is that you murad?

I wouldn’t like it if criticism of Boris became too celebratory. Obviously, if he does well then it doesn’t only bode well for London but may even ease our fears regarding the impending Conservative rule.

Somewhat.

Maybe.

Ben’

Perfectly put. As someone who will have to think about home-buying in about 10 or so years’ time (hopefully in my beloved home city!), the thought of Boris REALLY messing up is none too comforting. I personally was hoping he might MAYBE surprise us in a positive way, not that I’m counting on it.

I think y’all do need to stop chasing Boris so much and focus on the REST OF THEM a bit more. He’s media-savvy enough not to do anything TOO crazy, as is Cameron (for now), but what about the outright lunatics (like Nadine Dorries) who aren’t really under any threat of losing their positions of power?

If the Tories are next in power (as seems increasingly to be the case), some ground rules ought to be laid for them beforehand!

I wasn’t aware anyone was suggesting that the vote was fixed. Well, apart from the BNP that is.

The Tories won. I have no problem with accepting that. But people who support them, need to get used to their side coming under constant scrutiny and criticism from now on. That’s what it is like when your party is in power. Get used to it.

He does look rather dashing with his blonde locks… I’m sure he’s flattered

London voted for Boris, the public will vote for Cameron come the General Election.

Trust me, the best thing the left can do is come up with a viable alternative. Attack politics got the Tories NOWHERE! Only in 2005 did Cameron emerge victorious with his positive brand of the Tory Party.

Labour’s fucked, and this kind of thing really does turn off the voters from what could be a respected opposition.

This negative politics, is err, bad for politics, as the man said…. Well, have it your way!

How about opening up a discussion about the Johnson administration and women. Mayorwatch has run an article from Ken Livingstone on this very point.
http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/Ken-Livingstone-Boris-Johnsons-Administration-Women-in-London-article_id-1712.html

Despite realising this must be coming – as Ken had already given his views – the Johnson team seemed un-attuned to the pitfalls of this discussion. Actually they made their position worse.

Questioned on this very point Tim Parker carried on digging.

Murad Qureshi put it to Tim Parker, the new First Deputy Mayor at the Assembly meeting on Wednesday that “In the first wave of job losses here at the GLA in City Hall they have disproportionately affected women, more so than any others” and asked: “Are you aware of that and what amends are you making?”

This is what Parker said. (Apologies for the slight break, I have glitch when I try to play this bit but others may be able to hear it better).

“Well all I would, let me sort of make a general point for you which is that – and maybe you will disagree with me but I’m trying to be open – is that when you go towards the top of an organisation people get paid more money. And for that money you expect them to have a narrower set of skills and therefore you make judgements about whether that person has the right set of skills to do the role.

When you go down the pyramid of an organisation you find there are many posts arguably where the set of skills is more open to a broader market….

….It’s easier to be more equal as it were. The narrower you get towards the top of an organisation it actually gets tougher and tougher because the needs of the post have to be taken into account against the range of people available to fill the post. And sometimes as a result of that you will get a situation where there are more women leaving or more people from one group or another. But we are, you know, for me when you get to the top, the sole thing that we must focus on is having the right people for the right slots? And I hope that we can all agree that that’s the right thing. And that the conclusion you draw is that you know that it doesn’t reflect the mix of women is not that being anti-women.”

So it’s not anti-women to say they’re difficult to find to place in the top jobs…even though there were plenty of skilled women holding senior posts when Ken was mayor – Val Shawcross as chair of the Fire Authority, Joy Johnson on media, Nicky Gavron (and for a year Jenny Jones) as Deputy Mayor.

This is just a dreadful patronising excuse for not appointing any women to any of the senior positions in his team.

I can’t see why there hasn’t been more of a scandal about these remarks. It’s hard to see how anyone with this mentality is going to ensure that the GLA remains at the top of employers committed to equality.

It’s all about an hour and a quarter in on the Assembly session held yesterday 9 July, if anyone doubts this report.
http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/webcasts.jsp

“So did you give up all criticism of the Labour government when they won in 2005?”

No, but I accpeted the fact that people had voted for them.

i mean, how far will this revenge for Lee go? why be so reactionary?

So did you give up all criticism of the Labour government when they won in 2005?

If things do turn nasty for Boris, does anyone know whether it would be possible for the Conservatives to replace him or would another direct election need to be held?

Presumably as the mayor is directly elected there would need to be a contest, though does anyone know of a loophole?

cjcjc (12) – Yes, they are trivial, but Boris is a high profile figure. It is one of the problems of directly elected mayors that they attract a near-hysterical level of scrutiny. It doesn’t make it right of course, but mayors should expect it.

I’m sure he’s quaking.

Still I have no objection to his coming under the heaviest scrutiny.

I’m just struck by the relatively trivial nature of the “gaffes” so far.
You guys will have no hyperbole left for when he starts making some big mistakes!

I take your point about the Yasmin quote, though in fairness she did say it recently.

Sunny:

“But it looks like they’ll be regretting their decision before long.”

Heh. I’ve never been happier. It also gives me a nice taster of what many on the left (though not your good self) will be like when the Labour Party is removed from power.

Boris should be held to high standards, and so should the Labour government.

“But sometimes they don’t waste the money – you just don’t like where its going.”

I consider that waste.

b’shalom

bananabrain

I wouldn’t like it if criticism of Boris became too celebratory. Obviously, if he does well then it doesn’t only bode well for London but may even ease our fears regarding the impending Conservative rule.

Somewhat.

Maybe.

Ben

Oh, I know who they voted for. But it looks like they’ll be regretting their decision before long

Why are you never outraged when the Labour party wastes billions?

Of course I am, I’m not holding up a candle for this govt. But sometimes they don’t waste the money – you just don’t like where its going.

But surely the question should be why Tories aren’t applying the same standards of outrage to Boris as they do to the govt?

That’s not really an excuse. It’s very similar to a Labour apologist (by now, they really do deserve that term) ranting on about racist Tories and citing Enoch Powell and Dixon-Smith.

Ben

Yes, we all wuvved Kenny Wenny for his vast intellect, searing insight and devilish good looks. I reserved particular admiration for his appointment of far-left friends.

In a I’ve-heard-this-gambit-far-too-many-times-sort-of-mood,

Ben

That attitude is held by more people then just Yasmin, but it is not usually expressed so clearly in print.

” It’s looking like I’m going to have more fun than Andrew Gilligan, who will sooner or later be muttering about dark “anti-Boris forces” in his sleep.”

I’m enjoying the reaction of the Kennistas, who still don’t seem to realise the the people voted for Boris.