Hold Brown to account

Daniel

Ken's £25 per day for nice cars. Politics of envy - pure and simple with no accountable environmental benefit. Is it a congestion charge, or a CO2 tax? Whatever it is, it contradicts all his previous claims and ambitions with regard to traffic reduction and congestion charge prices.

mike

Trouble is Boris, it is impossible to take you seriously. You are a very silly fellow, you amuse me. Would I want you running anything of importance ? Nope, never ever, ever, ever. Go back to being a clown on the telly, that's what we want you to do.

m

Inflation is only 2.1%, or as he will now say, only 2.2%. That is not what my groceries, fuel, energy, rail travel, council tax, water charges, insurance etc. etc. tell me.

THX1138

Daniel how do you know it's the politics of envy? I'm not envious of people in these stupid vehicles I could easily afford a 4X4 urban assault vehicle but I choose not to because I care about the environment & the safety of other road users & pedestrians especially children. I'm no fan of Ken but I do think he has got this one right. The big question is what is Boris going to do? Keep it or scrap it? Whatever he had better say which & quickly.

Chuck Unsworth

For Chrissake, Boris, where does one start? It would be easier to list those statements which are not lies - probably about three, maybe four, over the last six years. I mean, the list is enormous. Just run your eye over the last year's press releases, for example. Most people now understand that any statement from Livingstone or his cronies or henchpersons must be scrutinised with a lawyer's forensic skills and viedwed with complete scepticism. Still, I commend your approach. A running list would be useful -as would be a dateline of the unlimited expenditures and handouts to dubious 'causes'. What's needed above all else is full independent audit. Where has our cash gone?

ACT

Even your requests for help are emblematic of your chronic laziness and ineffectuality as a candidate. This is the Tory Party's best chance in a generation to win in London: Labour, surely, at the low point of their fortunes in what is otherwise a Labour city, the press *finally* reporting on Ken's scandals, and, every tax or charge Ken has been responsible for, he's sent sky high. And what do we end up with as a Tory candidate? You. And this is what you're up to. Risible doesn't do it justice. But here's hoping you get that shadow cabinet job when you've lost. It was, after all, very good of you to do Dave the great favour of running an ego campaign, and therefore it being you who takes the blame for the coming defeat, and not the dear Leader.

dave, surrey

GB telling untruths, where do you start. Here's one to be getting on with. 'it's a treaty, not a constitution.. red lines.. opt outs.. no need for a referendum.. etc etc'

Maggie

Gordon has so much difficulty distinguishing fact from fiction that everything he says has to be taken with a large portion of salt.
Also, Livingstone and Paddick are totally outclassed by Boris in the spheres of good natured humour and likeability and are desperate to silence him in these areas where they can't compete - hence the charges of buffoonery which they hope will make him as boring as they are. Just because life and politics under Ken and Gordon can't be anything other than grim and coma-inducing doesn't mean serious politics can't be leavened by wit.

TGF UKIP

Nice to see Boris Johnson joining TGF UKIP in viewing his fellow Bullingdonian Dave and his gang of being completely incapable of holding Gordon to account. And by the way Boris, as Fraser Nelson will tell you there have been many vigorous and positive exchanges over the past months on the subject of how best to expose Gordon's porkies. I suggest a chat with Fraser on his return from Sweden.

Cardinal Puff

I don't know what excuse he used for nationalising Northern Rock (probably something to do with prudence or stability) but in fact this was purely a political decision, which is why Mervyn King was against it.

Austin Barry

It's these odd spasms that make Boris so likeable. Whether though being a good egg means he can run London is an interesting question, but given the sulphurous bad egg incumbent, the answer is surely a resounding, Borisian, er, what? well, no, what? eh?, ermm, what? er....yes!!!

kate

typical of coffee house readers. Clearly Boris is giving us all a chance to pitch in and play a part of his campaign in getting rid of Ken, and Brown for that matter. For what its worth i think the pledge that congestion will go down as a result of thousands more small cars going into the zone for free will come back and bite Ken on the backside. But then again it doesn't come into effect until october and Boris will be mayor in May so the scheme will be scrapped so i read. GO BORIS!

edwardbenson

Boris, you were sacked from the Tory front bench for lying. Not sure you're on the strongest ground here...

dexey

If I lived in London I'd vote for Boris; he's a character.
I won't be voting Tory in the general elctions. My nu labour bloke is too good a constituency MP to lose.

James

Boris - you get my vote. Don't listen to the grim faced lefties who have all had their sense of humour glands removed at birth. Anyone who reads your writings and actually listens to what you say knows that you are an intelligent and thoughtful politican with a refreshing vision for London. Roll on the Mayoral Elections, and let's finally be done with Ken and his cronies. As for GB's lies...where to begin: The Constitution/treaty. The state of the economy when he took over in 1997. Comparing RPI in the 1990s with CPI now. Constantly pretending that unemployment is now low, and youth unemployment almost abolished - when over 4million are not in proper work. The scandalous New Deal. The scandalous failure of the Tax Credit system. The lie that defence spending has gone up in real terms (inflation in the defence sector runs at around 8%). Right. Someone else's turn.

Tiberius

Not typical of Coffee Housers alone, Kate. Most blogs have their hi-jackers. On the topic in hand, I'll go for Brown's recent remark that he inherited an economy in a bad state. Since what is left of his reputation relates to economic competence, I think we should try to show that much of his "competence" is actually down to Thatcherite reforms and Ken Clarke. I'm sure professional researchers can find data and opinion to support my contention - I distinctly remember an Evan Davis piece on Newsnight in New Labour's early years, where he concluded that the immediate years ahead were going to be a golden period borne out of conditions inherited by Brown, not created by him; "a lucky Chancellor", I think he called him. To demonstrate this and show how Brown has failed to provide during that good time for the bad times ahead should expose the lie about his economic competence once and for all.

MagicAldo

Surely the biggest lie of all is that Labour have contributed to a "strong economy". Huge fiscal deficits after years of growth, the highest bond yields in Western Europe, the highest tax burden in living memory. In every area that the Government makes a difference to our economy, its contribution has been negative. Alas, the Tories have utterly failed to point out these facts for over 10 years! Some in your party have even been known to give the Government a standing ovation.

