Any questions for Boris Johnson?

Boris Johnson... MP for Henley... Telegraph columnist... former Spectator Editor... Have I Got News For You? presenter... cyclist... and now the Tory who wants to be Mayor of London.

Please leave the questions you'd like Boris Johnson to answer in the thread below.  We'll then choose a large number of those questions and submit them to him for answers by early next week.

The other candidates have already answered questions: Andrew Boff, Victoria Borwick and Warwick Lightfoot.

Comments

[Liz Stevenson]

Can you bring back the Routemaster? If not, what will you replace 'bendy buses' with? The money has been spent on them now and I think most 'Londoners' have moved on.

Don't you think that the most pressing transport issue is over crowding on the tubes? Do you have a policy on addressing this?

Thank you.

[Ray Gillespie]

Which animal do you think Ken Livingstone most resembles; a weasel or an otter?

[Henry Mayhew - Ukipper / Closet racist]

What will you do to develop London's architecture?

[Les]

Boris

I think you're great and you certainly make me laugh but what can you possibly bring to the role of London Mayor which would not be better delivered by those candidates with a solid track record in local government.

[Londoner]

I am pleased you have said you will not abolish the congestion charge without putting something in its place. Any further hints yet what the "something" might be? If it is a form of road pricing that requires "a spy in the car", i.e. even more intrusive surveillance, civil liberties objections would start to bump up against green purity. One suggestion, perhaps not a total solution, might be a hefty supplementary car tax for any NON-residents of London who want to drive within the north/south circular (Greater London residents not having to pay) and new free car parks opening at 10am at suburban stations, with enhanced train services, just outside that zone.

[Richard]

Are there any ideas from the Ancient World which you think are particularly relevant to latter-day London?

[Chris Heathcote]

I tried to ask this at last night's hustings in Iford but wasnt picked, it's one that get talks about but I havent heard an answer on it...

If Boris wins the nomination, as seems likely, what will he do about being MP for Henley? Particularly if an election is called before the Mayoral election.. Will he carry on and be accused of not taking the mayoralty seriously

[W9 Conservative]

1. General Election Oct 2007 - Henley or London?

2. General Election May 2008 - Henley or London?

if the answer to either is "both" what message does this send to the voters of Henley and London....

[Tony Makara]

What is the best way to approach urban regeneration in the city, Ken Livingstone has clearly failed to clean up some of the more unsighly areas of London, what can you do to improve things?

[Peter]

Do you sympathise with those who consider the government posters stamped with 'Mayor of London' all over the capital to be unBritish and more than a little Orwellian? Would you scrap them?

[englandism]

A note to Kenny:

Ken and Barbie

Blonde bombshell Boris drops electoral bombshell on bendy bus Ken who reacts by dissing BoJo as some highly contrived combination of Klaus Barbie, gangland mobster and U-turning upper class nincompoop.

The trouble with this trawling for sleaze, indiscretion and indecision is that it tends to blow back upon the instigator particularly if that instigator then publicly reiterates the same poisonous bile by rote. Rising above the attacks, 'it's not me guv', would have allowed the sustained disinformation and abuse to soak into the BoJo campaign but by Ken getting up close and personal he has made himself personally accountable.

If the enemy has strength based upon celebrity and bumbling, good natured, charm I would suggest that a more Patrician level of bemused detachment would have been more effective than this self destructive attempt at a bare knuckle fight where the opponent refuses to roll his sleeves up and join in.

Calm it down Ken, the English love an underdog and all you are doing is gifting BoJo your traditional underdog status.

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ken_livingstone/2007/09/capital_incompetents.html

My Question:

Are you tempted to counter attack? I would tend to let Ken and the Islington Stasi crack on with this self-defeating nonsense.

[MikeA]

Do you intend to appear as a guest presenter on this Autumn's series of Have I Got News For You? Will you push for Ken to be a panelist?

[MikeA]

What will you do to target the biggest issue we all face living and working in London. The low-level (and sometimes not so low level) public disorder, incivility, misbehaviour and petty criminality that blights our streets and lives. Our authorities seem unable or unwilling to take any meaningful action against any of these issues and their weakness further encourages criminality.
I visit New York regularly and the contrast between the safe streets and the actions of the NYPD and the streets of London and the Met Police are far wider than the Atlantic Ocean!

[Yogi]

Livingstone has essentially bought the votes of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Southwark, Camden, Islington et al - by manipulating the congestion charge boundaries and the votes of the Islamists. He has also branded you a racist and a friend of Darius Guppy.
If you get selected as the conservative mayoral candidate, how do you plan to galvanise the anti Livingstone vote and the waverers and get the vote out? I am sure as a journalist you are well aware of the power of the media and how Livingstone is capable of manipulating and his poer of patronage. So, will you roll up your sleeves and are you preapared for a very dirty campaign?

[Richard Tracey]

What will you do to limit or change some of the more annoying powers of TfL? Do you know TfL is responsible for Red Routes in London, including maintenance and enforcement of pavement infringements such as displaying illegal advertising boards which clutter pavements such as Tooting High Street, but they have long delays in taking any action? London boroughs should hold these powers over their own local High Streets, so will you correct this?

[Joseph Brayson]

If you are accepted as the Conservative nominee, would you consider resigning your seat as MP for Henley, so you could devote your campaigning full time.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Do you think there should be an area in central London dedicated to the former pigeons of Trafalgar Square? They're a huge tourist attraction, are nice little creatures and, above all, the animal welfare vote in London is massive!

[Gary Etheridge]

A number of those lucky enough too, have moved out of South London, into Kent, more especially the Medway Towns. However, these people still may work; have contacts / relatives living in London that they can influence.
When do you intend to visit Medway to convince these London refugees to throw their weight behind you and your campaign.

Visit and post a note on www.stroodconservatives.com

[london conservative]

COMMENT OVERWRITTEN BY THE EDITOR.

[James Burdett]

Though I'm not a Londoner, I commute in on a daily basis. Whoever wins the election next year will be responsible for transport in London in the major part of the build-up to the 2012 Olympics. How are you going to ensure that London's transport infrastructure is sufficient to cope with the continued daily demand of the commute plus a larger than normal tourist influx?

[Naomi]

I'm very concerned by your comments with regards to bringing back the Routemaster. Are you aware that these buses are not DDA-compliant, and that many Londoners (from disabled people to parents with buggies) are completely unable to use them? It's difficult enough for wheelchair users to get around on London public transport without adding inaccessible buses to the mix. Surely there must be a better solution to the city's transport issues than taking this step backwards.

[Deputy Editor]

Thanks for your questions, I've sent a selection to Boris to be answered shortly.