London Mayor election 2012
 

Seeing as this election is so much more to do with the personalities involved rather than the parties they represent, I thought it deserved a separate thread. So, if you lived in London, who would you be voting for today?

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

:bump: Funny, I thought Boris and Ken were such towering figures they might have prompted a discussion despite this being a London-only contest. Perhaps not. :D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Personally I couldn't give a crap but I just asked Natalie and she thinks Boris because he's a clown.... Apparently.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

I gave up voting years ago.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Why?

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

I voted for Ken, he has said that he will put more police officers on the streets, instead of cutting them.

He has also said that if some of his policies have not been brought in by a certain date, then he will resign, All Boris is doing is following the Tory line, he has done nothing about public transport, fares are on the increase and people have to stand in poor conditions.

He said that he plans to increase the trains on the tube, how can he, you can only run so many on the same track. He also wants driver less trains, the same as Tokyo, but you cannot do that on the underground, some of the tunnels are more than 100 years old and are not very good - proves Boris is behind the times.

In Tokyo, they have new tunnels, and better technology than us and are not scared to spend money.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Says it all really.......:dozey:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Maybe it does but everybody is entitled to vote for whom they see fit and Arthur obviously sees fit in voting for Ken.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Ken Livingstone told 85 different lies during this campaign. If you voted for him based on his promises, quite frankly you're a mug and I suspect you believed what you wanted to believe, simply because the other guy is a Tory.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Indeed. My reason for saying what I said has been neatly explained in Chris's post above.......

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

To be perfectly honest l cannot say any of the above named candidates take my fancy as surely there are people around who could do a better job then the last two incumbents we have had in the job.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Boris a buffoon and to be honest I am amazed that tory voters put up with him.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Boris is personally very popular in London - a fact that may be hard for your Tory-loathing scouse brain to compute, but it is the reason why the polls say he is going to win the vote today despite his party's major ongoing popularity issues. ;)

He is well-liked enough that a lot of dyed-in-the-wool Labour supporters are voting for him rather than holding their noses and voting for Ken 'tax avoidance' Livingstone.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Methinks Boris is not the buffoon he appears. Well not always.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

He may sometimes act the buffoon but he is quite intelligent....

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

It goes to prove my point that most members on here are Tory lovers.

Even The Sun (a Tory paper) is saying that IF Cameron gets a kick in today, then he has only himself to blame.

I think that Boris, and yes l voted for him the last time, as l was interwested in his policies for London, but to me he has not done what he promised.

We still have higher fare increases on the public transport, what else has he done.

He could have scrapped the congestion charge in London, but he hasn't.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Have you any proof that the majority on here are Tory lovers Arthur.:rolleyes:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Wrong....it can be done now - and it is done on the DLR and alwas has been.

It has nothing to do with the state of the tunnels - what's that got to do with it?

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Lee, you're making the mistake of assuming there's a logical train of thought behind Arthur's view. Years of posts on this forum proves otherwise. Arthur's for anyone who's not the Tory. That's all there is to it. ;)

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

logical train of thought...nice!! :D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Do you really have to ask? :)

I would have thought the answer would be self evident, in view of and not restricted to, the plethora of incompetence, self servitude and back handedness we are regaled with on an almost daily basis.

Since their is not a hap'oth of difference between any of the major parties just what is the point.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Has Ken published his tax returns yet?

You know the ones that shows that according to his own whining he shouldn't even be allowed to vote.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Two points l would like to clear up.

One on the Tory front, Each time members rant on about the Cameron and Co, they are gunned down, with comments of 'what the last government did' since the Tories got in the unemployment has risen, we have companies going bust, we have comments made by Tory ministers that made people panic to the pumps, bringing in millions to the treasury, l would rather have a London Labour Mayor who looks the people. and Boris is not bothered about the people of London.

Two, the DLR is NOT an underground railway's system and is not as big as the Underground system it clearly tells you in the name Dockland's Light Railway.

The Tube is old and needs modernisation, but due to safety reasons, always brought up by the Unions, it cannot be driverless.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Who cares who gets the London post as most peeps that are posting on this thread do not live in London?

I do not care ?

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

The man is an idiot nothing more and if people are stupid enough to grant someone like him power then those people are also idiots, this has nothing to do with him being a tory either.

I live in George Howarths constituency and I also think that he is an idiot and I know that because I have actually spoken to him so I do not vote for him either.

Boris may have a degree but he is not a statesman and the other nations must be laughing their heads off whenever he goes to a foreign country.