Mr Leatherhead

Inflation at 2.2%, only because his appointees at the NAO have been inflation basket weaving. British Jobs for British Workers he claims when the data shows 2+million more foreign workers and thousands fewer British workers. No More Spin ws his best bit of spin (lies) to date. I won't break the Golden Rule (on government borrowing) except for Northern Rock an any other problem that comes along this year. When do you want me to stop Boris?

Balaclava

Boris, Good effort on asking for some of the public's opinion (better than these 'government consulations). Frankly it amazed me how politicans don't simplify things, why not turn up on television with £24,000 in cash, and progressively divide it down for the costs (net) of Ken since he came to power, before and what you plan to do. The cash represents the average salary of a londoner in an average house. The chunk that person pays for the GLA should be taken out and you ask 'Do you think that this money is well spent?' You then show that x% of that money spent on press officers/mayor's office etc. Demonstrate what amount of the money is wasted. I'm personally against the Olympics, even as a Londoner, and I thought the best campaign would should £10bn (it will cost that in the end....) in cash....people would realise how much £10bn is.

Cicero

What surprises me is that you do not already have an extensive list to hand. Surely the Tory Party machine is sufficiently well organised and staffed with adequate numbers of researchers to provide all the ammunition needed. Why ask us?

Talia

"doubling" inheritance tax threshhold for couples - the amount is exactly the same, you just don't need to see a lawyer about it

Max Kaye

Most obvious Lies of importance to voters:
1. The Reform Treaty being 'substantially different' to the rejected Constitutional Treaty. Most people want a referendum.
2. The real rate of inflation.
3. Levels of unemployment fudged by the numbers receiving benefits; Levels of employment bolstered by immigrant workers who are happy to do the work out lazy, sorry 'incapacitated', unemployed won't.
4. That the congestion charge has anything to do with reducing congestion.

Please promise voters that you'll:
a) scrap the whole congestion charge nonsense.
b) actually find out if Londoners are truly in favour of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Most people I speak to believe the games are a colossal waste and want London financial support withdrawn.

Good Luck!

The Laughing Cavalier

Cicero makes a good point. The Party machine should be doing this. Evidently it isn't. If it was, we would know, for example, what the real rate of inflation is. There are only three months left for Livingstone to be exposed fore what he is. Tell Central Office to get off its fat arse and get weaving.

Pete Hoskin

TGF UKIP & Cicero: I don't think you're right in characterising Boris's call to action as a sign of either his views about Tory party leadership or of the quality of CCHQ research. This is an effort to provoke debate and awareness among CoffeeHousers - which is, more generally, Coffee House's raison d'etre. If anything, it's a sign that Boris thinks you're all worth listening to!

Gospel of Enoch

How about his dodgy environmental claims: Here's what Ken wrote a while back: "Finally, Britain probably has more opportunities to utilise renewable energy than just about any other country. As an island, we have vast untapped wave, wind and tidal power. And contrary to popular perception, our sunshine patterns are conducive to the widespread use of solar power. In London, we now require that renewable energy is used in all new developments." Do his plans for Solar Panels and Wind Turbines hold up? (Hint: See Chris Boooker in the DT)

Tapestry

The inflation rate is a lie.
http://the-tap.blogspot.com/2008/02/transparency-brown-hides-real-rate-of.html

Phil

Have you ever been intoxicated whilst at work Ken? I have a feeling that might draw forth a porkie.

mark

Isn't this just an extension of Boris asking 16 Parliamentary questions this month alone (at around £150 a pop) on London when his day job is Henley MP? Obviously using the general public and civil servants to come up with campaign points is a lot cheaper and won't make too much of a dent in his projected £1.25million war chest

ACT

"If anything, it's a sign that Boris thinks you're all worth listening to!" - oh Peter, that's just plain embarrassing. Nobody minds Boris being lazy, self-indulgent, cynical or even something of a great big Toad, but mewling that he's 'listening' to us? Puke.

Janice

Brown says he is proud that he has almost eliminated teen unemployment. Lies! In the prosperous south east - where your constituency lies - 52% of 16-17 year olds are NEETs. This drops to around 25% at age 18 because they are either on a revolving door of benefits or on useless courses. Also, 1 in 4 adults are also unemployed. There just aren't enough jobs in McDonalds.

TGF UKIP

Nice spin, Pete Hoskin, but the evidence points in Cicero's and my direction. Gordon has been misleading, misrepresenting and lying away without Dave and the gang laying a glove on him. If an Official Opposition and its Leader don't exist to expose the deceit and incompetence of the Government what do they exist for. As I regularly post Britain's great present misfortune is having the worst government faced by the worst opposition in modern times.

TGF UKIP

My apologies, being fair, in the above I should at least have given Boris the credit for challenging Brown via a Point of Order at the end of PMQs. One challenge though from one junior shadow does not a concerted opposition make.

Dafredo

Will this do as a lie of omission: never a word in an election manifesto to say that nation- and life-changing numbers of immigrants are to be admitted into the country? If it isn't a lie it's certainly a deception of breath-taking, anti-democratic proportions.

Caroline

A jokes a joke but blow the comedy opera Boris. You did say: "We have got to be absolutely clear where the scope for real economies is and the real big ticket for spending is the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London. That's where the real savings, believe me, are to be found." And David Cameron alleged at PMQ's quite recently that a very dangerous guy (whose name escapes me - Tiberious?) had been kept out of the country by Michael Howard, who had in fact let him in five times. Porkies every which way you look.

Tapestry

Inflation is actually 8% not 2.9%. It's a 5.1% lie.
www.the-tap.blogspot.com
Put it top of ypur list Boris.

bill

Why has the Tory opposition been so uncombative and useless. Has life been too comfortable for them all these years? Do they not feel the pain felt by the rest of us?

Jack Cade

Apparently in 2001, a treasury colleague was reported as saying: "Gordon Brown is the cleverest man in the world - or so he keeps telling us!"

