Caught the end last night of a report on BBC London of a hustings meeting for the mayoral election organised by the London Evening Standard. As we've already stated, we are not interested in this election (we don't agree with the office of City Boss and there's no socialist standing anyway) but only 4 of the 7 candidates were on the platform.
One of the principles of democracy is that all candidates should have equal time to put over their point of view, but this is not happening in this particular election. Three candidates (UKIP, BNP and an Independent) were being excluded, and will be excluded from another planned hustings organised by a commercial TV station, despite the fact that they have overcome the considerable obstacles in the way of standing (raising a deposit of £10,000 and get 30 signatories in each borough or 330 in all).
No doubt they are being excluded because having 7 candidates would not have the same entertainment value, but elections are not supposed to be entertainment. Clearly, this election is not being run on fully democratic lines. They do things differently in France. There are 10 candidates standing in the first round of the presidential election on 22 April. Each of them are getting TV and radio broadcasts of exactly the same length.
Meanwhile back in Lambeth & Southwark we've received an invitation to a third hustings -- from Lambeth Cyclists on Tuesday 24 April. Not sure what we can say to them though, but it shows that, at constituency level, this election is being conducted more democratically.
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Showing posts with label Mayoral Candidates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mayoral Candidates. Show all posts
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Candidates for Mayor (Correction)
I made a mistake (or, rather, CapitalFM did). According to this official announcement , there will be only 7 candidates (all but one of the 6 Independents have not been accepted, presumably because they didn't raise the money or the 330 signatories required weren't all in order). The list is now:
BENITA Siobhan - IndependantWebb is the UKIP candidate. It's not clear why they've chosen to contest under another name. Surely, that's a mistake as they're well known as UKIP but who are we do advise a capitalist party how to run an election campaign?
CORTIGLIA Carlos - British National Party
JOHNSON Boris - The Conservative Party Candidate
JONES Jenny - Green Party
LIVINGSTONE Ken - The Labour Party Candidate
PADDICK Brian - London Liberal Democrats
WEBB Lawrence James - Fresh Choice for London
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wrong Nomination Papers arrive
Nomination papers have arrived from City Hall (they have to be in by 28 March, so we've plenty of time), but they are the wrong ones. They're for the Mayor and for the London-wide members of the Greater London Assembly whereas we're only standing in 2 of the 11 constituencies and will have to get the papers we require from Lambeth and Wandsworth town halls. (I don't know if people out there realise that they will have three votes on 3 May, one for Mayor, one for a London-wide Party list and one for a constituency member.)
Still, the papers that were sent were interesting as they detail the conditions needed to stand for Mayor, essentially a £10,000 deposit (returnable if you get more than 5% of the vote) plus 330 signatures (10 per London borough + 10 from the City of London). It's doubtful if those in the Occupy movement who were talking of standing a candidate as a publicity stunt would be able to meet these conditions, especially the £10,000 but also perhaps the 10 signatures from electors in the City of London.
Fortunately no signatories are required for standing a Party List or contesting a constituency, only a document signed by the Party's Nominating Officer. But there is a deposit: £5000 for a List and £1000 for a constituency candidature.
Still, the papers that were sent were interesting as they detail the conditions needed to stand for Mayor, essentially a £10,000 deposit (returnable if you get more than 5% of the vote) plus 330 signatures (10 per London borough + 10 from the City of London). It's doubtful if those in the Occupy movement who were talking of standing a candidate as a publicity stunt would be able to meet these conditions, especially the £10,000 but also perhaps the 10 signatures from electors in the City of London.
Fortunately no signatories are required for standing a Party List or contesting a constituency, only a document signed by the Party's Nominating Officer. But there is a deposit: £5000 for a List and £1000 for a constituency candidature.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Kippered
So, the UK indpendence Party has gained its first MP - in honour of that occasion, let us look at their position in the London elections.
Well, last time, they got two members on the GLA - who promptly jumped ship to join Veritas [Who they? - ed.] and disappeared into oblivion under the later name of One London. (Are yous till awake at the back there?).
As a party, now, their aims are simple - they don't like furriners and don't want them - no furriners 'ere, pelase, guv'nor - oh, and lower taxes more taxis and an end to the congestion charge. Tories on crack, if you will.