The have been rumours of him running for leader of the tory party, that would make Ed Miliband look like the best man for the job so that would be hilarious if he was ever voted into that position as we would be really looked on as the clowns of Europe.

If you choose to defend him as possible future prime minister then the is little hope for the party as being likeable does not make a statesman in the halls of power.

Also the argument of him just putting on act is wearing thin as he proves over and over again what an clown he actually is in real life.

http://leinz.co.uk/art/boris-johnson-1.jpg

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Funny how the people who will be made obsolete when the tube goes driverless are the ones saying it can't be done.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

DLR is part of the Underground system and serves a fairly wide area last time I looked.

Driverless trains? Well they are testing them now...I was having a chat with an underground staff member just last week on that very subject.


Source Link

Sorry Arthur,

I need to post this for you as well:


TechRadar

Can't be done can it Arthur.....ohhh those dammm facts getting in the way again. :)

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Actually, I thought it was more how advanced the signalling system is.

---------- Post added at 23:01 ---------- Previous post was at 22:28 ----------

By that definition, the London Underground is not an Underground system. Over half of it is above ground..

Also, the technology running the DLR is the same as that running several lines on the Paris Metro. An underground system that is considerably busier than the London Underground.

The tube is old, and does need modernisation. Something which it has been receiving. The jubilee line is already using the same tech as the DLR.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

i think Boris is great ,we should have more politicians like him

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Yes they'd prefer to vote for some one who calls a 100k+ a year job chicken feed and whose idea of personality is muttering some obscure Latin phrase, looks like we are going to get the mayor we deserve sadly

---------- Post added at 00:46 ---------- Previous post was at 00:43 ----------

And that's what I find particularly annoying, never liked people acting thicker than they are whether that be Frank Bruno or this Bozo.

---------- Post added at 00:51 ---------- Previous post was at 00:46 ----------

I think it was the jubilee line that was designed to be driverless nearly fifty years ago, the. Went on strike to stop it from happening iirc

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

That is exactly the kind of attitude that the average tory voters fail to grasp when they vote for these people, which is that they do not care for the average person or oik, which is what many of the present members of the government see their voters as and are shocked that they do not tug their forelocks when confronted by them.



Regardless of whether it is an act or not it is not something that looks good on serious political stage, and if people can not see that is an issue then it shows that the above forelock tugging is still in their mental makeup, even if they no longer tug it as Boris and his fellow party member do the tugging for them.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Indeed -signals and track as well..


Want to add the cable car to that? I have a feeling thats overground....yes...yes - it's definitely above the ground.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Livingstone has an abrasive personality but his prior record as London Mayor is good. He was responsible for pushing hard for the Olympics long before Labour became interested, he implemented the Oyster Card system and other methods of speeding up the boarding of London buses, he introduced the congestion charge scheme which has helped reduce the ridiculous level of traffic in central London.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

IMHO, those statements say more about your own inverse snobbery and unreasoning prejudices than they do about the so-called 'toffs' you malign by projecting how you believe they should think/act based on your 'class warfare' views.

Your argument is circular - if people don't agree with you and recognise they are 'forelock tuggers', it is because they are 'forelock tuggers'....

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

The problem with Ken is that he had very little interest in anything south of the river, and even when he did show interest, it was only in buses.

Yes, he pushed for the Olympics (and deserves credit for that), and yes he did introduce the Oyster (which also deserves credit). However, he singularly failed to get widespread adoption of Oyster beyond TFL, and blamed the then government for not giving him the power to compel the train companies to introduce it.

A power which (AFAIK) Boris still doesn't have, yet he managed to get the train companies to start accepting Oyster.

Ken also ensured that the Unions had massive power at TFL Something which is not good for any of us (not even the union members as their actions have only increased TFL's desire to automate as much as possible).

He

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Red Ken is truly in a league of his own when it comes to hypocrisy and stretching the truth.

Having suffered his dubious political efforts since the days of the GLC, I truly hope this is the last we ever see of him. Over the years he's chucked our money about in support of all sorts of dubious causes with little or no accountability. Whatever credit he deserves for his role in the Olympics is more than negated by so much else of what he's said and done over the years.

