Another voice
The promise Boris must make if he is to become mayor of London
Wednesday, 1st August 2007
Boris Johnson could make a great Conservative candidate for the London mayoralty, and a great mayor of London. But he’ll need to get the pitch right. I’m afraid the first thing he’ll have to do is steer well clear of The Spectator.
Boris Johnson could make a great Conservative candidate for the London mayoralty, and a great mayor of London. But he’ll need to get the pitch right. I’m afraid the first thing he’ll have to do is steer well clear of The Spectator. This splendid and in the best sense rather exclusive institution is the worst possible base from which to make a serious appeal to the much-put-upon citizens of the metropolis. There’s a worrying hint already that we Spectator folk think it’s all rather a hoot — Good Old Boris, Tally-Ho Boris, Stick it up-’em Boris, etc — which is precisely the note his campaign ought to avoid striking.
For if anything is to sink the Johnson candidature, it will be an impression of careless jollity — and he’s better than that. Frankly, we at The Spectator would all be doing Boris a favour if we pretended not to support him at all. We should run Tamzin Lightwater; then, finally — when her application is rejected — affect fogeyish surprise that in this age of media constructs and virtual reality the Tory party should still be insisting that a candidate actually exists.
More articles from: Matthew Parris | this section
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
Should the Tories follow Frank Field’s lead and, in the…
Oh dear. I may have to write a book…
Consider this: barring the intervention of an usually malevolent deity,…
‘Say what you like about servicemen amputees,’ said the comedian…
If the devil is in the detail then Satan’s foremost…
Popular Blogger Posts
sponsored links
GASCONY
GASCONY, SW France, near Condom-en-Armagnac 13th Century stone house, 21st Century luxury for 12 in 5 en-suites. 50 acres +
BIG SAND STEEL BAND
IF YOU ARE PLANNING A CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION and looking for some light entertainment, you can now hire London's busiest steel
BOSC LEBAT, Tarn et Garonne.
BOSC LEBAT, SW France. Only 45 minutes from Toulouse Airport with daily flights from most provincial airports avoiding the horrors
Spectator Business | Apollo Magazine
Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2009 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
Be the first to comment on this article!
Back to top