He's posted it on his blog but doesn't seem too convinced, telling the Daily Politics that if he was a betting man he wouldn't waste his cash on the prospect.
Deputy Editor
2pm: There's a new Facebook group urging Boris to stand.
5pm statement from Boris sent out by the Party:
"Being Mayor of London would be a fantastic job and anyone who loves London would want to consider the possibility very carefully. I want to stress that this idea did not come from David Cameron or from anyone in his office but I have, of course, been very struck by the number of people who have been urging me to run. In my case, there are huge obstacles – above all my commitment and responsibility to my constituency. It is hard to see how those difficulties could be overcome - but I am ruling nothing out."
8.30pm: The Spectator has endorsed Boris. This looks like it is going to happen!
Are we serious?!?!
Posted by: Graham Checker | July 04, 2007 at 12:11
He does not even represent a London seat!!!
Posted by: Umbrella man | July 04, 2007 at 12:22
That is a bloody good idea. Boris is highly intelligient in a practical way that doesn't talk down to anyone, is humourous, has a fantastic turn of phrase and can stuff that vile little man Livingstone into a cocked hat.
Posted by: Jane | July 04, 2007 at 12:35
Why on earth would he give up H.O.T for!?!?! He'd be bonkers to take on the London job!
Posted by: simon | July 04, 2007 at 12:39
Why do we persist in giving this buffoon airtime? People say he is highly intelligent and I see no proof of it. All I think about is the general public seeing a bumbling, gaffe-prone upper class adult clowning around while purporting to be a representative of the Conservative Party. Boris makes us in to a joke and I feel ashamed that we are considering him to be any sort of a viable candidate for any important role.
Posted by: Richard | July 04, 2007 at 12:43
Remember the line from Blackadder III "Our slogan shall be 'A rotten candidate for a rotten borough'."
But bear in mind that Baldrick did win that election.
Posted by: Roger Bird | July 04, 2007 at 12:44
The declared candidates should save their money and close down their campaigns. Cameron will not let them near the nomination and is determined to impose his own candidate.
If the open primary is to be cancelled, Cameron should call Steve Norris and beg him to stand against Red Ken again. Boris Johnson could not run the proverbial Bullingdon party in a brewery
Posted by: TFA Tory | July 04, 2007 at 12:52
A masterstroke. Just the sort of goon Londoners would actually vote for!
Wouldnt want him representing me personally though.
Posted by: Conservative Homer | July 04, 2007 at 12:56
Surely Boris is disqualified by virtue of being popular with the membership? If that doesn't do for his chances it's only a matter of time before Cameron discovers that he's a member himself.
Posted by: Alex Swanson | July 04, 2007 at 13:03
Boris for Mayor!
The only problem is that I'd guess he'd have to leave the Commons which would put a spanner in the works for the "Boris for PM" campaign.
Posted by: Ted B | July 04, 2007 at 13:11
Agree as always with TFA Tory.
Posted by: jorgen | July 04, 2007 at 13:12
Please do me a favour? Is this really how desperate we are as a Party? I am amazed, frankly amazed.
As someone who pretty much shared Cameron's political outlook, if he backing this idiot for the capital, then his standing and judgment is becoming more and more jaded.
Posted by: TheRadicalTory | July 04, 2007 at 13:12
Agree as always with TFA Tory.
Posted by: jorgen | July 04, 2007 at 13:12
Please do me a favour? Is this really how desperate we are as a Party? I am amazed, frankly amazed.
As someone who pretty much shared Cameron's political outlook, if he backing this idiot for the capital, then his standing and judgment is becoming more and more jaded.
Posted by: TheRadicalTory | July 04, 2007 at 13:13
Please do me a favour? Is this really how desperate we are as a Party? I am amazed, frankly amazed.
As someone who pretty much shared Cameron's political outlook, if he backing this idiot for the capital, then his standing and judgment is becoming more and more jaded.
Posted by: TheRadicalTory | July 04, 2007 at 13:13
wonderful idea, forget what you & i think about him, hands down he is the most popular Tory in a generation. Ken will be riled into fighting a class war and lose...
Posted by: ACA | July 04, 2007 at 13:25
Now that Maude is gone, we may (with luck) see a real candidate coming forward. The problem is that we do not have a household name to inspire my fellow Londoners to come out and vote.
The Mayoral election is easily winnable if we have a strong candidate (not Steve Norris for God's sake) who is articulate enough to expose all the lies peddled by Livingstone and his cabal.
Archie Norman comes to my mind - he is a very successful businessman and a person who won a seat in Kent for us in 1997 against the tide.
Posted by: Yogi | July 04, 2007 at 13:36
Guardian Backbencher's take on it:
SALVE LONDINIUM
Boris. Mayor. No. The Backbencher is horrified at the rumours that the
Henley One might be put in charge of a city of eight million. No
doubt every kamikaze cyclist in the capital will vote for him. But
haven't enough Londoners been [word omitted] over by the pedalling
pontificator? Take the Backbencher's word for it. One night Boris
will be pretending he wants to hear all about your views on education
in Lambeth. The following night he'll be off investigating the rising
damp in a young journalist's North Kensington shoebox. Before long
the tube map will be translated into Latin and Walthamstow dogtrack
will become a gladiatorial arena. Salve Londinium!
...and MayorWatch's:
Increasingly it seems the Cameron project will fail to offer Londoners a candidate likely to pose a credible alternative to Mr Livingstone - if this proves to be the case the public, who are entitled at every election to have a choice between equally credible candidates, will be the losers.
This failure also reflects badly on Cameron’s desire or the voters to see him as a realistic candidate for PM but if he can’t attract viable candidates for such a powerful role what does it say about the makeup of any future Cameron cabinet?