Let's let them speak for themselves:
Law and Order – Punish the guilty and protect the innocent
Get the police back on the streets preventing and detecting crime
The police should only have one target – to reduce crime
Transport – Get London moving, economically and efficiently
Scrap congestion and emission charges
Keep traffic and parking restrictions to a minimum
Reduce tube fares and make tickets flexible
Reduce the tax burden – Give Londoners value for money
Money will only be spent on the services and projects that benefit all Londoners equally
Cap the cost of the Olympic Games
No cash for cronies and quangos
A vote for UKIP is also a vote to say:
NO to mass immigration
NO to the Lisbon Treaty/European Constitution
NO to the European Union
That from Gerard Batten's entry in the mayoral booklet.
They've obviously been to the Iain Paisely school of NO! To be frank, with Tory Johnson doing right-wing dog whistle politic, and him pretending to be as fond of referendums as they UKIPpers are, they're likely to get squezed at this election, as only ringht wing wingnuts deserve, really.
At present, despite being Britains fourth largest party, they are a long way from holding any substantive officem, so they can afford to make oppositional hyperbollic promises, btuas soon as responsibility comes, they'll act, look and behave exactly like any Tory group...
Well, last time, they got two members on the GLA - who promptly jumped ship to join Veritas [Who they? - ed.] and disappeared into oblivion under the later name of One London. (Are yous till awake at the back there?).
As a party, now, their aims are simple - they don't like furriners and don't want them - no furriners 'ere, pelase, guv'nor - oh, and lower taxes more taxis and an end to the congestion charge. Tories on crack, if you will.
Let's let them speak for themselves:
Law and Order – Punish the guilty and protect the innocent
Transport – Get London moving, economically and efficiently
Reduce the tax burden – Give Londoners value for money
A vote for UKIP is also a vote to say:
That from Gerard Batten's entry in the mayoral booklet.
They've obviously been to the Iain Paisely school of NO! To be frank, with Tory Johnson doing right-wing dog whistle politic, and him pretending to be as fond of referendums as they UKIPpers are, they're likely to get squezed at this election, as only ringht wing wingnuts deserve, really.
At present, despite being Britains fourth largest party, they are a long way from holding any substantive officem, so they can afford to make oppositional hyperbollic promises, btuas soon as responsibility comes, they'll act, look and behave exactly like any Tory group...
Monday, April 21, 2008
The candidates' manifestos
The official booklet, sent to all electors, listing all the candidates for Mayor and their programme (if they pay £10,000) has arrived. Fairly democratic actually, except of course for the £10,000 which one candidate apparently couldn't afford.
It makes informative and amusing reading.
We learn that, like Ken, the BNP is going for the Irish vote. A young student is featured saying "I'm voting BNP because I'm Irish and the BNP are the only party that cares about the indigenous peoples of these islands" and a builder says "We should celebrate things like St. George's Day and other Christian festivals like St. Patrick's Day instead of other festivals such as Ramadan and Eid".
The candidate of the English Democrats disagrees. His campaign slogan is "Save London from Labour's Tartan Taxes" and he complains that "currently £100,000 is spent on a festival such as St Patrick's Day whereas St George's Day is mocked with a screening of 'The Life of Brian' in Trafalgar Square". He ends up sloganising "Vote for England. Vote for Matt . . . O'Connor".
The Christian Party candidate isn't very charitable either. "Stop the mega-mosque at West Ham", he proclaims.
Apart from that, the BNP and Ken agree that pensioners should have 24-hour free travel passes and the Left List (aka SWP) and the Greens agree that the London "living wage" of £7.20 an hour should be forced on employers. The Left List candidate claims in passing to be a "socialist" even though she wants to keep gap between rich and poor but to make it smaller. UKIP wants to subsidise tube fares and reduce taxes both at the same time. Ken does his best to disguise the fact that he's the Labour Party candidate.
The candidates on the lists are also all listed as are those standing in the 14 constituencies. We are down as "The Socialist Party". This s-word only occurs in two other places. In the name of the "Communist" Party's "Unity for Peace and Socialism" list and of the Militant Tendency candidate in Greenwich and Lewisham who is standing as "Socialist Alternative" (not that he is).
It makes informative and amusing reading.
We learn that, like Ken, the BNP is going for the Irish vote. A young student is featured saying "I'm voting BNP because I'm Irish and the BNP are the only party that cares about the indigenous peoples of these islands" and a builder says "We should celebrate things like St. George's Day and other Christian festivals like St. Patrick's Day instead of other festivals such as Ramadan and Eid".
The candidate of the English Democrats disagrees. His campaign slogan is "Save London from Labour's Tartan Taxes" and he complains that "currently £100,000 is spent on a festival such as St Patrick's Day whereas St George's Day is mocked with a screening of 'The Life of Brian' in Trafalgar Square". He ends up sloganising "Vote for England. Vote for Matt . . . O'Connor".
