Local government elections are taking place all over the UK today, and the results are expected to be rather dire for Gordon Brown’s Labour party. The most interesting race is for the London mayoralty - an executive style directly elected position created by the Blair government. The incumbent gets to steer the capital’s destinies and manage a budget of 11 billion pounds. Incumbent Ken Livingstone has had two terms. The controversial former MP and GLC Chair originally got the gig as an independent, but later rejoined the Labour ranks and made his peace with Blair - apparently Brown still despises him. Livingstone had been the high profile left wing Greater London Council boss in the 80s until Margaret Thatcher abolished the Council out from under him, leaving London without a representative body.
He’s introduced reforms such as a congestion charge, and is contemplating a move to road pricing, but the incumbency effect combined with cosying up to people like Hugo Chavez and accusations of cronyism have taken some of the wind out of his sails, giving a lead to Tory MP and candidate Boris Johnson in the polls. Johnson’s got an image which combines that of a buffoon and a toff, and is most famous for being sacked from the Tory front bench for lying about an affair with journalist and editor Petronella Wyatt. Johnson is something of a celebrity candidate, having formerly been editor of The Spectator, and writing a well remunerated column and regularly appearing as a commentator on tv.
One point of interest for Australians aside from whatever it says about the continued viability of the Labour government is the fact that - unusually for Britain - the election is being conducted using preferential voting. It appears likely that the preferences of Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick will decide the winner. Another point of interest is that Johnson’s campaign has been directed by former John Howard acolyte and one half of Crosby/Textor - Lynton Crosby. Crosby carved out a high profile advising Michael Howard’s Tory campaign in the last 2005 election, when themes about immigration (surprise!) were central to the losing effort. He’s being credited with instilling discipline in Johnson’s campaign.
Update: You can follow the vote at the Guardian’s election blog.
Elsewhere: More at Troppo.
The problem with Boris Johnson is that he’s not just a serious person. He actually is a buffoon; charming and amusing dinner party company, no doubt, but not the kind of person you want in any responsible job which requires sound judgment.
I suspect many Londoners are resisting the urge to vote Boris on the strength of his hilarious appearences on Have I Got News For You (an anarchic news quiz we loosely based GNW on).
He’s a marvellous idiot, and it’d be a joy to see him in a position of real power for a week or two but you’d be insane to want him running something (or indeed anything) for a full term.
Bonking Boris, innit?
He wouldn’t stand a chance in Australia.
We prefer Monks.
Whereas Red Ken has been a serious, hard working responsible public servant? LOL. Boris all the way between those two.
I’d vote for Red Ken BECAUSE he cosied up to Chavez. In fact, if I had the cash I’d go to Venezuela for a few months to experience the new socialism and work with the Venezuelans.
Pity I’m not a Londoner (sort of.)
New socialism or the old national socialism. Not much difference.
Perhaps I should have said “New socialism or the old Caudillo. Not much difference.” Just as accurate and no Godwin’s law breach.
It’s a pity that Screaming Lord Sutch, serial aspirant to elected office, is deceased.
He may have been in with a chance in this election in the light of Boris’ forward showing in the polls.
Andrew,
I’m not even going to get into the false and ridiculous debate about the Nazis being socialists. They were Fascists and if you knew anything about the longstanding debate (like, 60 years of it) on the nature of Fascism, you’d already know that.But obviously you don’t.
Katz,
That would have been worth it - and he would probably have run, too. Boris, Ken, Sutch and Paddick on a podium together. I would pay to see that. Paddick would have made the most sense, but he would not have got a look in.
I do love The Guardian’s Zoe William’s description of Boris as: “this bigoted, lying, Old Etonian buffoon” who might get “his hands on our diverse and liberal capital” - in her piece for 1 May 08: Be afraid. Be very afraid (I loved it!)
[link]
It goes without saying that I will also be delighted if that eminently “deportable” undesirable alien Lynton Crosby (who seems to inspire in many London Journos meaner thoughts than I’d expect from ALP-Oz) gets done, yet again - a great argument for “Three strikes” policy. Though I must admit that I might miss the latest installment of The Misadventures of Boris the Environmentally- Friendly Bikie (eat y’r heart out Brendan!)
Ye Gods.
Boris may be near unassailable, having the support of both the BNP (for being suitably anti-immigration) and the HIGNFY audience (for being an affable twit).
I’m with Leinad. Let him occupy a Chair somewhere innocuous and burble op eds to the Spectator. Maybe he and John Stone can write fan letters to each other?
I vote Wat tyler
Paul,
I know that debate well - and I disagree with you - but that is not the point I was making. Apologies if I was unclear. To me, Chavez is no more a “socialist” (whatever that means these days) than any other Latin American strongman has been. I would agree with Professor Quiggin on him. “He strikes me as a fairly typical demagogue…”. The only difference is that he has been lucky that the oil price is high.
