Boris strengthens his position
Matthew d'Ancona 2:13pm
Excellent news for the Spectator’s mayoral candidate in today’s Standard. A YouGovStone poll of 533 influential Londoners shows Boris well ahead of Ken on voting intention (44 to Livingstone’s 38), and with a narrower lead as the candidate who “will do most to enhance London’s reputation”. Boris trails Ken on the issue of trustworthiness in the event of another terror attack and has some work to do with second preference votes (interestingly, Sian Berry, the Green candidate, leads on this question). But it is clear that Boris can win.
Tonight is a big night in the mayoral contest: Martin Bright’s Dispatches programme on Ken airs at 8pm on Channel 4, and Boris faces a panel of Londoners, at an event organised by the Standard. One can only hope it is more revealing than the dismal ITV debate on January 10 which did the candidates and the viewing public no favours at all.
What is clear is that Boris has confounded those doubters who said he would fold quickly as a serious candidate. Evidently, the opposite is true: his position is getting stronger and stronger. The Spectator stands shoulder to shoulder with its former chieftain.
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simon hb
January 21st, 2008 4:23pm Report this commentIn what way does a poll of a bunch of so-called "influential" Londoners prove anything much? You might as well ask the current Queens Park Rangers reserves who they'd vote for and run it as a story. This poll will become interesting when the actual vote has taken place, and we can see if these "influential" Londoners actually have influenced anybody, or if the voters - the important Londoners - have ignored them.
rabbi cohen
January 21st, 2008 10:22pm Report this commentboring russian boris is a bit of a right wing nutter?
Nicholas Millman
January 21st, 2008 11:01pm Report this commentI don't think he is all Russian and right wing eccentric might be nearer the mark. Boring? Hardly. Still he would make a welcome change from the boring left wing nutter and not before time if Channel 4's Despatches exposé of Ken is anything to go by.
Jack R
January 22nd, 2008 10:30am Report this commentBoris needs to study closely, and make full use of Channel 4's 'Dispatches' video on Livingstone (broadcast last night). A key lesson to be learnt from Martin Bright's programme must surely be that the post of London Mayor should be much more democratically (and financially) accountable to the Assembly. Boris should make clear pledges on such institutional changes as part of his election campaign.
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