The Christian Party candidate isn't very charitable either. "Stop the mega-mosque at West Ham", he proclaims.
Apart from that, the BNP and Ken agree that pensioners should have 24-hour free travel passes and the Left List (aka SWP) and the Greens agree that the London "living wage" of £7.20 an hour should be forced on employers. The Left List candidate claims in passing to be a "socialist" even though she wants to keep gap between rich and poor but to make it smaller. UKIP wants to subsidise tube fares and reduce taxes both at the same time. Ken does his best to disguise the fact that he's the Labour Party candidate.
The candidates on the lists are also all listed as are those standing in the 14 constituencies. We are down as "The Socialist Party". This s-word only occurs in two other places. In the name of the "Communist" Party's "Unity for Peace and Socialism" list and of the Militant Tendency candidate in Greenwich and Lewisham who is standing as "Socialist Alternative" (not that he is).
Yellow Tories
aka Booting Brian
Ah, the Liberal Democrats, the cuddly party that is the genuine alternative to the tired old two party system. Put another way, the party for people who can't be honest enough with themselves to admit they're a Tory. See, they're not really Tories, when they cut taxes they do it with Muesli, or something like that.
Having seen what the rapacious Lib-Dems can do in office, in Lambeth and in Camden, with their Tory bed fellows - slashing funding to soft targets (community groups, meals on wheels, day care, advice services) we know whose side they feel their bread is buttered on.
So, when Brian Paddick offers the moon on a stick - lower crime, better policing, better environment - lower taxes we know just how it will be achieved. After all, he wants to end the housing problem, but look, Yellow Tories in Camden have begun selling off council houses to the private sector to pay for rennovations to stock (in Camden, it should be explained, tennants have voted against an Arms Length Management Organisation that is the Red Tories in government's prerequisite to release rennovation funding - we can thank John Prescott for that privatisation scheme).
But, look, they want to build trams - trams everywhere I tell you! as far as the eye can see, from Marble Arch to Stratford (£32 million) from Camden to Sarf London (£Millions and millions) - oh, and all Tram stops with have toilets and electronic information (strangely, the Lib dems in Camden only seem keen to open toilets in wards they control...hmmm), oh, and little green pixies who will grant your every wish...
Of course, the Fib-dems know they aren't winning here, but it doesn't hurt to use the mayoral electiions as an advertising spring board for their reign of cuddles.
Ah, the Liberal Democrats, the cuddly party that is the genuine alternative to the tired old two party system. Put another way, the party for people who can't be honest enough with themselves to admit they're a Tory. See, they're not really Tories, when they cut taxes they do it with Muesli, or something like that.
Having seen what the rapacious Lib-Dems can do in office, in Lambeth and in Camden, with their Tory bed fellows - slashing funding to soft targets (community groups, meals on wheels, day care, advice services) we know whose side they feel their bread is buttered on.
So, when Brian Paddick offers the moon on a stick - lower crime, better policing, better environment - lower taxes we know just how it will be achieved. After all, he wants to end the housing problem, but look, Yellow Tories in Camden have begun selling off council houses to the private sector to pay for rennovations to stock (in Camden, it should be explained, tennants have voted against an Arms Length Management Organisation that is the Red Tories in government's prerequisite to release rennovation funding - we can thank John Prescott for that privatisation scheme).
But, look, they want to build trams - trams everywhere I tell you! as far as the eye can see, from Marble Arch to Stratford (£32 million) from Camden to Sarf London (£Millions and millions) - oh, and all Tram stops with have toilets and electronic information (strangely, the Lib dems in Camden only seem keen to open toilets in wards they control...hmmm), oh, and little green pixies who will grant your every wish...
Of course, the Fib-dems know they aren't winning here, but it doesn't hurt to use the mayoral electiions as an advertising spring board for their reign of cuddles.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Ken commands the Irish
If you're Irish, chances are, according to the Irish Post, you've already voted - see, they think that: Irish back Ken to stay Mayor - not some Irish, mark you, but all of them, it seems. How they can know this before the Irish cast their ballots is anyone's guess.
They claim
Well, that's me as well, then, I'm one of those of "Irish descendents" (via Yorkshire, figure that out). Maybe I secretly back Ken without knowing it?