Please refer to “The Comic Strip Presents” episode called “GLC” for Red Ken’s Maggie Thatcher years.
Haven’t seen that one Tyro. Thought I’d seen ‘em all, too.
Ta for the tip.
Tyro Rex: jeesus, I accidently saw that on telly when I was 5, I had no idea what the hell was going on - but it was f’kin awesome!
It’s Ken Livingstone all the way for me. At least had the guts to attempt to do something about London’s poor “green” image including the traffic congestion problems…& has tried to soothe tensions between the diverse ethnic groups. It’s not surprising that the American govt. is once again trying to sway an election by declaring that Chavez is now on “terrorism watch”. And good on Ken for using a bus pass to get around.
nasking,
Boris uses a bike - better still.
Andrew, Boris also rides on the back of Lynton Crosby…one of Howard’s srategists. He’s already used the “Islamic extremist” garbage to fan the flames of FEAR. Imagine London (my birth place) under the guiding hand of someone who allows Howard-like “divide & conquer” & “run for the Exits & SCREAM” tactics to dominate…rather than the calm, negotiating hand of Ken. Thanks but no thanks.
Really, Ken may be corrupt, complacent, secretly a Stalinist sleeper agent planning to awaken the Worker’s Soviet of London - none of this changes the fact that Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson can’t run a topical news quiz without it descending into chaos. He’d be great if the mayoralty was completely ceremonial and involved going to dinner parties lots and speaking in public, but the thought of him making serious policy decisions is terrifying.
Interesting background, this Boris:
[link]
Johnson is the eldest of the four children (including Rachel) of Stanley Johnson, a former Conservative MEP and employee of the European Commission and World Bank and his first wife, painter Charlotte Johnson Wahl, the daughter of Sir James Fawcett, a prominent barrister[4] and president of the European Commission of Human Rights …
On his father’s side Johnson is the great-grandson of Ali Kemal Bey, a liberal Turkish journalist and interior minister in the government of Damat Ferid Pasha, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire who was murdered during the Turkish War of Independence. During World War I Boris’s grandfather and great aunt were recognised as British subjects and took their grandmother’s maiden name of Johnson.
That is interesting, thanks, Jason.
Maybe the whole toffy Eton/Oxbridge thing is assimilation of a sort…
Some more Boris Johnson background.
He has a fraudster friend called Darius Guppy? Lordy!
“Darry” apparently. Amazing who you can meet at the Bullingdon Club…
I see John Profumo is a past member!
And our “down-to-Earth” Tory leader & resident Greenie David Cameron. Amazing what ideas you can get toffing around in a bath of champers.
Well, the Lib Dems had a member too it seems - the 7th Marquess of Bath:
Update: You can follow the vote at the Guardian’s election blog.
Just like to raise a few points of order here chaps (and chappesses)
Kim, stop using “Oxbridge” with reference to Boris. He’s completely Oxford. Certainly not the other place.
I quite like Boris’s style. I’d go out with him on a pub crawl any day.
I reckon he’d be a fucking awful administrator though.
Anyone been to London lately? After four years of Red Ken’s current rule it’s one of the world’s biggest, sexiest and most triumphalist capitalist cities.
I’m struggling to think what Boris would do to make London more so that wouldn’t involve new regulations that’d go against the grain of his platform. Maybe properly licenscing and healthchecking London’s eternally vast population of sex workers? For the good of his party if nothing else.
Red Ken’s congestion charge is working out fine.
On the other hand, even flash fried in batter, newts taste awful.
And if Boris does win, so what? London always drags its rulers down eventually. Except for Dick Whittington and his cat. Like Paris, New York or Rome, London has an unique energy that will always win out over whoever thinks they’re in charge.
Talk your way into the first floor of the Banqueting Hall at the top end of Whitehall and imagine Londoners marching their King through there to have his head hacked off in public.
Nowadays the Brits use the media for that kinda thing. And neither Ken or Boris is gonna get away unscathed.
Andrew @ 14,
We are totally OT, so after this, if you want to continue this debate, lets do it on Saturday Salon. I know several Australian Socialists who have been to Venezuela and have met Chavez. They would disagree with Prof. Quiggan, whom I have a great deal of respect for. And so do I, from what I know about whats happening in Venezuela.Look forward to your comments on the open thread, but won’t be able to reply til this afternoon.
See, I was right all along you see Luvvies. Tally Ho!
Having lived in Oz all my life, I find it hard to get my head around the apparently HUGE turnout figures of 45% etc. in London.
Whether or not the results would be different with >95% turnout, and they may not, there’s never any arguing about whether our leaders are truly representative.