---------- Post added at 10:59 ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 ----------

:rofl:

Good old Ken eh? Straight as you like..... :rolleyes:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Boris an idiot and the is no getting away from that simple fact, if he became leader of the tory party webwould be the laughing stockbof the world with him as primeminister, if you believe otherwise then sadly the is little hope for the country

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Actually, I have to disagree. Not long ago he was in Bexley empathising with long suffering motorists with tales of how wronged they've been with all the onerous parking fines and charges levied upon them. He was clearly hoping they were so angry about it all that they'd forgotten the 'campaign' against motorists he's long waged and would no doubt continue if voted back into office. :rolleyes:

So I think you have to admit he does show a lot of interest in what's going on south of the river. It's just that he only seems to do it when it suits his immediate political ends and he can employ his selective presentation of the facts to try to embarrass Tory opponents. How very odd.... :rolleyes:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Please show me where I have stated that I believe that (or otherwise) - I cannot recall posting/commenting on any scenario where BoJo becomes Tory Leader.

You appear to be 'projecting' again - stating as fact something you think people are thinking, rather than what they actually think and say....

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

:clap:

---------- Post added at 17:06 ---------- Previous post was at 17:03 ----------

I know if millibore gets control of this country we should all expect a return of the spend spend spend regime again. I beleave thats how Ken has been trying to gain votes, I will spend on this and this and this and :blah::blah::blah::blah::blah:

We must never ever return to the spend spend spend days of the party that got us in the state we are in now.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Two points to clear up, to have driver-less trains on the underground is very dangerous, what happens if there is a trains crash, or trains breaks down and there is a signal fault and a smashes into each other.

You need a train personnel on the train for safety reasons.

The DLR might be an 'underground train' technically, BUT this was brought into service due to Canary Wharf being built, It has only been extended due to it popularity, and there is no underground system near it.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Ken Livingstone seems to have lost the election. The media seems to think so and apparently there has been a private admission from 'Labour sources' that this is the case.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

If that's the case then hallelujah!

:D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Might not be. Still likely to be a Johnson victory but apparently it's getting close. The districts in London were not coming in evenly, so those favouring Livingstone had yet to be counted. It will depend on the 2nd preference votes

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Gnnnnnnnn :grind:
I really, really don't want that lying, sanctimonious, two faced, chancer to get in......:D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

So which are number 2:D:D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

well Newcastle won't be getting an elected mayor

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Looking like Boris is safe unless there is a real shock to come from 2nd preferences.

---------- Post added at 19:22 ---------- Previous post was at 19:21 ----------

Surprised so many people have rejected the concept of a Mayor, I think it's been very good for London

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

If we did vote to have a mayor i was wondering what would happen to the one we have now ,he isn't an elected but has the title ,car ,office and big honking bling around his neck ,wouldn't he be a bit put out at losing all of that:)

Here's how it is.. Oppinions aside this is practically fact.

Labour gets in, spends tonnes of money the country doesn't have... Increased benefits, higher pay... New stuff here and there.. People think great this government is doing loads of good things.. They get voted in successively.

Money starts to run out, jobs start going, country starts going into recession because it can no longer sustain its spending..

People get fed up and vote conservatives in.. As labour have been unable to fullfill their promises due to over spending, so things start foing back down.

Conservatives come in, make massive job losses, pension cuts, benefit cuts and other spending cuts to save the country and reduce the deficit..in order to stop the country going bankrupt and save the economy.

People loosing out on benefits, and pensions and jobs start protesting and slating conservatives, chatting hate and unpopularity.

Economy recovers..

People because they are annoyed at the conservatives harsh spending cuts vote in labour again.. And the whole process starts again.

This isn't rubbish it's not the first time it's happened and it's happening again

Most people labour or conservative supports think too much about themselves and what they are gaining or loosing than the bigger picture.

And have this idea yeah conservatives are bad, because I've lost my benefits, lost my pension, lost my job.

Ok fine yes most of us need to be thinking of our families and those things make a big difference to life.. But the bigger picture is. What would happen if the country went bankrupt? Just because you wanna keep your benefits, pension and jobs...

All them things would go just the same or he reduced and the likely good is things would be "worse" as the country can no longer borrow money.. And borrowing is how this country survives right now.. Take that away and we would be like most of eastern Europe.. Now ask yourself is it worse to be bankrupt or loose a couple of jobs? Everyone has to make some sacrifices if the country is to survive, some
More than most, government and it's people..and as I'm self employed I know what it's like to struggle to get business and make a living.. I don't have the luxury of a fixed monthly payment.


Regarding driverless trains regardless how old a tunnel is a tunnel is a tunnel... A glorified hole in the ground

It's not the tunnel that dictates if a train can be driverless.. Its just a hole lined with concrete and steel.