In reality this is a stitch up between the "community leaders" who control the Irish post and Ken's team. It's what advertising folk call "segmenting", and Ken is very good at it. break the audience down into target identities, then give them a message that your brand is not just suited to them, but confirms their identity as a member of that group. Hence lines like:
They claim
THE IRISH community across London is coming together to back Ken Livingstone’s campaign to be re-elected as Mayor of London.- that might come as a surprise to my comrade who posts here as Londonsocialist. A campaigner is quoted as saying:
“We think it is of utmost importance that the Irish voters and those of Irish descent come out and vote for Ken who has done so much as Mayor to ensure that our community has been recognised for its contribution to the city."
Well, that's me as well, then, I'm one of those of "Irish descendents" (via Yorkshire, figure that out). Maybe I secretly back Ken without knowing it?
In reality this is a stitch up between the "community leaders" who control the Irish post and Ken's team. It's what advertising folk call "segmenting", and Ken is very good at it. break the audience down into target identities, then give them a message that your brand is not just suited to them, but confirms their identity as a member of that group. Hence lines like:
The Irish vote was crucial in ensuring Ken Livingstone was returned as Mayor in his first campaign.See, Irish, Ken owes you, he's yours. Of course, this is just primitive coalition building, snake oil salesmanship to try and schmooze to power. Ken is resting on divisions between workers, rather than trying to overcome them through the practical measures of building socialism. That way he can make himself the guarantor of social peace between the various communities.
Friday, April 11, 2008
World City
I am an economic migrant. There, I said it. I feel better now. I suppose its wise to confess before you discuss such matters.
In the place where I was born, jobs were scarce, life was violent and crime ridden, and the police haunted by persistent accusations of corruption. OK, life wasn't all bad in North Yorkshire, but the lights of the big city attracted me, so down I came and found a job.
Like millions around the world (billions even, really, considering that the majority of the worlds population now lives in cities) I followed the dictates of the labour market, and moved down to London.
That all the mainstream mayoral candidates want an amnesty for illegal immigrants shows that they understand the motor forces in this neck of the woods (especially as for Tory boy, this means running against the instincts of the Shire backbone of the party, but then, their leader says: "Boris is his own man. He is standing on his own platform and he dictates his own policies." So much for being a united political party, your mayoral candidate gets to choose his own policies).
Socialists are clear that we hold no brief for national boundaries, and see no difference in principle between people like myself, or migrants from France or Nigeria. We are all workers. We look forward to the day when there are no boundaries, no illegal immigrants to give amnesties to (apparently about 380,000 in London at the minute), and we travel the world because its ours and we want to share in it, not because of the dictates of an inhuman labour market.
In the place where I was born, jobs were scarce, life was violent and crime ridden, and the police haunted by persistent accusations of corruption. OK, life wasn't all bad in North Yorkshire, but the lights of the big city attracted me, so down I came and found a job.
Like millions around the world (billions even, really, considering that the majority of the worlds population now lives in cities) I followed the dictates of the labour market, and moved down to London.
That all the mainstream mayoral candidates want an amnesty for illegal immigrants shows that they understand the motor forces in this neck of the woods (especially as for Tory boy, this means running against the instincts of the Shire backbone of the party, but then, their leader says: "Boris is his own man. He is standing on his own platform and he dictates his own policies." So much for being a united political party, your mayoral candidate gets to choose his own policies).
Socialists are clear that we hold no brief for national boundaries, and see no difference in principle between people like myself, or migrants from France or Nigeria. We are all workers. We look forward to the day when there are no boundaries, no illegal immigrants to give amnesties to (apparently about 380,000 in London at the minute), and we travel the world because its ours and we want to share in it, not because of the dictates of an inhuman labour market.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Booting Ken
The big problem with Ken is, he has no excuse. He can rattle off the ills of capitalism till the cows come home; but all he has to offer is realpolitik of today.
Look at it this way, on housing, he says 50,000 affordable new homes over the next three years. Boris says 50,000 affordable new homes by 2011. the only difference is where they want to put them, with Ken's 50% quota imposing new build on Tory suburbs. Obviously, things like that do matter; but questions like, "Is that all?" and "What do you mean by 'affordable' anyway? Affordable to whom? How?" do spring to mind.
For instance, he cites the figure that there are 60,000 households with over 90,000 children in them, in temporary accomodation. This is an appalling scandal, and just the tip of the iceburg. 2.7 %, he says, of the housing stock is empty, because private owners are keeping them so.
On this he says
Indeed, his accomodation with the market is his hallmark. I've heard him discussing that jobs in industry just aren't coming back, and so we have to live with a nservice economy based London.