Compulsory voting provides a certain legitimacy, which turnouts of 30/40/50% just don’t.
And the waste of political/human resources in organising and hassling people to vote, it must be like running two campaigns.
I voted for Red Ken when I lived in London last time around, when he was fighting his own party over the congestion charge (Blair famously refused to pay it, and ran up a huge mass of fines. The Queen, by contrast, made a point of paying right away).
Boris’ affable bumbling is an act (much as is Ken’s ‘true bill’ Londoner routine). They’ll both be perfectly fine as leaders, and as Nabs says, London disciplines all.
Boris Johnson would be a godsend. A refreshing recrudescence of real Englishness - in all its irreverence, eccentricty, and unashamed rudeness - amidst the mire of po-faced multiculti philistine Luvvieness that has gripped London over the past decade.
Hey John - you failed to cut-and-paste that comment properly from Troppo. Pick up your game son!
Also, note that recrudescences are rarely “refreshing”. Unless a dose of shingles is your prescription for arresting London’s obvious slide into… umm… something.
Today’s Guardian & the Eminence gris from Oz!
The Jeeves to Johnson’s Bertie Wooster: the man who may have got [sic] him elected [link]
Elsewhere: More at Troppo.
Overall I think Livingstone’s done a good job, but he has a way of cosying up to nasty people - Chavez disturbs me but viciously anti-semitic, homophobic, misogynist Islamic preachers are really beyond the pale.
For those reasons I wouldn’t mind seeing him put out to grass for a while and Johnson would at least be fun. However, I’ve heard he wants to abolish the congestion charge, which would be an utter disaster for London, and an even bigger one through the English speaking world where such a move would discourage other cities from following. For that reason alone he needs to be stopped (if true).
PS I’d give my first vote to Sian Berry on her policies, but I suspect some might find other reasons to vote for her [link]
“See, I was right all along you see Luvvies. Tally Ho!”
About what? The Thames foaming with blood like the Tiber?
Your ineffable combination of a tin ear for the vernacular, ham-fisted use of language (As FDB points out, you have no idea what “recrudescence” actually means. You just think it sounds posh.) and general narcissistic preening do make you the archetypical luvvie, John Luvviefield.
Gawd. It’s 3.20am in The Old Dart and they still don’t have a result in the LM of London election. Couldn’t the Pos have imported someone to help ‘em run a election with preferential voting? Like Antony Gee or Richo or Ray or Kerry O’B? Nah! They import Dear Lynton!
And we Oldies thought it was a LOOOOOONG Night back in 83, waiting for MalF to declare!
One thing we do well in Australia is elections.
And live blogs. There were 192 in the BBC’s “queue” a few minutes ago!
“See, I was right all along you see Luvvies. Tally Ho!”
It’s the language that results from overdosing on Dame Cicely Courtneidge films shown after midnight on ABC (Luvvie) 2.
Hand over the ballot papers to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, then ZANU-PF can demand a recount.
Shock Result: Mugabe Wins London Mayor, Boris Declared Zimbabwe President
Tsvangarai and MDC: “WTF?!”
As far as I can tell, there are still no results for London, but a Conservative blog has jumped the gun and called it for Boris:
[link]
That’s a little bold, especially on the strength of er… some conversations with tory voters. There’s apparently a pretty high turnout for this one, which could mean anything results-wise.
They’ve got a very boosterish blog. Impressive though from the point of view of political mobilisation. Interesting that British politicos and political parties have taken to blogging much more than Australian ones.
Maybe it’s the having to get the vote out thing.
If Johnson does win, he’ll be out in less than a year because of a drugs and prostitutes scandal. Then he’ll blame it on Angus Deayton
There won’t be a result until this evening, according to the Beeb. Australia should consider exporting the AEC. I’m dead serious, I’ve been recommending it all around Oxford. No more Bush v Gore, no more three days to count a single poll with low voter turn out. Plus Australia makes a packet in the process.
Actually Skepticlawyer, there have been some moves in that direction. The AEC does, or at least used to do training for some developing world electoral commissions. There was also a course at Griffith where they taught people how to run elections. I think it was initially set up as a way the AEC could outsource their training but while half the people who did it were AEC or state electoral commission people looking to get promotions, the other half were from overseas, mostly new democracies.
It would have been great if it could have got pushed to the US and UK - really improved the standard of things. However, I think the guy who was running it died, and I’m not sure if Griffith has kept it up since.
The trouble is that the AEC, while still miles ahead of most other countries’ commissions, is not as good as it used to be, and acting as consultants running other nations elections might be a bit beyond it until it gets itself together again.
It’s Boris.
Well this will be fun to watch (from a safe distance) - anyone want to open a book on the date and nature of his departure from office?
Crap. Good thing I live in Bristol.