What does allow for driverless grains is cables, technology and signally.

All of which is constantly being upgraded..if you get a faulty power cable you aren't gonna replace it with another cable of 100 years old are you! You put brand new cable in that meets current standards.

And whenever they do track replacement there's no reason why they can't stick some new extra cables in place which then allow for upgraded signalling..

Also trains are going to be eventually replaced eventually some already have.

Jubilee extension already has the technology for driverless trains in place.

It will happen! Government will force this through because it costs more in terms of disruption and pay increased to keep paying all these drivers as at the moment drivers have tfl over a barrel. But there's only so much they will put up with when enough becomes enough and they will do all of themselves out of a job.

Same happened with guards.. Kept wanting more pay, striking, in the end they became unrequired as companies rolled out cameras and mirrors.

No sense arguing it will never happen technology is constantly moving forward and the attitude it will never happen is quite antiquated...
They said the same thing about the sound barrier, the moon, and recently James Cameron the director just took a sub to the deepest point on earth, and the other week there was an article about British engineers working on a hybrid rocket engine that features a turbofan jet engine. That would allow travel to anywhere in the world in 4 hours.

Things move forward!

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

:rolleyes: Arthur - what planet are you on? And why do you talk like you are the know-all of all subjects?

They are not dangerous at all...if there is a problem they fall back into a fail-safe mode which means the stop immediately or stop at the next station.


No underground system near it? That's funny...last time I was on it I'm sure it was connected to the Jubilee, Circle, H&C and District lines. The wonders of an integrated transport system eh, Arthur?? :rolleyes:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Some folks never learn do they... :D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Sky News now calling for Boris Johnson.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Ceremonial Mayors & Elected Mayors are separate beings:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governme...ment/DG_073313

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Yup. Comfortable win for Boris, it seems that he might even have more 2nd preference votes than Ken.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Which is why Boris wants driverless trains, not unmanned ones. They'll have someone onboard as with the DLR to check tickets, assist customers and handle emergency situations if they arise.

As far as trains smashing into each other goes I'd ask you when you've seen this happen on the DLR?

Exactly. Automated trains are done so with safety in mind, if systems detect faults the trains stop to avoid collision. If in doubt computer says 'no'.

---------- Post added at 21:22 ---------- Previous post was at 21:18 ----------

Err.

Bank?

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Looks like you're out of luck then Boris won :D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

So you believe that an idiot should be in charge of London, not interested in red ken as he is another clown I put in the boat as galloway as both are just freeloaders, no one has mentioned miliband as he is not in this contest but his name is being used to deflect from the idiot namely Boris.

Even tory voters must be able to see that Boris the clown should not be in charge of anything.:rolleyes:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Actually there have been two where trains went smashing out or control causing damage beyond repaid and multiple casualties.....not.


Collision at West India Quay bridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docklands_Light_Railway

Compared to other forms of transport, I'd say that's a 100% track (no pun intended) record...

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

What exactly, besides the fact he went to Eton and Oxford, do you have against Boris (and try to state facts, not your usual class warfare polemic, such as 'clown', 'toff', 'idiot', 'forelock tugging', etc)? You seem high on diatribe, low on reasoning.

My godson is at Oxford, but he went to a CofE primary school with my son - is he a 'clown' or a 'toff' just because he attends Oxford and is reading BA Literae Humaniores?

You do realise Boris is not 'old money' or landed gentry, don't you - some of his grandparents were immigrants from Europe and Turkey.

Would you like it if you were disliked/pilloried because of your accent/education/job?

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Odd I thought Boris was related to royalty...

In other news Brian paddick has possibly lost his deposit

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Excellent post :clap:

---------- Post added at 22:36 ---------- Previous post was at 22:33 ----------

Anyone would be better than Ken simply because he supports the Labour way of doing things and that is Spend Spend Spend and mess the country up.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Through some obscure spawned who had a fling with an actress in the 19th Century, generations ago, and through that he is obliquely linked to George II (who died 1760) - very tenuously linked to Royalty. ;)

btw, Boris's grandfather was called Osman Ali Wilfred Kemal before he Anglicised his name to Wilfred Johnson - very posh....

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Wasn't one of his ancestors Charles I and ll's closest advisors to, seems like his family has been at the very top table for centuries to me if so.

Boris has won btw

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

No - just repeating it doesn't make it true...;)

As previously stated, his family has tenuous links (through one of his antecedents being the illegitimate offspring of minor German nobility) to George II.