I Dont't Want To Tell...

Caroline, you seem to have missed out the bit in that quote where Boris say he'd cut police spending, rather than make it more efficient.

Hetty

Twice claiming in PMQs that defence speding is the second in the world - that must be a porkie...

TimberWolf

I know Maurice Johnson, but who is this Boris Johnson? Is he real, or a cartoon character?

Liz Upton

I'll go with inflation as well - surely there can't be many people out there who find themselves buying household fuel, food or petrol, or paying mortgages and council tax, who seriously believe that the extra they are paying can realistically be offset by cheaper televisions and frocks from Tesco. Gordon Brown exploits the fact that in a live debate like PMQs, the statistics he quotes aren't (can't be?) instantly checked and refuted. Off the top of my head, I've noticed he's recently misrepresented unemployment figures, the state of the economy in 1997, and the current inflation rate. I hope this means that we're going to seem more points of order on this stuff - watching PMQs is infuriating at the moment.

Caroline

I Don't Want To Tell - you mean I missed out the best bit? Thank goodness you're on the ball then. That quote from Boris circulated all over the internet as soon as he'd stood up blustering and being very cross with Gordon after PMQ's as we all know. He's such a mischievous, endearing rogue though - you could almost let him get away with it, but not quite. As we are all being good enough to help and advise him here, I’m sure he’ll want to reciprocate, and put the record straight – won’t you Boris?

I Dont't Want To Tell...

Caroline, I was joking (you must be a leftie if I have to spell out humour to you). Nowhere in that quote does Boris say he'd cut police spending, and its a lie to suggest otherwise. The point of his above blog!

Ruddigore Topsider

Bill asks "Why has the Tory opposition been so uncombative and useless. Has life been too comfortable for them all these years?" I have to say, I'm reaching the same conclusion as his rhetorical question implies. The Tories just don't look hungry for government: it's like they don't really have confidence in their own policies or abilities. Opposition must be great: you get a decent wage, which you can supplement as long as you don't look yourself in the eye too often. You get asked to the same parties, TV and radio slots as proper ministers, and you don't get the kickings in the media reserved for the proper ministers. You get a profile, but with no responsibility. It's almost like being a journalist. (If you cultivate those media appearances carefully, and get into the Shadow Cabinet, you can basically part-time as a journalist anyway, and use researchers to write your articles for you.) Why, given the notorious fickleness and ingratitude of the British public, would they want to change this happy state? I sense that a lot of the Shadow front bench would rather be remembered as 'the best Home Sectretary (or whatever) Britain never had' than seeing their careers end in office.

Emma

I would just highlight the waste of Taxpayer money. It applies to both Gordon and Ken. Show Londoners how ineffectual this mass spending has been. This government really reminds me of that "Spend! Spend! Spend! Pools winner. She to had nothing to show for it after the binge either.

Alex Swanson

In February 1998, the govt issues a press release claiming that the 1997 pistol shooting ban would take handguns "off the streets". anybody believe that this has actually happened, or that it had the slightest chance of happening?

Caroline

IDWTT. Hmm - a joke huh? Fair enough, it didn't look like one, but who am I to question folks (joke?) statements unless they're politicians of course. We have covered this topic before as previously mentioned, But I maintain you should look at porkies who ever tells them ( or 'jokingly' appears to tell them) and in that context highlighted both Boris and Cammers and will continue to do so. This may be Conservative CH but being evasive about the 'mistakes' (there - aren't I kind?) made on your own side isn't quite the ticket eh Boris!!

Caroline

IDWTT. Ooops, I forgot to take you up on your assertion that lefties are humourless. It is just so not true. When this cheeky member of the public sent in a naughty (well, I thought it was) little joke about the Black/White ball - twice! - the fun loving management at CH wouldn't let you dear folks with such a GSOF read it. Humourless - moi?

SIMON RHODES

Its not only 'lies' ... far more often it is a case of Sophistry; doctored truth to give a misleading impression. What about statistics on TAXES being lowered; or DEFENCE spending rising, but actually falling in real terms. What about PFI debt? What about 'frontline' NHS/Police staffing? What about his Christian 'moral compass' - not much morality in his treatment of Tony Blair, his failure to support fellow Ministers, his use of sophistry to mislead, breaking his 'Trust' promise on the referendum, and indeed his repeated boasting about his blasted moral compass. In my book a most unchristian act.

cat

The staged wage deals - a supposed 2.5% pay increase, sneakily applied in stages so that it actually equates to 1.9%; a real-term pay cut.

Cat

Oh - and lets not forget Brown's "green agenda" pledges.......... followed by a cut in the Defra (& Wrap) budget.

Ted Tedford

Does anyone know whether he actually wrote that 'profiles in courage' book himself?

Liz Elliot-Pyle

I would say that everything Gordon Brown says is a 'brownie'. If he said it was Tuesday, I would know that it was Sunday. I do not believe a single word that comes out of his mouth.

Liz Elliot-Pyle

And heres another idea: How about every time in the House of Commons that the PM or any other minister tells a 'brownie', a member of the opposition stands up and calls a point of order and says '...I believe the Minister may have inadvertantly misled the House' followed by the correct statistic or whatever. That might make them stop and think!

Goldfinger

Where is the Opposition? Are they asleep, do they care, why don't they nail the basic lie that inflation is 2.2.% when anybody in the real world knows that it is nearer 8% and counting. We need to take to the streets.

Dame DeVille

Big Lie: Claiming Crime is Down - the figures are fiddled and car companies fitted car alarms & security to their products and so put gloss of credibility on the fiddled figures.

Big Lie: The statistics on immigration - all of them made up rubbish designed to neutralise the issue as a political threat to Nu-Lab. They haven't a clue who or how many people have come here in the last 10 years!!

