Boris for Mayor?

[Jah Lush]

Ken went to the same school as I did, way before me though.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I used to live 5 doors away from him in Cricklewood -

[Lucyl]

I'd vote for Ken everytime. I agree that until now there hasnt been a credible opponent and as much as I like Boris when he's on Question time and Have I got news for you, hes still a Tory. Louisa I dont agree that the Mayors role is just as a figurehead, He has real power and has made London a better place to be.

[EDDW]

James Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> At the risk of sounding unpopular I think Ken is

> doing a great job, despite the best efforts of the

> Evening Standard and their cronies.

>

> The buses have improved beyond all recognition,

> and congestion charging is a pretty massive

> success too. He also seems to be trying to pull

> the train operators into line on the whole Oyster

> issue (until now they have just been trying to run

> off with the profits).

>

> The last thing we need is some affable loon like

> Boris to come in and ditch all of this in favour

> of pulling strings for the Kensington & Chelsea

> brigade. Let's face it, he seems like a nice bloke

> but he is a Tory - so that's where his interests

> will lie.

And Ken is Labour so is that where his interests lie? A Mayor for London should be above tribal politics.

Boris is, I believe, much brighter that his image presents and, I hope, too bright to play the tribal card.

Ken's successes with buses - don't make me laugh. I've cycled past 15 empty double deckers on Waterloo Bridge creating the ultimate traffic jam and waste of space. Efficient public transport is a public good - but empty buses are not. Oyster cards and later Tube trains are good. However, traffic speeds in London and traffic levels are back to where they were 3 years ago - so congestion charges = costs plus no change - so his road strategy sucks. If you want to hear some really creative swearing ask a taxi driver on his / her opinin on Ken Livingstone's road transport plans.

[Amelie]

I can't believe the people who are supporting Ken Livingstone; he has been dreadful as Mayor. His Congestion Charge is a failure, he interferes for no good reason in planning policies without regard to the local community, he treats the Assembly with contempt and refuses to disclose discussions with contractors despite the fact they they are being paid with public money. Boris for Mayor!!

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

What about the only female candidate, the Green Party's Sian Berry

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6441519.stm

if it's change you want?

[SeanMacGabhann]

EDDW wrote:

If you want to hear some really creative swearing ask a taxi driver on his / her opinin on Ken Livingstone's road transport plans.

To be fair, would I expect any less of a taxi driver? Traffic has reduced, congestions hasn't (for other factors) but mostly it's because - you charge people ?8 to drive and they still do it.

Congestion = too many people driving. IE - it's not Ken's fault. He is discouraging driving but still it happens..If congestion is a problem for you, and you drive in central London, are you:

a) the problem

b) part of the problem

c) STILL thinking about the question?

[lordship_bod]

Ok Boris is an idiot and frankly i wouldnt leave him in charge of my crapper let alone london, but Ken doing a good job?? come on. has anybody been on the tube in the last 2 years? yes i know it doesnt serve most of south london, but thats a blessing in disguise. I've travelled on the tube my entire life and not only has it not got better, its got worse under ken. where's all my taxes on transport going?? it sure arent going on the tube. we're packed into carriages in inhumane surroundings, and we pay more than anyone in europe (comparatively speaking) for the priviledge.

have the bus services improved that much since ken's in charge? you'll have to tell me since i've only started getting the bus since i moved to ED, but i can imagine they were that bad to start with.

and to add insult to injury Ken swans off to cuba for a bit of a jolly while the rest of us have to fight to get to work.... if this is the best he can do, he can keep it.....

[SeanMacGabhann]

Ken doesn't control the tube (much to his annoyance) - that was part of the big fight a few years back for which he took a lot of stick for trying to get control of

yes the buses WERE that much worse a few years back. take my word for it. They are a long way from perfect now but if you combine a bit of walking with a flexible bus attitude you are the master of your own destiny - Quite honestly they are one of the reasons I wouldn't move back to North London - and I say that as a previous die-hard "tube-only" refusenik

Ken swanning off to Cuba for a bit of a jolly? Even if that was 100% holiday, the problem is what exactly? You work more hours in a week that Ken? You never get a holiday?

As I've said before - perfect he ain't. But it's too easy to have a pop without coming up with a genuine alternative.

[lordship_bod]

ok i take the point about the buses.

but the abit about the holiday i'm not buying. that's my point it wasnt a 100% holiday, it was a "working holiday" which is definitely code for jolly. i'm not denying the man a holiday, but if it is a holiday call it a holiday and lets not dress it up.

isnt that the problem with british politics? there is no "genuine alternative".....

