Boris Johnson

wouldn't trust him further than I cd throw him - self-serving schemer, using his 'charm' ruthlessly to cloak his ambition. he makes my skin creep.

I like him, I like the fact that he knows we know he isn't the buffoon he presents as, and unlike others I like his charm. I don't know about PM though ... although there is little doubt he could run intellectual rings around most of the world leaders, intellect appears to be low on the list of requirements these days!

I agree with white wave. I think he's as crafty as a lorry load of monkeys.

Undoubtedly a talented writer and said to be a good ambassador for London. The Tory party made sure a good team was put into his office to run the show leaving him to be the front man. I agree with others that his bumbling teddy-bear image is a deceptive front. He was in the Bullingdon club alongside the PM and the Chancellor, as per that famous picture. So if he was leader of the Tories then it would be more of the same - PR, lies and lack of compassion. But that is the job he's after. That's why he's gone back into parliament.

lol

at Steve Bell Cartoon

Let's get serious about Boris, then.

"In recent years Boris has also championed so-called Housing Zones, where he says he will build over 50,000 homes. But take account of estate regeneration and the net increase in all types of homes is actually 3,100 lower than the Mayor claims.

Then there is the change in tenure. New studio flats for sale from £350,000 aren’t much use to the existing tenant living off the state pension or the London Living Wage. At the Heygate, after 1,034 council homes are demolished, just 82 new new homes will be let at social rents with secure tenancies. Other ‘affordable’ homes will come with much higher rents, or be sold to people with much higher incomes.

The Heygate may be an overused example, but the wider picture in London is even worse.

I’ve obtained figures from City Hall planners showing that across London there are currently 214 estate regeneration schemes with planning permission, either in progress or not yet started. These figures reveal that after homes are demolished and replacements built, there will be an overall net loss of 7,326 social rented homes across London."

Boris's record on housing in London.

From this link.

www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2016/02/09/boris-johnson-and-the-social-cleansing-of-london-s-estates

Really bothered about the people in London, I don't think.
Can you imagine if he were PM? How many social homes would be lost?
Still rather have him than Corbyn? At least Corbyn realises that all people need houses, not just the wealthy.

Can you imagine anyone but Boris wearing that hat, looking like a down and out? Who told him that turning up at Downing Street looking like that would be a good idea?

I notice that Tim Montgomerie has left the conservative party because of Cameron's stance on Europe, and because they are not conservative enough. I do not know if he left before or after Boris's farcical appearance, but it can't have helped.

I don't think that expressing personal views about public figures, who allow themselves to be in the limelight, is character assassination. Pretty sure Boris wouldn't give a damn about my opinion of him.

Boris is very bright, I quite like his bumbling, good natured non-stuffy manner but I was put off when I read this week that he has waved through lots of building schemes in London even when local opinion has been against them. At the moment a group of people (historians, architects etc Dan Cruikshank and others) who care about London are currently up in arms about a demolition/development project that would be detrimental to the historic Spitalfields area. I'm not sure if he's staying on the fence because of his career - at least he's pressing Cameron to have sovereignty higher on the agenda.

If Boris, according to caocao, is going to be on the side which gives him the best shot at PM, then he has got a trciky job deciding.

I think it matters which side of the fence he comes down on, because he, to me anyway, has dithered so long that he has probably lost some effectiveness whichever side he ends up choosing.

Sovereignty? What does that mean?

Nobody can make an informed decision, nor should they until Mr Cameron has finished his negotiations and we know what is on the table.

And if you only make a decision on what DC gets then it will hardly be informed. That is what is worrying me.

If I decide to vote leave, then what happens? It isn't at all clear to me the way forward after that.

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

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!

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

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)

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.

I still like him!

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

No hope for some people, Jane10.

Sigh

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.

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.

You got it JessM