Link

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

I did repeat it, if you notice I said relative in post 1 and an advisor in post 2 which I may have confused with Alexander Armstrong admittedly but seeing his aunt
was described as top euro toff by Boris himself it kind of seals the deal for me

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Good!

His campaign video on Policing was an utter disgrace and showed him up for the slimy, career office dweller he was.

I like Boris. He's obviously extremely intelligent and smearing him because of his education is pretty low IMO.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Do you honestly think that the average member of cameron's cabinet like the oiks who vote for them? I think not, they look down on them with disdain and virtually everyone of them still believe that the common man should not be allowed to vote.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Kind of proves Hugh's point, doesn't it. You don't actually have anything to add to the discussion apart from the same old tedious, Tory-hating, self-pitying whingeing that's so typical in Liverpool.

Sometimes, reading your posts reminds me of the Radio Merseyside lunch time phone in. And not in a good way.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

What qualifies you for being in a privileged position where you can look down on people?

Being a millionaire who avoided huge tax bills by tax avoidance measures? You know like the current labour leader.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Do you honestly think most politicians could give a damn about the people that vote for them apart from at election time?

If you and the rest of Liverpool hate the government so much please feel free to pay the full amount of council tax required to cover Liverpool's expenditure and demand greater autonomy.

Do be aware though that it'll nearly triple your council tax bill - Liverpool Council spends over £2.90 for every £1.00 raised in council tax.

In other news Ken didn't win - good. However before I'm considered a Tory toff lover Boris didn't get my first preference vote, Siobhan Benita did.

I wonder how different politics would be if people actually looked past the colour on the party logo and voted for the candidates who fit the bill?

---------- Post added at 09:00 ---------- Previous post was at 08:58 ----------

Pretty funny that both of them were due to manual, not automatic control. Good advertisement for removing manual control except in emergencies.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

We need driverless trains though - "they are more safe" according to the mad world of Arthur...:rolleyes:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Boris won by a close margin then. Ken Livingstone has said it's his last election, he may change his mind but given that he isn't getting younger and Labour will likely select a different candidate next time around I suspect that is the truth.

He isn't a easy man to like, but he did do a lot for London irrespective of his personality. He also seemed to genuinely care about the City.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Maybe he did. Sadly he also cared rather a lot about Ken and his, frankly, cronies. He was far, far, far too dirty personally and lied far too much for me to even entertain putting an 'X' beside his name.

In other news here's the results from Tower Hamlets:

Boris Johnson: 20%
Brian Paddick: 5%
Jenny Jones: 5%
Siobhan Benita: 5%
Ken Livingstone: 105%

Turn out: 140%.

Electoral commission inform that the vote was conducted fairly and impartially and the officer ended his report asking if he could have his kids back now.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Remember Labour believe we are BIGGOTS and it cannot be denied and must be true as there top man said that to that poor woman live on TV ?

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Well he didn't say it to her he said it behind her back and he's no longer the top man.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Not my council and gladly so as they charge to much.;)

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Common sense has prevailed :tu::)
(But only just)

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Indeed, far better to rely on central government block grant.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Indeed it means Ken will not be able to carry out his Labour inspired program ;)

Load Labour Program

Type Run

A. Spend spend spend and when the money has gone sell the gold and raid the pensions and then spend spend spend some more,

B. Repeat this until the country is in the crapper.

C. Lose election and leave crap to be fixed by someone else.

D. Print Note "we spent all the money"

E. Blame the other guys repeatedly

F. Get yourself re elected when its all fixed.

G. Goto A

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Pity that Boris is lacking in that department though.;)

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

He must be doing something right ;)

---------- Post added at 10:29 ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 ----------

Spot on :tu:

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

The electorate must like a having a jovial buffoon in charge which makes you wonder about the people who voted for him in the first place.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2012/05/70.jpg

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Well if Boris can be re elected what does it say about Ken and his election plan ;)

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

He did rather more for some parts of London than others and the way in which he threw money at certain groups and communities with precious little scrutiny and oversight was scandalous. Livingstone only ever listened to people who agreed with him and didn't mind indulging in his own form of stereoytyping when it suited.

This time he was rumbled - the hypocrisy and porkies caught up with him at last.

Good riddance to Livingstone.

---------- Post added at 10:48 ---------- Previous post was at 10:43 ----------


:rofl:


You've just decoded the 'commandments' upon which all Labour manifestos are based.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Like? You can't solve everything and if he addresses one area of London you can't have equal investment across all of it. Doesn't mean it's a bad thing, let's see if no one loses out during Boris' time in charge or the Tories. It's a natural part of governance.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

No one is saying that there are no personnel on the trains. The DLR doesn't operate that way, and nor will the tube.