[SeanMacGabhann]

To be fair, I haven't dug into the cuba trip too deeply - and it may well have been a "jolly". or it might have been a working holiday - either way I can't see it affecting London

As for the problem with British politics.. my take is that it's the same problem as that with British sport, British food, British culture etc... which basically amounts to - "I'm not going to do it, but I reserver the right to complain at length about those that do, thus reinforcing a cycle of discouraging people who might want to"

Seriously - he's no better than any of us so if we think we can do a better job then let's go do it. But the problem with British politics isn't "them", it's "us" - we moan and groan about anything without ever once respecting the person who has to do the job and marry up a disparate electorate

[batdog]

Boris or not, no-one can be worse than Ken... (td)

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

"isnt that the problem with british politics? there is no "genuine alternative".... "

Yes there is, check out the Green Party

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/

And get off your arse and stand for something yourself instead of whining.

We as a society have accepted politics as being a spectator sport, follow the leader, wait for some kind of political hero or vanguard of the people to sort our lives out for us. Instead of being engaged and active, challenging the authority of our so called representatives we sit back and allow them to have as much power as they like, and then moan about no-one representing our interests.

Of course they don't, they represent their own interests, so go on, get involved.

Get your nose off the grindstone long enough to see what they are doing in our names, and take back some power!

[spadetownboy]

ChavWivaLawDegree Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What about the only female candidate, the Green

> Party's Sian Berry

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6441519.stm

>

>

> if it's change you want?

32!!! i think shes playing the political game already.

[OutOfFocus]

Just to clarify, the GLA does now control the tube - see http://www.london.gov.uk/help/faq.jsp#tube and http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/modesoftransport/londonunderground/1576.aspx.

Ken's annoyance was that the guvm'nt ensured that PPP was in place before transferring it to TFLs control. Thus there are details of the way it is managed that is done in a way that TFL and GLA don't want.

[SeanMacGabhann]

you're spot on Andrew - cheers

[Jonboy]

-- moved topic --

[Administrator]

Moved to the Lounge as it's not specifically about East Dulwich

[mockney piers]

I liked this from Beau Bo D'Or. Clearly he has his suspicions about Boris.

Boris, A Wolf in Clowns Clothing?

http://www.bbdo.co.uk

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

32!!! i think shes playing the political game already.

Not sure what you mean. Do you think she is lying about her age?

She does only look about 21 as it goes.

[Jonboy]

I think I'd better put my oar in as I started the thread - I'll be accused of being cowbearuk soon.

Ken. Read this. http://www.18doughtystreet.com/blog/40. Interesting.

[Bleep]

I always find it amusing when people say "have you seen the state of the tubes etc?".

I'm not sure how someone like Ken Livingstone can be expected to drastically overhaul an antiquated Transport network with the sort of results where the tube is empty on a Monday morning. It's a nightmare job that will take 20 - 30 years to complete, if at all.

Livingstone has overseen the transformation of London into a world city of some repute. The place is absolutely rammed from morning to night every day of the year. Sure, it's not all his work, but he's presided over it and has imposed his personality on matters, and that's what all great politicians do. I found the fact that he travels by public transport every day utterly endearing.

To me, Boris is not a Londoner, not like Livingstone, and that is what counts against him. Livingstone's whiny estaurine accent immediately identifies him, and for all Johnson's foibles and endearing eccentricities, he isn't. The fact that he's still very much of the public school brigade will count against him in the long run amongst the chattering classes.

The Tories should have got Portillo.

[Keef]

I hate Ken!!!!!

I disagree with Sean that the buses have improved greatly too. Can't really comment about buses in to central London, but the buses I get are just as bad as ever!

Boris is a bit of a knob, but I loved it when he played in that charity football match and decided to rugby tackle someone! Gold >:D<

[SeanMacGabhann]

By better buses, I guess I am talking about ED to central London - but I've been here before and after Ken and there are definitely more of them, better bus lane enforcement and the C charge had an effect until drivers realised that ?8 a days wasn't that different to what tube commuters pay and drove in anyway...

there are still lot;s of horrible routes though - especially any route that begins with a letter eg P13

[*Bob*]

I've only lived in London for 10 years but to say the transport system etc hasn't improved is madness.

Whether you think he's right or wrong (and I don't always think he's right) whatever Ken does he does because he has a vision for London, and I admire that. At least someone in politics has got a vision for something these days.

I admire the way he faces-down his critics (regularly, eg his regular showdown with Vanessa's listeners on BBC Radio London): knowledgeably and without advisors whispering in his ears.

And.. I agree Portillo would have been a much better opposition candidate.