The bottom line is, his strategy is fatally flawed, he admits time and again that the power doesn't lie with him, and that he is doing little things here and there (some of which I'll discuss in coming posts) here and now.
We think that isn't enough, and the urgency of the situation is such that we need to mobilise to fundamentally change the system of society, and remove the burden of responsibility from people like Ken to ourselves.
Finally, Ken's constant reference to "Ordinary Londoners" would make Danny, our candidate, spit. Doubtless he'll tell you all about that himself soon.
Look at it this way, on housing, he says 50,000 affordable new homes over the next three years. Boris says 50,000 affordable new homes by 2011. the only difference is where they want to put them, with Ken's 50% quota imposing new build on Tory suburbs. Obviously, things like that do matter; but questions like, "Is that all?" and "What do you mean by 'affordable' anyway? Affordable to whom? How?" do spring to mind.
For instance, he cites the figure that there are 60,000 households with over 90,000 children in them, in temporary accomodation. This is an appalling scandal, and just the tip of the iceburg. 2.7 %, he says, of the housing stock is empty, because private owners are keeping them so.
On this he says
Policy has to be sensible and related to the real world. Boris Johnson’s 1 per cent target for empty homes is completely unachievable in practice: it couldn’t be achieved without stopping the private sale market from functioning.Vile Trot that Ken is, he's protecting the housing market.
Indeed, his accomodation with the market is his hallmark. I've heard him discussing that jobs in industry just aren't coming back, and so we have to live with a nservice economy based London.
The bottom line is, his strategy is fatally flawed, he admits time and again that the power doesn't lie with him, and that he is doing little things here and there (some of which I'll discuss in coming posts) here and now.
We think that isn't enough, and the urgency of the situation is such that we need to mobilise to fundamentally change the system of society, and remove the burden of responsibility from people like Ken to ourselves.
Finally, Ken's constant reference to "Ordinary Londoners" would make Danny, our candidate, spit. Doubtless he'll tell you all about that himself soon.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Booting Boris
An anonymous commentator says of the last post:
I've now looked in vain for his epic housing manifesto online at his site, and can't find it, after a good deal of searching. Now, maybe I'm a eejit, or maybe he's just not being very forthright about putting his policies forward.
But, lets look at what specifics I could find:
Release GLA-owned land and £130 million from the Regional Housing Pot to launch a new 'FirstSteps Housing Scheme', which will be open to first-time buyers frozen out of Government schemes
Work with the boroughs to build 50,000 more affordable homes by 2011
Invest £60 million from the Regional Housing Pot to start renovating the capital's 84,205 empty properties to help low-income Londoners off waiting
lists
Incentivise the boroughs to release dormant housing to those stuck in bed and breakfast accommodation, by returning the Mayor's precept to them
These are all driven by free market privatising dogma - as if lowering the precept (tax cuts! tax cuts! screameth the Dalek) is not itself going to be used by boroughs (esp. Liberal and Tory boroughs) to cut their own taxes (tax cuts! tax cuts! screameth the Dalek), even if strings are attached, money is fungible, and the boroughs would just reallocate the budgets elsewhere. Likewise, "releasing GLA land" is just more state shrinking.
As for the pittances outlined above, that renovation scheme amounts to about £700 per property, might do for a lick of paint, I suppose.
Like I said, Johnson is going to actively and as a matter of principle do nothing but channel the interests of the wealthy. The rest is bluster, blather and distraction from the reality of an exploited working class whose needs and interests always come in second place to the interests of profit and capital. A beautiful home is worthless if you can't afford to buy it.
Tired
Old
Tory
Ideas
Sorry I must disagree. You're clearly well out of your depth.Now, I did actually check out Boris' policy pages before posting (the clue to that, anonymous, was that I linked to his webpage), and all I saw on housing was a vague commitment to work in partnership with councils to raise more affordable homes (note his objection to a quota, what that means is Tory suburban strongholds not wanting to develop affordable housing on their patch, which is what the current situation does). Likewise his promise to protect "historic views".
Boris has come up with a range of policy proposals - I advise you to look at his policies on www.backboris.com/policy.
Manifesto's galore (just a small one for you, Ken's Housing Manifesto was 11 pages long, Paddick's 1 page long...Boris' 38 pages). He's the only candidate with new ideas and the only one capable of leading this city at a time where corruption in City Hall is rife.
