Would Cable take it to the wire?
Sorry, that’s an awful pun, I know.
There’s an interesting idea in today’s Guardian: Martin Kettle suggests Vince Cable would be a better Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor than Brian Paddick.
He certainly captured the imagination of the political classes during his brief temporary tenure acting as Lib Dem leader. Would he capture the imagination of Londoners more than Boris seems to be? It’s certainly food for thought.
Really we’re into fantasy territory now, I would have thought, though - it’s got to be almost unprecedented for a party to change its Mayoral candidate halfway through the campaign.
(I say ‘almost’, because who could forget the first election for Mayor of London, when the Conservatives picked Jeffrey Archer, only to have to substitute in Steve Norris when Archer was charged with perjury? Hey, there’s an idea. Does anyone have any evidence of Boris committing any crimes that might lead him to have to stand down before nominations close in a few weeks’ time? We can only hope!)
March 24th, 2008 at 03.01
It’s a bit like saying that William Hague would be a better Tory candidate, or Jack Straw a better Labour candidate though isn’t it? They undoubtedly would but they already have a better job in politics. Cable does have more political talent than Paddick but he’s a cut above in Lib Dem politics. Boris was simply the best known big-time Tory that was disposable in terms the Shadow Cabinet. Labour marginalised Ken years ago, becoming the Mayor was a step up for him. Outside of London he has been a laughing stock for years.
March 24th, 2008 at 11.06
I suppose it depends on the type of power you would like to have.
Parliament can give you a high profile nationally, but at least until there is a hung parliament in which the Lib Dems can negotiate some sort of deal that sees them ending up with Vince Cable in number 11 or something, the only power Cable really has at the moment is the power to ask questions of the government.
As Mayor his region of influence would be restricted to London, but on the other hand he would have one of the most individually powerful jobs in British politics - the Assembly is not very powerful and there are no civil servants to slow down your plans. You basically have a whole executive body in place to do your bidding, whatever that may be.
There is, though, I would imagine, a big and historical psychological barrier between national and ‘local’ politics, the latter of which categories the Mayoralty falls under, meaning that what would be in many ways a big step up in power would nevertheless be seen as a big step down. So yes, you’re undoubtedly right in much of what you say.
<StopBoris.org mode=”default”>Of course Boris has twice been sacked from the shadow cabinet, hasn’t he? ‘Disposable’ from it is certainly one way to describe him - he’s certainly been disposed of regularly
And as for laughing stock Mayors, I think we might be about to have the mother of all of those inflicted on us…</StopBoris.org>
March 24th, 2008 at 22.15
This website is pathetic. Is this really the best you can do, dredging up a few witty phrases from the millions of entertaining words he has written and making out he’s a monster? Or headlining on his non-response to Cameron jumping a red light on his push bike?
Is this the best you can do to divert attention from the deep pool of shit in which Livingstone floats as a result of year upon year of his despotic rule stained by favouritism, blatant racism and corruption?
Clearly this is all you can manage when faced with the most intelligent and charismatic figure in British politics. He will win, and rightly so.
March 24th, 2008 at 23.40
What a bizarre comment. I’ve never heard Boris described in such phenomenally glowing terms before. I don’t think even his own campaign have gone quite that far in praising him.
There’s no point in attempting to rebut the thrust of your claims as no evidence is offered for any of the positive comments you make about Boris, and this web site makes no claims about any other mayoral candidate (other than that they are pretty much all better than Boris).
As for the wittiness of his phrases, I’m not sure wit is called for in savagely attacking an inquiry into problems surrounding a racist murder case, for instance, nor can I see any acceptable form of wit in the equation of homosexuality with bestiality. I certainly don’t think either represents the type of wit that should be employed by a potential Mayor of a diverse city like London.
March 26th, 2008 at 13.43
Mr Stop Boris, I think you have got some people rattled. Maybe this site is too near to the mark to be comfortable viewing for any Boris supporters out there.