Salvatore

There are plenty of lies to get stuck into, and its about time someone did.
Previous correspondence have highlighted many of them, but omissions, or failures to act are also important.
Do we know anything about the part Brown played in the Olympics finance fiasco, and whether he and Livingsone discussed its feasibility?
Do we know when Livingstone first heard from Commissioner Blair after the Stockwell shooting and what he was told, and what he did as a result?
Unless lies are ruthlessly exposed, and the right kind of questions asked, more and more people will think politics are irrelevant to their lives.
It must be difficult for politicians to appear more than synthetic when so many decisions made in the USA or Brussels render them domestically impotent on many major issues, but Boris is right to try to breathe some life into the debate.
And that is the important point.
Do we want the clammy restrictive and secretive Stalinist style of government so favoured by the left, and apparatchicks, or do we want to try for a new start to see where it gets us.
If Boris wins I expect there will be no shortage of talented people who would join his team.
If he doesnt win we will just get more of the same stuff that we have had to grit our teeth and bear for the last 10 years, and it will be harder to achieve the changes the country so urgently needs.

TGF UKIP

Caroline, never been in sympathy with you before but on Coffee House censorship, particularly on taste grounds, I am entirely with you. Remember though The Spectator is a posh Tory magazine written by and for the posh and the posh always profess not to do tasteless or vulgar (I know, I know - so why the hell am I on here!) If, on the other hand, The Speccie truly was libertarian anything, bar the libellous, would stand.

THX1138

Caroline also never mention Richard Branson if you want to get past retired Stasi Agents the Spectator employed to moderate this blog.

cityboozer

Salvatore, I think you express views that a broad majority here would agree with. The thing we are mostly afraid of is what happened in 1997. Then, a popular (never mind populist) government was elected and they had watered down their prospectus to the point that nobody really knew what they were voted for. Yet they voted with great enthusiasm and optimism. The coalition which brought them in was held together by distaste (perhaps even disgust) but the demands of maintaining that coalition prevented them as a government from doing, well pretty much anything. The Blair years were clearly characterised by acceptance of the arguments of the other side combined with capitulation to his own. Brown is producing the same without even the novelty or glamour. And so – with the evidence of history (even recent) – David Cameron’s supporters (I don’t add “natural” or “instinctive” here – those are tautologous to true conservatives) fear that the concessions made to electability will tie him to an undesirable programme or even just to a timid justification of a strong one. I for one feel that his instincts are with me. That is rightly insufficient for many here, but I think that concentration on a stronger front-bench team (assuming that the raw materials are there) would be at least as good a way of reassuring as any I can think of.

Austin Barry

There is one huge Brownie that we mustn't mention. It suggests that the man's whole life is a lie. To thine ownself be true.. yeah, right.

Caroline

TGF “the posh always profess not to do tasteless or vulgar” you exactly pick up the point I had made in my sketch about the B/W where I suggested that it was tasteless and vulgar. In retrospect I should have sent it to ConHome who are much more enlightened. And as for (I know, I know – so why the hell am I on here?) no-one would ever suggest you were t/v surely? I thought it was in a brave and valiant attempt to ginger up the Conservatives into heading in the wrong direction, because as we know the public generally are repelled by 'even more harsher n’tougher' which is what you appear to advocate you naughty man! And though this holding to account and porkies lark is amusing and gives rise to lots of comments, it could swiftly backfire. After all, in all those Conservative in power years, and likely even currently, wouldn't even a little research potentially result in red faces (assuming Conservatives ever had/have the grace to blush) Whatever, we all need a little cause to ignite the troops don’t we? THX. Erm…not quite sure how to respond now, I’m a little nerve wracked. Is this a joke like IDWTT’s? Tories can obviously be too subtle for me, credit due to all that expensive education hmm?

Sapper

Gordie flogged off the gold reserves at the bottom of the market and wrecked the pensions of many. He insists on giving hard earned Tax £ for african despots to salt away in numbered accounts in the land of the cuckoo clock. Also for daft projects such as £150 grants for vegetables! Agree with the general point that the Tories offer little in the way of opposition - get a move on!

John Bull

I believe many of us would sincerely like to know just 'How much per annum, over each of the past two years, has Ken Livinstone / the Office of the Mayor of London and all of its appointees and quango's spent from the public purse ?' No waffle about trying to justify any of it - just simple pounds spent & on what or where !

David

Mike, you are the very silly fellow if you are too stupid to see that underneath the facade Boris is a very intelligent, caring and responsible person. It is rather Livingstone who is the very silly fellow with all his PC claptrap.

Fraser Nelson

Caroline, I like to think that if Tories start lying we hold them to account too. TGF, our motto at The Spectator is "firm but unfair" but true, the word "libertarian" isn't in our job description. And isn't the Kirsty McColl song "I don't want to SEE Caroline" rather than tell? Anyway can we pls get back to identifying these McPorkies - we've got a great list so far, but sure there are plenty more little brown lies out there to expose...

GNF

Boris, Integrity,democracy, accountability, good leadership and fairplay - that's what the people want of our politicians. Sensible decisions which have been thought through. Good luck with your campaign. Stop the rot.

£above market rate

I concur

Alleagra

I'd like to make a suggestion. If this site introduces a commenting system incorporating a reply button (example: look at Reddit.com, a much more robust and interesting debate can ensue while silly, rude or unsupportable views are dealt with by users themselves. It's clear that this idea has partly led to the enormous success of Reddit and if implemented on the Spectator site may well have a similar effect - and not only on the website. May I add that compared to other UK websites (I live in Romania) the Spectator server seems very tardy most of the time.

Adrian Peirson

Good Luck Boris, how about reduction in Population, that would improve the Housing crisis, Congestion, Crime, Prison Overcrowding, Pollution, Global Warming, In addition it would mean we could pass on to our children a Green and Pleasant Land. http://www.eutruth.org http://www.infowars.com

Ruddigore Topsider

Why don't The spectator have someone at the PM's weekly press conference? And if they do, why wasn't someone there today skewering the "global financial turbulence" schtick and 'low inflation, high employment' waffle?