They don't need to be drivers though.
Not sure how that is relevant.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

You were the one who said he "did do a lot for London" and I pointed out that he did more for some bits than others - something you now appear agreeing with as a "natural part of governance". My contention is that what drove Livingstone's 'governance' was a desire to look after the bits of London where his voters were and to hell with the rest, especially the outer London Tory boroughs.

Livingstone's excesses, waste and loony left policies are legend, dating back to the days of the GLC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7508819.stm

Note Livingstone refused to even talk to the Forensic Audit Panel. Just like he showed during the run up to the election Livingstone never minded dodging issues which exposed his flaws.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Something that makes me laugh, actually, is the way you criticise Boris yet his actual policies make a lot of sense in many cases, indeed he can be more Labour than Ken while simultaneously being more Tory than Cameron, he's done far more to reduce unnecessary spending in London than Cameron has nationwide. Boris is investing heavily in TfL, Ken claimed he was going to use the cash for fare cuts, Boris is pretty sound environmentally.

He has his flaws for sure, however of the two main candidates there is absolutely no question that he was the better candidate for the job. He didn't promise the earth and has a reasonable track record.

In short before you criticise the several million of us for our voting choices I'd recommend getting a clue what you're talking about. I couldn't care less if Boris runs through zone 1 stark naked babbling about wiff waff so long as he keeps getting the job done. I find his buffoonery disarming and underneath it he's clearly an intelligent man who takes advantage of his nature by allowing people to underestimate him just as you do.

All that said I still didn't vote for him as first preference.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

I would not have voted for either of them if I lived in London as both are clowns but in different ways.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

If you lived in London you probably wouldn't have that massive forest on your shoulder and may see the world through a slightly less tinted viewpoint.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

The difference up here is that we are much more friendly and will talk to other people and do not feel affronted as most people in London would do if they were spoken to by a stranger.

We have a different mentality as oddly it is you guys that tend to carry rain forests around on both shoulders and have the need to feel so insular and unsure of the other persons intentions.

Plus we will call a spade a spade and that goes for both Boris and his fellow clown Ken, no matter how well educated they may be the is no getting away from the fact that both are idiots.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Erm, thats a bit of a generalisation :D

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Not really.;)

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Having worked and lived in many parts of the Britain i can definitely say that every area says exactly the same and invariably they are all only half right .Liverpool is no more friendly than any other part of the country ,they are no more down to earth than anyone else ,in short Liverpudlians are nothing special when compared to rest of the country

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

I never specified a city up here.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

I assumed you where talking about your home town ,but even so the same applies to all northeners who think they are more down to earth or more friendly than those southern toffs

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Congrats Boris.
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The Labour (spend) and Conservative (save) is all too true and possibly while the cycle was 4-5 years things didn't get too out of hand. But with long periods of spend the debt is now so massive we will need a much more extended period of save to recover and then people will get so tired of it they will elect spenders for long periods.

Also the economic cycle is somewhat behind the political so we are still in Labour economics and by the time election arrives and Tories economics start to impact likely get a Labour government who then claim immediate success of their policies.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

Peter, you come from Tory-hating Liverpool and you live in the Tory-loathing, one-party commune of Knowsley, whose council is now slightly famous for consisting entirely of members of the Labour party. Your bias is well known and therefore easy to take into account when reading your posts.

Re: London Mayor election 2012
 

lol, quite true.

in FACT most people arent even aware what labour did when they left downing street.. its been swept under the carpet.

But they left a note saying,

"Dear chief secretary, I'm afraid there is no money. Kind regards – and good luck! Liam."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...note-successor

Which to be honest just wasnt even funny, or something to joke about.

So he clearly acknowledges spending all of the money this country had/has.. and yet, they have the audacity to sit there in parliament saying the torries are the cause of the recession and its their own making.

yet the recession started under labour, it was around the time people started to get fed up with them and voted them out in favour of the present government.. and ever since they have been making spending cuts to keep the country afloat with a struggle and I think its a miracle that we havent had our credit rating decreased yet considering labour dramatically increased the public deficit, and something like £1 in every £5 spent was borrowed money.

Even America and france have had their credit ratings reduced.. but despite the above, we have managed to cling onto ours for the moment, yes we have dipped back into recession but we was barely out of it.