I've now looked in vain for his epic housing manifesto online at his site, and can't find it, after a good deal of searching. Now, maybe I'm a eejit, or maybe he's just not being very forthright about putting his policies forward.
But, lets look at what specifics I could find:
lists
These are all driven by free market privatising dogma - as if lowering the precept (tax cuts! tax cuts! screameth the Dalek) is not itself going to be used by boroughs (esp. Liberal and Tory boroughs) to cut their own taxes (tax cuts! tax cuts! screameth the Dalek), even if strings are attached, money is fungible, and the boroughs would just reallocate the budgets elsewhere. Likewise, "releasing GLA land" is just more state shrinking.
As for the pittances outlined above, that renovation scheme amounts to about £700 per property, might do for a lick of paint, I suppose.
Like I said, Johnson is going to actively and as a matter of principle do nothing but channel the interests of the wealthy. The rest is bluster, blather and distraction from the reality of an exploited working class whose needs and interests always come in second place to the interests of profit and capital. A beautiful home is worthless if you can't afford to buy it.
Tired
Old
Tory
Ideas
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
The whited sepulchre
By special request, it's time to put the boot into Boris Johnson.
Essentially, I agree with Dave Osler, the chief characteristic of this campaign is the absence of policy, apart from a few populist gripes Johnson doesn't really say anything.
Of course, over the years he has said plenty, and is well known to be a hard Thatcherite and opponent of so-called "political correctness." And that is just it, it's known for those who care that he will veer to the wild right, and act in a manner to please the saloon bar bores of which he is one in extremis.
That's why he is policy light, because he is not a typical managerial machine politician, but a walking cipher for a certain Tory gut reflex - hence the "seat of your pants" approach he is trying to downplay.
The fact is, that his bluster plus his Chatshow Boris plus a few populist measures (lets plant some trees, do away with Bendy buses, etc.) might just sneak him in. Maybe the plan is to give him a competent team to delegate to like he did while he edited the Spectator; but, just as likely, he will blunder and bluster around like a loose cannon.
The real secret will be that he doesn't believe in doing anything, he will be sabbotaging the local administration so that his Tory mates, the city capitalists and the saloon bar bores can carry on without someone even having the temerity to try an alleviate the ills of capitalism.
Now, socialists are clear that the attempt to run capitalism against capitalist interests is doomed to failure; but Boris, behind the buffoonish facade represents capitalism's uncaring heart of darkness. It's easy to laugh at Boris the joke, but what he stands for, capitalism and elitism without even the pretence of caring, is no joke.
Whilst the wild ideologues have dreamed of such unrestraint, in practice, in power, they're usually kept in check by reality. Anarcho-capitalist wingnuts usually do not get within sniffing distance of power. Even Thatcher barely managed to reduce the size of the state, as she found after years of fruitless turmoil. Sadly, Boris' reality check would be unpleasant for us all.
Essentially, I agree with Dave Osler, the chief characteristic of this campaign is the absence of policy, apart from a few populist gripes Johnson doesn't really say anything.
Of course, over the years he has said plenty, and is well known to be a hard Thatcherite and opponent of so-called "political correctness." And that is just it, it's known for those who care that he will veer to the wild right, and act in a manner to please the saloon bar bores of which he is one in extremis.
That's why he is policy light, because he is not a typical managerial machine politician, but a walking cipher for a certain Tory gut reflex - hence the "seat of your pants" approach he is trying to downplay.
The fact is, that his bluster plus his Chatshow Boris plus a few populist measures (lets plant some trees, do away with Bendy buses, etc.) might just sneak him in. Maybe the plan is to give him a competent team to delegate to like he did while he edited the Spectator; but, just as likely, he will blunder and bluster around like a loose cannon.
The real secret will be that he doesn't believe in doing anything, he will be sabbotaging the local administration so that his Tory mates, the city capitalists and the saloon bar bores can carry on without someone even having the temerity to try an alleviate the ills of capitalism.
Now, socialists are clear that the attempt to run capitalism against capitalist interests is doomed to failure; but Boris, behind the buffoonish facade represents capitalism's uncaring heart of darkness. It's easy to laugh at Boris the joke, but what he stands for, capitalism and elitism without even the pretence of caring, is no joke.
Whilst the wild ideologues have dreamed of such unrestraint, in practice, in power, they're usually kept in check by reality. Anarcho-capitalist wingnuts usually do not get within sniffing distance of power. Even Thatcher barely managed to reduce the size of the state, as she found after years of fruitless turmoil. Sadly, Boris' reality check would be unpleasant for us all.
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