Michael Hardy

Brown is a total shyster, as can be seen from his huge-yet-clandestine efforts to frustrate the parliamentary ombudsman in her efforts to get justice for defrauded pensioners (both ELAS and collapsed private schemes). I repeat, Gordon Brown is filth. Unfortunately Boris, much as I admire you personally, the Tories have been pathetic on these issues too. It is truly a scandal that such a criminally corrupt government as the Ugh Labour incumbents have such a weak, immoral opposition. Pity the poor British electorate. Cameron? FFS, give me strength. Come on! Stand up for the things that are RIGHT, not just the things that are easy. Your number 1 manifesto commitment to the people of this country should be to build the mother-of-all-prisons somewhere in the Midlands, capacity 100,000. Oh, and to strip heartless ex-Chancellors with surnames beginning with 'B' of their gold-plated pensions. Come on Boris, the British need HONESTY, FORESIGHT, GUTS, OUT-SPOKENNESS from their politicians *now*. Failing that, the army must surely be close to mounting a coup anyway, given their current parlous position. And the tax take is about to plummet ... ha ha ha!!! You want a speech-writer Boris? Get in touch, you guys need to get going with your messages ... and your actions.

Mark

Brown has repeatedly claimed DC was a senior economic adviser to badger Lamont during the ERM ejection, wanting to tar him with that brush. Maybe as chancellor Brown had 24yr old gophers as senior economic advisers but badger didn't nor was DC such. What sort of moral compass does Brown have that permits transparent lies

Johno

Ken took a taxi from Blackpool to London. How can we take him seriously as a "green" candidate?

Kez72

I wish Boris the best of luck, once King Newt is out of his Londo Mayor seat, one of the most charismatic, intelligent and truth telling politicians this country has seen will have his chance to prove to his doubters that he can be serious. Everyone jumps on Gaffe prone boris, but in all honesty I dont remember one of his gaffes being too far off the mark? Also Livingstone is hardly squeaky clean. I cant wait for both the Mayoral Election and the General Election because the cock ups this Mayor and Government have made are just spectacular beyond belief.

judiciary

Real figures please.. independent audit!

A. Headhunter

Brown regularly trots out the lie that Labour inherited a ruined econmy in 1997. The reverse is the case: On entering the Treasury on 2nd May he met with the Chief Secretary and asked what state the economy was in, to be told that it was in the best health since 1914. He trotted this one out in PMQs last November without being called to account for it. Now the economy is truly ruined and it is entirely possible that we will be treated to the unedifying spectacle of (yet) another Labour ex-chancellor going cap-in-hand to the IMF!

Nick Kaplan

The most obvious thing that springs to mind is the EU reform treaty or should that be constitution?

London Calling

If it's Brown...Flush it Down, We need our sense of humour if we are to live to fight another day, what did the romans ever do for us? Secrets and lies by politicians are now constantly in the spotlight, so be grateful that the truth is out there and that people can decide for themselves who to trust, but the damage caused by such hypocrisy on all sides will leave the british people faithless in politics. I feel a revolution coming on, because if you continue to crush peoples lives, they are only left with one choice, to come out fighting or consider suicide, thats the reality. As far as Boris is concerned, remember, its was the joker in the pack that was the wisest of them all.

A. Hall

This will be the first time I've voted Conservative in 55 years - Boris and the Spectator have convinced me as my parents never could!

Timforchange

Has anyone seen "The Londoner" newspaper? March's issue has the huge headline "Crime Hits 9 Year Low". It doesn't even pretend to give any objectivity inside, it is purely a self congratulatory promotional newsletter for the mayor's office. E.g. "London's youth get 79million", "More money to make London safer and greener", "Feeling Happier & Safer". What irks me is that this paper (and the countless opinion polls they seem to have run to establish levels of happiness) is being paid for by our taxes. Does London need another free newspaper? How can Ken get away with using GLA money to effectively fund his campaign propaganda? I'm considering writing to mayor@london.gov.uk to actually find out how much this is costing us: 12 issues a year, translated into 11 language. I'm sure we should be using that money for something more worthwhile. Tim

Dame DeVille

Big Lie: Britain and Britishness - Brown uses this as a crutch to support him in power but there is of course no such thing as 'British' there are English Scottish Irish and Welsh and there are those who have arrived here since WW2 and who can be anything from Polish to Pakistani, Australian to Angolan etc.

Brown also uses the British thing to cover-up the reality of devolution and other constitutional changes such as recent EU treaties. He creates a pretend world of 'Great Britain' a wealthy powerful and influential Nation that does good in the world, abolished poverty, brings peace and so on all made-up rubbish of course but many believe it because they want to, that is very sad!

'British Jobs for British People' is the classic - looks like GB getting tough and asserting a strong Nationalistic position but he says this at the same time a further entrenching EU Law that means a Lithuanian has as much right to work in Brown's Britain as any British subject. This is not necessarily a bad thing but the Big Lie is - he is a crook and a liar!

PC Murdoch

"There is no greater responsibility than that which you as police officers accept. And there is no greater obligation for us in government than to support you in discharging that duty...to back you in what you have to do and be there for you-because you are always there for us." Prime Minister Gordon Brown, just before overturning an independent arbitration award on pay for the police and announcing the end of the Police Negotiating Board.

Stephen Saunders

1997 to 1984 in eleven short years.

A. Headhunter

Hear Hear Stephen Saunders: And we are well on the way to 1979! According to Capital Economics, a respected economic think-tank, according to the Treasury's latest projections that growth will be 1% lower than previously indicated, public borrowing could hit £150 billion by 2009. Brownomics.

richard j

How about the genius of Mr Prudence. In the last ten years he sells gold at a third of current values and then buys £100 billion of mortgages with a loan to value ratio of more 100% at a time when property values have risen 2 to 3 times over that same ten years. Perhaps Barings and Societe Generale would like to offer Mr Prudence his next job.

Catherine

intifada? are you absolutely sure that's the word you want to use?

Nicholas Storey

Don't be discouraged by some of the statements of dissatisfaction with your candidature. Someone's got to do it.

john edwards.

