London: Mayor & More

Boris Johnson: Closet Gooner

I'm not sure I believe this. But I want to.

At Guardian Politics: London Citizens Are Watching

This went live on the blog last night.

It's nothing personal, you understand, but that Boris Johnson fellow needs watching. There he is in charge of seven million Londoners and eleven billion quid with hardly anyone to keep an eye on him: hardly anyone with power to restrain him, that is. London assembly members, diligent though many of them are, can ask him questions only once a month. Since his election in May he's held just two scheduled press conferences, the second dominated - though not without good reason - by the attendance of Sir Ian Blair to talk about knife crime.

London Says, Boris Says. What Says Anthony Browne?

In May, LondonSays.org wrote a letter to Mayor Johnson drawing attention to its alternative manifesto (pdf). The Mayor has now replied. His message contains the following:

"I have consistently made it clear that I believe a key part of London’s success is its cosmopolitan character, and we should always be a city that welcomes new people. However, if we are to do so in a sustainable manner then the Boroughs need the resources to provide the social and public services to support such population increases."

To points here. One, it seems the word "sustainable" has not been banned after all. Two, does the Mayor's outstanding new Director of Policy share his views on London's "cosmopolitan community"?

At Guardian Comment: Liberty, Equality & Identity

This went live at Cif on Friday:

Addressing the annual pre-Pride reception at City Hall last week Boris Johnson made a large admission. He described seeing a “wonderful” peace mural in Dalston - one well-known to me - that depicts campaigns for minority rights which “my illustrious predecessor” (as he described Ken Livingstone) had championed in the 1980s. These were, said the mayor, satirised at the time by the Conservative Party and, he admitted, “probably by people like me.” But he continued: “We have to be honest and say that 30 years on that carnival vision of London as a place of generosity is more or less what we see around us, and I think that is a great achievement...and it’s something I intend to stick up for as long as I am mayor.”

Rise 2008: A Second Account

From the Last Bus Home blog:

"Was anyone overtly protesting about Boris's cack-handed decision to turn it into a non-anti-racist anti-racist festival? Some lefties protested outside, but they'd probably have protested outside anyway. There were still a few campaigners dotted around, someone held a placard, and one performer did a spookily good Ken Livingstone impression... 'Londoners rejected me a couple of months back... the same will happen to you, Boris'.

The Blonde One didn't put in an appearance while I was there, and even his 'MAYOR OF LONDON' banner was absent, replaced by an anodyne 'GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY' one. So was that the last Rise? I was convinced it was... but then I thought about the numbers there. If there really was 250,000 there, then that's a lot of voters who wouldn't be happy to see the event canned. As with most things Boris, who knows what the future brings? I'm sure as hell he doesn't."

Read on.

Rise 2008: An Account

From blogger Billy Hicks:

"Did you know Boris Johnson actually got rid of the anti-racism message of the Rise festival this year? Every single thing he's done since he became mayor I despise, and I was pleased to see a conga of people at the festival singing 'Boris is a c***, Boris is a c***, na na na na, na na na na'."

Did anyone spot Boris there?

Boris Johnson In "Gay Hat" Shock!

And no tie either! He seems to have enjoyed himself. Pink News has more.

Boris's Pride Outfit: Mayoral Team "Working On It"

With Mayor Johnson assuring his new friends at Pink News that he's "very much looking forward to" making his Pride debut on Saturday speculation about his attire for the occasion continues unabated. Angela, Boris admirer and valued reader of this blog, has offered this suggestion:

"Boris should be tailored to swooning point in Armani or Pierre Cardin at the very least. Hair shorter, but still slightly tousled, hand made shoes, demeanour striking a balance between elegance and insouciance. Gay people are renowned for their exquisite taste, apart from the flamboyant dressers, so the most suitable compliment to the festival would be to turn up exquisitely dressed. However, one of my male gay friends tells me he also appreciates truly original personalities, so Boris's own friendly shambolic style would be equally acceptable."

I've forwarded this advice to the mayor's office as a result of someone I shall call a "senior mayoral source" intimating to me yesterday in the corridors of City Hall that no decision has been taken yet. "What do you think?" the source inquired in a low voice, seemingly eager to hear my opinion. Having ruled out the more garish suggestions made elsewhere I suggested it was largely a question of whether to go for collar-and-tie conformity or the slightly riskier open neck shirt option. In the latter case, choice of colour would be important. Aquamarine, perhaps? Or a nice cornflower blue?

The source nodded his head gravely, taking everything on board, before departing with the enigmatic observation that mayoral team members were "working on the issue." And the name of the source? That will have to remain a mystery...

Mayor's Pride Reception

Yesterday, a reader called Mr Fingers commented:

"I just got back from the Mayor's Pride reception at City Hall. Deary me, his speech was beyond bad. Apparently he's made up that these days London looks like that peace mural on the wall at Dalston Junction where there's 'this and that ethnic minority' on it. Yes, his words. If you can get a transcript of it, its worth publishing in all its poorly briefed, couldn't give a fuck, incompetent boorishness."

I wasn't there but Homovision TV was. Its impression was more favourable:

"We were mildly surprised by Boris’ speech. He came across as an honest yet bumbling guy who’s unfortunately let down by a highly tuned press-office machine that creates the impression that he needs 24/7 press management in case he speaks his mind and/or goes off message."

I'd say it was a very Johnsonian exercise in retrospective damage limitation. See what you think.

Rise 2008: Rebranding Ongoing

As the Troll has noticed and Boris Watch remarked upon, the re-nuancing of the marketing of Rise has shifted a little nearer to its original form. From the GLA press release announcing the line-up Mayor Johnson is quoted thus:

"Rise is still an anti-racist event. But I see Rise as a celebration of what unites the diverse communities of London, not a negative event highlighting differences and focusing on grievances. A music festival allows us to rejoice in the origins, roots and cultures that make London the greatest city on earth."

All this is just enthralling. News on Mirza-era added attractions promised soon.