Andrew Boff sets out themes for his primary campaign

Mayoral hopeful Andrew Boff has given an interview to PinkNews.co.uk.  Here are three key quotes:

On Project Cameron: "It's not an experiment. There are people who still yearn for the halcyon days that never actually were, and all parties have that. You've got the Liberals with their sandal-wearers, you've got the Labour party with their socialists, who are now completely marginalized. In our party, we've got people who feel there is something else about the party. Queen and country, but that's always been the case. There's no way it's going to change now, the Conservative party is bedded in to the Cameron agenda, even if Cameron were to go. It's unstoppable, and we will not be going backwards."

On being a Mayor for London beyond Zone 1: "There is this psychology about everything – everybody's logo for this election will have a picture of Big Ben, or the wheel, or the testicle. (A reference to London City Hall).  That's a tiny part of London. People will be obsessed with the congestion charge – it affects a tiny part of London. What we really want to do is find out what kind of services are being provided in the outer London boroughs, how they feel about being disengaged, how they feel about all the decisions being made, sometimes as much as twenty miles away, by somebody who's never been there."

The bendy bus fiasco: "Don't just import something. Actually design a bus for London. For goodness sake, we're big enough to be able to justify the expense of designing something specifically for this city."

On being a Londoner: "I'm a Londoner born and bred. When I was born, it was actually Middlesex, in 1958, Uxbridge was in Middlesex, but my mum and dad are both Londoners, my mum was from the East End, and we're a London family."

Direct Democracy. Revisiting his year-old ConservativeHome idea of voters being able to recall the mayor, Andrew Boff uses his interview to argue that Londoners should have the right to draw up their own policies and have them voted on by fellow Londoners: "Every politician will come in and say to you, 'we believe in consultation,' but very few of them say how they will turn that into actual power for the people.”

Editor's comment: "Andrew Boff's idea of recall powers is strongly supported by ConservativeHome.  Although most people expect an easy victory for Boris Johnson in the primary election the whole process may still be very useful for policy creation and forcing the frontrunner to clarify his own thinking on issues of every day importance to Londoners.  That includes Londoners who live outside of Zone 1.  There may be the seed of an idea in Andrew's observation about every campaign logo likely using an image of Big Ben or the London Eye.  Perhaps the winning Tory mayoral contender should find an image/ logo that represents the vast bulk of people who live outside of the centre."

Comments

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Not too keen on Boris - never have been, although I accept that he's a 'draw'. In normal circumstances, Andrew Boff would do well - even win. Will probably vote for you, Andrew, so good luck!

[Roger Evans]

Andrew makes a good point about campaigning for the Outer London vote. In the past too many of them have stayed at home (perhaps hoping that by doing so they register a protest and the bogeyman will go away). We need their votes if we are to rid London of Livingstone.

[Michael McGowan]

The process would benefit enormously if Andrew Boff gave Boris a run for his money whether Andrew wins or not.

[london conservative]

I agree with Justin. Andrew Boff lacks name recognition: I would prefer Steve Norris to Boris Johnson, but under the circumstances, I would prefer Andrew Boff to Boris Johnson, who, as the first rate newspaper columnist Stephen Pollard points out in an excellent post on the Spectator Blog, is a bad joke rather than a candidate.

"I realise that Boris is the Spectator's candidate for Mayor, and that he's an all round funny fellow and all that. But...

"I can't for the life of me see how anyone could consider he'd make a good Mayor. I made a huge mistake last time round in voting for Ken Livingstone on a single issue, the congestion charge. Steve Norris was against, and I was (and remain) hugely in favour. But I stupidly ignored the more rounded picture - that Livingstone is a first class sh*t, and a man who disgraces the city he represents.

"And that's my problem with Boris. It has nothing to do with his personal life, which I think is a red herring. It's that I think he is a buffoon. I simply don't buy this idea that beneath the exterior lies a piercingly sharp interior. I just think what you see is what you get - a teriffic writer, a wonderfully comical speaker, and a figure who shouldn't have even the tiniest real influence on anything of importance.

"The idea that Boris Johnson might be the man to represent London on the world stage just embarrasses me. And I have seen no evidence - not just little evidence, but no evidence - that he has any worthwhile contribution to make on public policy issues or that he has any kind of vision for London, let alone the ability to implement it.

"Talk about an impossible choice: al-Qaradawi's PR man or a buffoon."

http://www.spectator.co.uk/stephenpollard/

[dougal]

If Boris wins the Primary and then the Mayoralty, I hope he will have the sense to have Mr Boff close by his side to advise on policy and the nuts and bolts of running London, together with Mr Lightfoot advising on the finances.

[C List and Proud]

Boff is a "real" person.

Boris is a Eton/Oxford/Home Counties/Upper Class type. As such, despite his bonhomie and general happy go lucky demeanour, he has little chance of relating to the millions of voters in London who vote for Ken because he is seen as one of them. I like the guy, but please, not as mayor.

Look at Boff's background. Born on a Council estate, schooled at a secondary modern, dropped out of polytechnic. Lived in west London, central London, sarf ada rivah, norf oda rivah. Youngest ever Conservative Council leader. Moved east - to Hackney. How many do that?

He's gay and in a civil partnership with a state school teacher. He relates to Londoners. He can say, "I know what you mean, because I did that....." wheras Boris will just say, "Cripes! Really?"

As for Warick and Borwick, well, nice people, but K&C ain't London!

[H.Hemmelig]

Like others on here have said, Andrew Boff looks like an ideal candidate on paper.

However, I remember his performance at the hustings in 2003 the last time he tried to be mayoral candidate. His performance came across as abrasive and ranting, totally over the top.

[GT]

Andrew Boff was selected at late notice as candidate for Hornsey and Wood Green in 1992. He was a fantastically energetic candidate and a great camapaigner. He has shown he has not lost his campaigning skills by winning a council seat in Hackney.

He will take the battle of ideas against Ken and won't let the Lib Dems catch him out.