durhamjen, I am very involved with local politics.

So which of your neighbours did vote for him, Sillynanny ( I do not like typing that)?
I guess you steer off politics.

Boris Johnson is our local MP (I didn't vote for him). Before the local election we went to a meeting which was attended by Boris, and all the other party's.
All I can say is he did not answer one question properly he just waffled on. Yes he's sometimes quite funny. But I think he's basically a buffoon.

Depends on the MP's constituency , Johnson isn't going to meet many homeless or people on benefits in his sugeries is he? The poorer areas of the country do have more labour MP's, the affluent areas have Tory MP's . I do know MP's in the South Wales valleys are not divorced from the reality of poverty and unemployment

Unfortunately, the more full-time the MPs' job becomes the more divorced they become from reality, which is often not provided by their constituency associations either - wacko right wingers and loony lefties.

I think in fairness Jane10 he's the elected mayor and therefore responsible - the buck stops with him. That is surely the whole idea of having an elected mayor. And that is before he starts taking personal credit for bikes, bridges etc.

"Mayor of London Boris Johnson calls London Assembly members "great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jellies" after they voted against a two hour grilling on his budget decisions."

If he'd said that in Parliament he would have been kicked out for a month at least.
However, it would not have made any difference. Since he was re-elected to parliament he has only spoken in 15 debates in the commons.
I call that a part time job.

I've seen him before on that, blueskies. He makes my blood pressure rise even more than Cameron.
He's just so full of his own importance, he does not care about anyone but himself and his legacy.

I will take a look blueskies. What is it you do not like about him on there?

I hadn't thought of Mayor of London or Member of parliament as part time employment

I googled Boris Johnson 3 jobs.
Actually he has 4 according to this
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/07/27/boris-johnson-salary-shakespeare-book_n_7881970.html
I think I call that hardworking rather than greed. If a person of lower income did all that I dont think the person would be called greedy.

The other link that came up was this
uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-boris-idUKKCN0VR20L
1 in 3 voters could be swayed by him, so whether he goes for in or out matters a lot it seems.

You will see the real Johnson in the London Assembly on the Parliament channel. Scary. Would you want that individual making decisions affecting your life?

He's not personally responsible for all that. He's just a figurehead for a huge organisation of faceless people. Surely you realise this but then you do blame David Cameron personally for every single thing that his govt does. Durhamjen is right in that there's no hope for some people -just not me!

You got it JessM

But he's got a chubby little baby face, messy little boy hair and a cheeky grin, and ability to make the rest of the class laugh, so he must be a good guy.

It's not "character assassination" to look at Boris Johnson's record:

He pledged:

not to close a single tube ticket office but by the end of this year every single one will be permanently shut;

to end rough sleeping by the Olympics but it’s almost doubled since 2008;

no cuts to the fire brigade but ten stations have been closed and 13 fire engines axed;

to help hard-pressed Londoners. Yet their have been eight years of fare rises, increasing the average ticket price by 40% and bus fares up by nearly 50%;

He has also pushed forward various "vanity projects" such as the pointless Thames cable car project that cost £63 million and is losing £50,000 a week, and the "garden bridge" which will cost Transport for London and the Treasury 30m each, not including the estimated £1m yearly maintenance cost.

He scrapped all the "bendy buses", which were said to be the most accessible forms of transport for disabled people, and replaced them with the Routemaster hybrids. These buses were said to be an important factor in tackling pollution in Central London. In fact it has now been revealed that due to problems with the batteries for most of the time they are running on diesel.

Sigh

No hope for some people, Jane10.

I don't like the man, not because of his politics , find his act of Buffoon sickening, the fact that he has his hair messed up just before a tv appearance - part of the act stupid, - , his countless affairs , the fact that he has three jobs - greed, I think I trust him the least of the lot , anyone who can put on an act day after day cannot be trusted

I still like him!

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/feb/14/garden-bridge-half-truths-deceptions-evasions-thames-london-rowan-moore

Not forgetting the bridge.
And, of course, borisbuses are a mess, too.

Some more questions about his character in this article (from 4 years ago)

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/aug/05/sonia-purnell-boris-johnson-not-prime-minister-material

My Dh once pointed out that BJ did not know when to turn it off and behave properly. It was while we were watching the Bejing Olympics Closing ceremony and BJ was representing London. Chinese officials always appear very properly dressed with buttoned suits. BJ turns up with coat flapping and his usual air of unmade bed. DH, who has worked in China, pointed out that this was likely to cause huge and unnecessary offence.
Then there was the recent incident in Japan, when BJ, supposed to be playing touch rugby with children, comes over all macho and barges small child to ground. Hmm. (google something like boris johnson japan rugby images)

Oh do go on onneker you were just getting into your stride.
I don't think there is any real evidence that he is "good natured" granmama

I am sad that so many people are taken in by his superficial charm. As mayor of London he has not been very effective. He has gone for publicity stunts rather than solid achievements. The bicycle scheme which is named after him was really Ken Livingstone's idea and hard work. The same goes for the Olympics. There has been some dodgy dealing over the suggested garden bridge which is something very few Londoners actually want. We are seeing the results of cuts all around us and he has been handing out public money for a bridge which will be closed quite often so corporate events can take place. DJ has mentioned some of the housing schemes. And there is more but I will shut up!

I know one thing, I've been a Tory all my life, but haven't a clue who I will vote for next time?