Dear Prudence, won't you come out to pay? Us back. While you rake over the ashes of Grate Britain to get blood out of the stones, we well remember that without any consent you sold the nation's Gold Reserves [ours] at the very nadir of the market which was gratefully bagged up by those that could afford to corner the low market & wait to see it rise [inevitably as now with copper] 7 times when you could have used it to shore up Northern Rock? At the time we wrote to our MP to suggest that, were it going to be sold, at least strike commemorative coins, goblets whatever so the poor mugs who buy such tat could pay twice over & raise the amount considerably. Bland reassurance from poor Oona, who was thrown to the pantomime wolves in Tower Hamlets by My Little Tony shortly after as she had to lie about support for the disgraceful Iraq adventure.
As for King Knewt, the water he swims in is so thick with the mud stirred up and oft slung from the nether regions of that pond, since he first ever swaggered into County Hall that a nugget of truth cannot be found in any of the murk of arrogance and reckless determination to bring down all to lumpen despair. TFL aka: Trauma For London, grabbed 23,000 black cab drivers from the Met.Police without asking them or us and placed them under such pressure so the garages are bodging breaking down cabs, the drivers must now queue with mini-cab drivers at one of 4 only stations for frequent testing. Shambles. TFL handed Licensing of premises back to Councils, and those depts [at least LBTH] do not know what they are doing or how to do it, nor the will to ask the law be obeyed, so right here in this borough we have illegal drinking /gaming/drugs/crime/turf wars at will; then we come to the maddening Tinkerbell acrobatics of 'Health' & 'Safety', which idiocy has allowed myriad unlit or ill lit underpasses to breed vicious feral squads who have robbed & raped like Trolls in Grimm's Fairytales, while the Police, furious but tied watch it grow like bacteria in a petri dish. Senior police officer leaves Hackney as he dare not challenge the witless scum capering on his garden wall seven nights a week! Boris. Rid us of the Gadarene of Eden. Please.

Mark Rogers

Let's look at the Congestion Charge chronologically and see whether Ken was lying from the start - RedKen the non-elected GLC leader (anyone remember Andrew MacIntosh?). First: the congestion charge was going to reduce private vehicles in London, AND pay for its collection AND produce a profit to plough back into public transport. Congestion charge is introduced. AT THE SAME TIME, i.e. without waiting to see what its effect is: roadworks, pavement narrowing, an unprecedented increase in the number of traffic lights, the whosesale elimination of the RouteMaster and the introduction of single-crewed double deckers that are too wide AND the double-length bendy bus (The Mobile Traffic Jam). That is: an instant increase in congestion (by the way, I've never driven, I either walk or rely on public transport). Add to which the piazza-ization of Trafalgar Square by sealing off the north end (the other evening it took 40 minutes for the bus I was on to turn the corner from the top of Whitehall into the Strand - and that's par for the course. So we are all now implicated in congestion. However, the number of private vehicles entering central London has decreased by one third (GLA's own statistic). As that is the sole criterion of whether the congestion charge is working to reduce congestion, it is deemed a success! How's that for a text book big brother nanny state lie!!! Any journey I undertake across London now lasts twice as long as before the charge was introduced. Added to which, bus drivers are rude, the buses are oversprung with too many passengers standing, hordes of kids get on without paying a fare, buses inspectors maintain as best they can the drivers' time card timetable and are rude to the travelling public who wonder about customer service. Solution? Well, yes, eliminate political control of transport by abolishing the monopoly of TFL and allow all sorts of long and short route bus companies to operate with RouteMaster type buses, minibuses etc. Oh I know they'll be out to make a filkthy capitalist profit - but that means they might just provide what the customer wants at a reasonable price. Take a look at Hong Kong - or better still, Victorian London. Only a centralised politburo would have come up with the present transport system. Which is the problem: we have a transport system: lateral thinking please: transport would be better without a "system". Let it roll!

Faceless Bureaucrat

Example of the hypocrisy of the Left in today's Grauniad - among the signatories to an open letter supporting Livigstone are the appalling Billy (I live in "hideously White" Dorset) Bragg and David Puttnam, who has lived in West Cork in the Republic of Ireland for as long as anyone can remember. 'Nuff said... http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/feb/25/london08.london

john edwards.

Have just been in conference with our esteemed - 40 years a black cab driver - Mr. Tony Eames, badge # 59563, who as ever has enlightened & delighted, which valuable essences I pass on to you all.
The T&G Union paper CAB Trade News has the headline, KEN DOES IT AGAIN, and on the inside cover Mike Hedges tells us what. A tfl board rubber stamped, as ever, the 4.7% fare increase, which of course is not the true rise, that being some 2.9%. So, yes, Ken has 'done it again' but the amount of increase is decided by cabbies & offered up for the yearly pass.
Given that diesel has risen by 13.3% in 12 months & is due to go up, despite the odd litre of sunflower oil to ensure smooth running. The Ev.Standard, April 5. is right to say 'Black cab fares go up 8 times under Ken' but not as much as tube bus fares, so as Mr. Eames points out, four in a cab for 1 mile or more is faster, uncrowded, and CHEAPER than muscling your way to, into & off a bus or tube.
If KL did such a great oil deal with his Venezuelan comrades, how come he don't siphon some off the beastly bendies & pass it over to the loyal regiment of Hackney Carriages? Then they could trim next years fare increase.
Meanwhile there is a calm & coherent interview with BJ in Taxicab News - 'why does Livingstone hate the cab trade? by Sandie Goodwin & Bob Fisher. Why does KL hate? the tale of the snake, river & scorpion tells why.
Now. The Editor's leader in the main cab paper TAXI has this to say - Stuart Pessok. Ed. ,.....not decrying any of KL's opponents but it's easy for them to promise Utopia [sic] [[Who has?]] when the likelihood of them becoming Mayor is as remote as me leading out England in the next World Cup ! ....and so on in that luxurious torpor of whimsical pessimism. Tony Eames - badge#59563 has asked that we send a message to Mr Pessock. Please stop the apathy & give your audience, 1,000's of cabbies, a chance to vent their near unanimous choice of BJ and the pressing need to be rid of KL. To Boris he asks, 'Please get down to Woodfield Road & put it to him plain, who you are, what you are, and your intent, now, and as Mayor. It might cheer him up, or even help his readers feel they could get out from under the misery of KL/TFL.....'

