Boris’s Bit of Bovver
Posted by jonathanfryer on Monday, 12th May, 2008
London Mayor Boris Johnson’s love affair with the Evening Standard has taken its first hard knock. In this evening’s edition of the paper, there are several photos of BoJo on his cycle (without a helmet), going through red traffic lights, failing to stop at a pedestrian crossing and cycling along a pavement area. As a Standard editorial piously, but correctly, intones: ‘Boris Johnson’s behaviour as a cyclist will [...] have to change. [...] In the interests of setting a good example, not to mention keeping within the law, the Mayor should mend his ways.’ Send that boy to the headmaster’s office, for six of the best. Ouch! Oh cripes!
At least BoJo didn’t have a limo following behind, carrying his briefcase and a pair of clean shoes. So he is not an environmental hypocrite, unlike someone who shall remain nameless (because toffs don’t sneak on each other, do they?). Crikey, no.
Wednesday, 14th May, 2008 at 7:34 am
For intellectuals, progressives, liberals Londoners Boris Johnson’s electoral victory must have been perceived as the return of Godzilla. While the rest of the world had no idea this political British creature existed. Nevertheless his rise to power (since Boris was already famous) documents a political trend spreading in traditionally leftist Europe: The Right is back.
Here, on the other side of the Atlantic, we are used to having a bumbling clumsy conservative be the face of the dominant political party (Republican Party) of the last decade; you know who he is. W. Surprisingly, as if a California earthquake was shaking the Old Continent, more European nations are tilting conservative: Germany, France, Italy. And Boris took London
Don’t get me wrong. I am not implying you are finally leaning to the right (correct) direction, only that Boris Johnson might be the newest face of a political tremor most liberal journalists were unable to see - liberal myopia. And that with BJ’s the world will get to see a face of England, yes England, we often don’t here in your former colonies. Actually, with all his bad press, I think I am beginning to like him, he should do “Jay Leno”. Boris for PM! Yeah.