Fair Comment?

Boris Gilligan writing in the Evening Boris:

"Ken Livingstone may tell us about the Olympics, the Oyster card and the miracle on the buses. He may tell us of the success of the congestion charge, the ever declining crime rate and the transformation of London. I want to tell him about my journey to work..."

You'll never believe this, readers, but it was terrible! Boris Gilligan was menaced by a "penaltyfares Nazi" while Tfl announcements formed an "Orwellian soundtrack." You'll never believe this either, but it's all Ken Livingstone's fault! And so is everything else about London that Boris Gilligan says has not improved: traffic congestion; the availability of affordable housing; the transport infrastructure; public transport fares; the environment. Even some things that did improve have started getting worse again, says Boris Gilligan. He doesn't like those bendy buses and the fare-dodging that goes on on them (oh, for a "penaltyfares Nazi"). He says that crime has gone down under Ken Livingstone but that, "We may, just may, be at a turning point." Good grief, things are grim. Tell us Boris Gilligan, is there no bright side? Thankfully, there is:

"Of course London's improved - in the economy, the arts, the restaurants. But I don't see how Ken can possibly have played more than a minor part in any of that, unless we count Mayoral press releases as a new art form, or Lee Jasper's chums have opened a takeaway."

Oooh, vicious!

"By claiming credit for the success of the entire city, Mr Livingstone is concealing his relative failure in those aspects of it for which he actually is responsible."

Let's pause here for a moment's measured thought. Boris Gilligan's assertions about lack of improvements during Livingstone's time in office may or may not be justified. But just as he may also be justified in saying that Livingstone can't claim much credit for the things he, Boris Gilligan, thinks have improved, I'm not sure he can so easily pin the blame on Livingstone for all of those he thinks have not. You know, aren't a thriving economy and soaring house prices - making more of them "unaffordable" - in any way related? Aren't the levels of public transport fares in any way related to the sums available for investment in public transport from other sources? Can crime levels, whether rising or falling, ever be solely explained by policing policies? Just asking. And maybe Boris Gilligan will ask Boris Johnson.