Liz Elliot-Pyle

I am quite sure there was another Brownie at PMQs last week, something about youth unemployment down by 40%. But then again, as I said before, I do not actually believe a word this man says.

Anthony Taylor

How about "Jaw-dropping Sayzments" Says it all? Eh?

Michael Moran

Kenny Boy knows that most people who should have a say in London live outside the 32 boroughs of the metropolitan area of London, and as such do not have a vote in the mayoral election. The 'doughnut' of London has been created by Ken's New World order gerrymandering, and those within the centre of the doughnut are vastly outnumbered by those in the outer ring, ie the inner city areas that have seen an unprecedented exodus of the indigenous population. As such, Kenny Boy has a huge advantage with a cosy population of supporters. I work in London, I was born in London, I am a Londoner, but I live in Camberley, so I don't get a vote. Ken Livingstone is one of the most astute politicians this country has ever known, and will, unfortunately, win the election in May. God help London, and all who sail in her. If I had a vote in the mayoral election, and Micky Mouse was a candidate I would vote for Micky rather than the odious 'Red Ken'. Whatever misconceptions people have about you, Boris, you would surely have my vote.

john edwards.

Mike Moran: ...KL ...one of most astute politicians this country ever..........". BJ said KL is ..."wily and tenacious....". Well we can all be that if we find ourselves in a position of [in KL's case] near absolute power as Mayor fr Lndn. KL is, in his own words - 'a south London boy who got lucky...' which of course is fabricated modesty, calculated to swoon the barking army he bought so long back, long abandoned for the heady climes of 'good & great' - landed gentry of property developers. Yes, he's 'astute' 'tenacious' 'wily'. He acts in camera, then bats down the chorus of disapproval with feral energy after the action is, literally, set in stone. His only agenda is to hang on tight, survival, like the organ grinder who played under folks windows until they paid him to be off. His tenacious wilyness is that of [the original] 'Alien' caught in the airlock, all survival, no reason for being other than - survival.......Upton Sinclair nailed that type 80 years ago.

Mark

At PMQ's today, Brown said that 'drug use is down and drug related crime is down'. I'm not sure about the second claim, but I thought that cocaine use in the UK has been rocketing over the past few years? I'd love to see the figures for this

A. Headhunter

Another porkie: "No more boom and bust!" Pull the other one!!!

Chas

On PMQs a couple of weeks ago Gordon Mendacity Brown said the public finances were at their best ever. He has obviously studies Mein Kampf and understands that if you are going to tell one, make it a big one.

mark

News speak $127 Since Nulab were elected in 1997, there has been no such thing as government spending. And there certainly has been no such thing as salary spend for doctors (esp GPs), nurses or teachers. No in Labours lovely new world everything is an investment. Above inflation public pay rises? "Investment in our public services" Brown says. Give GPs an absurdly large pay increase for no added patient benefits? "Look at the exceptional extra investment" ministers parrot. And all this swallowed by the BBC and other media. Spending vs investment is not a difficult concept (spending meets operating costs, investment puts assets on the balance sheet). Maybe the public finances would be in better shape if Brown acknowledged the difference.

Nizhinsky

On the topic of the economy in 1997, in 2001 Niall Ferguson wrote 'The Cash Nexus': "Britain was booming. Since April 1992, the date of the previous election, Bank rates had fallen from 10.5 per cent to 6 per cent,; inflation had fallen from 4.3 per cent to 2.6 per cent; unemployment had fallen from 9.5 per cent to 7.2 per cent; real GDP had risen by 15.8 per cent; and average annual growth was a healthy 2.4 per cent". Lucky Chancellor indeed.

john edwards.

KL to pedestrianise Oxford Street. Great. It would certainly relieve the frantic filthy pavement, & the nerve wracked bus drivers who struggle up & down it as crowds of mobile gabba-gabba blankheads step under their wheels night & day. But - £200,mill for a tram service! Call the men in white coats & tell us where to send get well cards Ken. There are four tube stations - buses can deliver to east/west & centre of Oxford Street, & if the million or so 'shoppers' can't manage walking up & down, jollied along by the merry peals of buskers then hoop-de-doo...£2mill of OUR money! Are the proposed trams going to generate their own power, or are they running on Kryptonite, Ken? Why not pedal powered trams, or yes! Bumper cars. Take a hike. Pedestrianise with sidewalk cafe's abounding under garlanded arches....

Kiffa

Is there anyone out there who has actually worked under Ken Livingstone and can say what he is like? Anyone? Hide behind that nic! Similarly, anyone who has had Boris for a boss? Tell us all.

Thaumaturge

If Brown's lips move, he's lying. If he's doing that queer thing with his jaw, he's lying. If he's awake, he's lying - and he never sleeps. Could one live a lifetime of lies and get away with it, or will the skeletons eventually burst out of the closet.

Rex Amor

G.B has told the truth on one occassion. He told us that Peter Hain is incompetent

Lorraine White

Kiffa: Boris as boss. I worked with Boris for some time when he was Editor of The Spectator [since 1828] Magazine., and, it was GREAT. you can tell when the esprit is up & it was with Mr. Johnson so. The seat of yr pants of being editor of a weekly political/social mag, when as the old saw runs, a week in politics is a long time, and not only construing & writing leaders but overseeing the entire consistent direction of purpose seemed only to lend him & so us, energy - with humour, even if we were at the printers & howling for final copy. All this he did with a completely open door to his office, and it wasn't just tacit 'I hear you' bs. There. Now you know Kiffa. As for working for KL. We're all slaves in his saltmine, be it buses, tubes or ripping large amounts out of our council taxes to fund whatever survival schemes he hatches in that 'Quatermass' egg on the south bank, to which the forecourt-river pavement is 'private property'!? as the cringing galley slave asked the guy on the same oar, 'Do you think we should tip the drummer?' Now you know Kiffa.

