Boris

[liadnan]

Almost everyone I read, most of my friends, and my fiancée, appear to see Boris Johnson as something akin to the antichrist. Me, I'm with Nosemonkey.

Someone else (I've lost the link*) said that Choosing between Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson is a bit like choosing between shit and shite, which admirably sums up how I felt. Rather Paddick than either, certainly, but that was never a real prospect, and personally I thought, and continue to think, that the shite is just marginally preferable to the shit. The heavens have not collapsed in on us, nor has the Thames risen in protest, and I rather suspect that they won't.

*ETA: via Purplecthulhu I see it was DoctorVee, who now has a followup post.

Comments

[wardytron.livejournal.com]

I voted for Boris as my 2nd preference. If anything, I feel a bit of an oaf for voting for Brian Paddick with my 1st. He was so wooden. Anyway, BoJo won on Friday, and I still haven't been murdered.

[uitlander]

I suspect the civil servants will keep running it as normal, and in the main he'll just sit in his playpen saying words like 'poo' 'gosh' and 'bother' to passing journalists. Occasionally he'll be sent off to apologise to whichever minority group/city/country he has most recently insulted. The buses may or may not run on time.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

It is interesting that both major parties run their village idiots as candidates for mayor of London. Maybe it says something about London.

[matgb]

Says more about the idea of elected executives generally, you need someone headline grabbing with charisma, ability need not be present.

Always did like presidential style systems, this adds to my dislike. Ah well, not my city any more.

[gmh.livejournal.com]

To add a note of caution, I would point out that much the same things were said in Washington in December 2000; 'checks and balances', 'he's making a bipartisan start' and 'he got elected, how badly can he screw things up?'

I will grant that BoJo is a fair bit smarter than the Shrub, but I'm still not exactly thrilled about the result.

[rosamicula.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! First sane response I've read on my f-list!

[sierra-le-oli.livejournal.com]

I voted for Ken but I don't think Boris is the devil. What dismays me about him is that, even on rather minor aspects of policy like the bendy buses, he couldn't give details on what he was going to do. The various offensive comments he's made don't help either.

As I've only lived in London (and indeed England) for 2.5 years, I'm really interested in what friends and acquaintances of all stripes have to say on this topic. Before your sensible post, all I was seeing was silly comments from Boris supporters, which doesn't help to improve my attitude towards him.

[susumu.livejournal.com]

I still don't see any reason why people would vote for him beyond "FUNNEE HAIR BORIS LOL".

[liadnan]

Because the alternative was more Ken. It was enough for me. Oddly enough hair didn't enter into it.

[jen-c-w.livejournal.com]

hope the Chelsea situation hasn't impacted on you, and if it does, I hope you're bearing up. x

[fiendish-cat.livejournal.com]

I wonder what would have happened if all the people who 'didn't think Paddick was a real prospect' had actualy voted for him?

Though I guess that's the argument Lib Dem supporters always pull out.

[liadnan]

Well, I did, as first choice. I'm sure lots of other people did too. That was the whole point of having an AV system: there was nothing to lose by voting Paddick first and KenOrBoris second, though I'm not sure the system was well explained.