JonathanL

Incompetence, Incompetence, Incompetence The 3 defining words for Labour administrations over the past 11 years. Enough is enough. Move over GB and let the new Tory team in to sort out the mess- just like in '79. Long live the Tories - bring back the great and the good. Fundamental issues are: Respect and Responsibility Return - top down please Law & Order - zero tolerance and demonstrating it. Bring in Public humiliation with juveniles named in public domain now that the incidence numbers are increasing dramatically. Stocks…where are you? - what about our human rights?! Education - sense and sensibility please. Logical solutions - bring on the Tories. Discipline - in schools and on the streets. Crack down on behaviours and introduce serious punishments and laws. Zero tolerance. Immigration -stop any new immigration admissions - easiest answer to all the problems. Clamp down on illegals by ploughing through businesses, town by town, region by region. Zero tolerance. Ministerial conduct and lack of understanding how to govern - setting example and setting standards. Responsiblities start at home. Europe - let each country pay for its migrant use of our public services - for every entry they have to pay a fixed entry fee and then a rolling fee depending on age and productivity to the UK economy. This could be europe wide! These are the first of many sensible proposals. Unfortunately we have lost our sense of direction, lack of leadership and respect - starting at the top - to down on the street. Give the country back respect - and let sense and sensibility return to this once great nation.

Robert Coe

Gordon deserves a pat on the back for his political "triumph!" In one go he has:
(1) Destroyed the Liberal Party. Now all their votes will swing to the Conservatives.
(2) Signed up to Europe so the Conservaties, who voted for a Referendom, kept their promise and are given a clean slate on the issue proving to the 88% no's that they were fair and square over Europe
(3) Caused chaos in the Labour Party,
(4) Exposed Gordon Brown for his two-way, devious approach to affairs of this country
(5) Entering into the next General Election knowing that 88% of the public in Britain hate him.

Well done Gordon.

Oh, I forgot: possibly got himself in the Guinness Book of records for losing billions of pounds
on his gold deal.

john edwards.

Now we see the PM [Brown?] using his position to shill for Ken L. by twisting Boris J's statement of intent over the Police & TFL which was ho-hum already debunked - geddit GB & KL - It's SAVING COSTS not - in the Met's case CUTTING JOBS. Now it's Red [Card] Ken for another sliding tackle on Question Time [R.4] this week - 'the only reason he [BJ] is running for mayor is because Cameron won't have him on the front benches'. He was assisted by the Paddick protaganista Mr Huhne putting the boot in with .....' Boris great jokes round dinner table - but God help us if he has to deal with a terrorist outrage, what would he do'? What d'you think Mr Huhne? Then KL crows [Ev.Standard] about art - '..they know that they'll get barbarianism with Boris in...' Both the Q.Time audience [who were very divided] & Mr Dimbleby, cut KL short on the 'front bench slur' . as for the 'art' jibe, it reminds of Bernard Shaw's reply to Sam Goldwyn who had pestered him to write in hollywood. 'the difference between us is that you are solely interested in art, while I am solely interested in money.' Early shower for the pair of them ref.

Augustus

That's right, john edwards, and somebody said it's time for a change. But the editor of this magazine bated Ken not, and promoted Boris not at all. But London IS great and Boris WILL win. Just plaster 'Let's Get Serious' everywhere, Boris, and see what happens... GB porkies? Plenty. But telling everyone that politicians in the eighties and early nineties "lost sight of the long-term interests in tackling inflation in the British economy" is the whopper.

Mark

Motorcycles using bus lanes is my grudge. The reports have been in for ages in the trials around Britian. Every test has shown that letting motorbikes use the lanes lowers accident rates by up to 48%, and eases congestion. Yet Brown & Ken (Under pressure from cycle groups) have hidden this fact and still wont open the bus lanes. So those 48% of avoidable accidents are on their hands. Im unfortunatly a few miles too far out of London to vote for you Boris, but I would if I could. People who can vote PLEASE read up on Ken Livingstone before voting for him. He's a dangerous man.

jeff

intifada? It's comments like that which show why you are unfit to be a party's Mayoral candidate, let alone Mayor.

Augustus

Intifada - so what? What's the beef? Good neologism Boris. Blast those Brownies good and proper!

john edwards

Affordable Housing: Here's some facts: The brilliant Right To Buy started at 70% discount. A 1 bed flat was Band B & valued at £40,000. Discount was cut to 38% [By 'New' Labour] value of 1 bed flat up to £54,000.
a small number of 'property companies' began to flood leaflets 'Thinking of leaving yr flat? Don't it may be worth up to £5,000 [1 bed]. What they did was to scoop up 1,000's of properties across the boroughs, give the broke tenant £5,000 & have them vacate the properties which they then sub-let, 'managed' & in many cases [LBTH for one] had the brass to let it back to the Homeless Units at a nice rental price of your/our money. Homeless units have caused major outbreaks of drug use/sales/damage/noise/terrible domestic wrangles/threats & abuse to other tenants [all that from direct experience] & [this] council LBTH just let it run on, even when we pressed Parliament through our MP, nothing was stopped, though we brought strong evidence of criminal fraud, damaging to a vast number of regular tenants. Then Geoff Hoon assured us there was no intention to 'cut the Right To Buy'.... Enter J.Prescott 'Little Scouse On The Prairie', who put the boot in, cutting the RTB to 16% Maximum while LBTH appraised a one bed flat at ........£125.000 'market rate' . Labour hated right to buy as it was pure St Maggie T wot dun it, but did nothing to stop the clear & flagrant abuses itemised above. How's that for 'Socialist Principles & conscience' Not even a shadow of 'Due Diligence/Responsibility of trust', but utter 'Dereliction of Responsible Duty'. Where was KL in all this? Cosying up to Hubris & Grandeur 'sky's the limit' Architects/Developer buddies. You should know that the 'affordable housing' is un-regulated & the actual building of those units runs at a top rate of 2%. Yes, two flats in every hundred. Meanwhile councils such as LBTH sell off sites at vast inflated prices to shore up their sorry state [1,000's of RTB Leaseholders have & do withhold their 'service charges' as the services are not there, & the Ombudsman takes 18months/2 years to tell them to pay half/two thirds.