Posted by: Deputy Editor | July 04, 2007 at 13:40
No.
Posted by: Mark Chambers | July 04, 2007 at 13:51
We can't have Steve Norris as a back up yet again, surely? Look at the list we've got, Boris Johnson is the only strong one on it, and crucially for an election in London, appeals to Tory and non-Tory alike.
That said I think the story is balls, he'd be mad to do it.
Posted by: Reagan Fan | July 04, 2007 at 13:56
Anyone who questions Boris intelligence is the real 'baffoon'.
He achieved a first from Oxford Uni, and was President of the Union, that is pretty impressive.
I can imagine most of the people who call him a baffoon, could not achieve half of what he has done in his life.
He has done wonders for the Conservatives reputation amogst students and this has continued since becoming Higher Education Minister.
Bozza for Mayor!!
Posted by: BUCF | July 04, 2007 at 14:05
Someone slap me please. I went last year to a private dinner where Boris was wheeled out to party donors. He showed to great effect that underneath the bumbling oaf image, there was very little substance indeed.
Please, at a time when London needs a leader, can the Party find a credible, robust candidate and not meekly surrender those of us who work/live in the capitol to another 4 years of Livingstone.
Posted by: MHDH | July 04, 2007 at 14:11
Isn't it obvious, even to the most dim witted Old Etonian in the leader's office, that the party needs Steve Norris to run?
Posted by: Jayne Thomas | July 04, 2007 at 14:14
Isn't there a single Tory out there, a decent hard working candidate, with a private life that hasn't been the subject of tabloid intrusion, (with good cause) that can be found to run for Mayor, there must be one surely?
Posted by: david | July 04, 2007 at 14:18
Given the issues around the mayoral race so far, this is not a bad idea. Londoners do seem to want something different and this might work. We all know he clowns around but there is no doubting he is intelligent and could do the job,
Matt
Posted by: Matt Wright | July 04, 2007 at 14:19
"Archie Norman" is not a politician.
Why are some of our members so dumb?
Posted by: James Wright | July 04, 2007 at 14:25
I don't think he'd want to do it though, especially as a failure to manage London business well would wreck his career. I like and admire Mr Johnson and I'm all in favour of Latin-speaking Old Etonians, but he's better off sticking to being an MP I feel.
Having said this, we require a candidate of some description. We really must get rid of Livingstone, at virtually any cost.
Posted by: IRJMilne | July 04, 2007 at 14:32
Voters will want to see a candidate who can do the job. Whether we like it or not, until the post is abolished, we have to have a competant person as Mayor of one of the world's leading cities.
Boris may be popular with a section of the elctorate but most people believe he is light-weight more concerned with his TV image than a serious and thoughful politican.
Posted by: Nicholas Bennett | July 04, 2007 at 14:43
I am on record on this website (if they keep the records) as having suggested Boris months ago.
I made the point that he would not have to give up his Parliamentary seat - certainly not to fight the Mayoralty, probably not even if he won. Wouldn't it be good if the London Mayor had a platform to tell the Labour Government to its face that London will not put up much longer with being the tax cash cow for the rest of the country (with honourable exceptions such as the prosperous good folk of Henley), particularly for the Scots?
The inverse snobs, and moral authoritarians, of course will find reason to sneer. But it is already clear, from the elections of Livingstone, that we Londoners do not take the Mayoralty entirely seriously and look at it as a potential source of amusement. With Boris you would get amusement PLUS firm Conservative instincts PLUS the ability to appoint some really good people to do the heavy lifting. We may not win but by God it would be fun.
Bring it on! How many of these negative people actually live and vote in London? And, to descend into a little crudity, why has he got into so many intelligent and attractive women's knickers? Because he is a charmer who people like.
Posted by: Londoner | July 04, 2007 at 14:47
you're having a laugh. The trains wouldn't run on time. The man is so disorganised, incompetant and a disaster waiting to happen.
Posted by: dhanraj | July 04, 2007 at 14:47
Londoner, if my memory is correct, Members of Parliament cannot be Mayor or members of the GLA. Boris Johnson would have to resign as an MP if elected Mayor.
Surely, London voters would be appalled that the Conservatives cannot find a better candidate than Boris. He may be good for a laugh on dumbed down telly but he has never ran anything of substance. Even the editorial quality of the Speccie plummeted under Johnson's editorship, e.g. Peter Oborne's self-important but vacuous drivel.
Posted by: TFA Tory | July 04, 2007 at 15:21
Boris?? Oh shit no please!!!
Mind you though ... look at the alternatives.. there aren't any! As mentioned above putting up Boris is a good laugh and will absolve Dave from blame when he gets wiped out.
I still think we need a businessman, after all, running London is a business.. end of.
Posted by: Oddball | July 04, 2007 at 15:22
A one-word challenge for Boris lovers - LIVERPOOL!
Posted by: TFA Tory | July 04, 2007 at 15:33
Right so Nick Robinson thinks that Boris would give up a toitally safe parliamentary seat, his for the rest of his life if he wants it to be, in favour of contesting an election with questionable prospects of success does he? Personally I would ascribe greater political nous to Boris than to take such a big chance with his career.
Posted by: Genuine Conservative | July 04, 2007 at 15:51
"A one-word challenge for Boris lovers - LIVERPOOL!"
That makes me love him even more!
Posted by: Elaine | July 04, 2007 at 15:55
Genuine Conservative - I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't need to resign from Henley until/if he is elected. Of course there is a risk he would serve 4 years as mayor and then have nowhere to go but I would imagine the career prospects for an ex Mayor of London are actually very good.
I'm a Boris fan but I'm not at all sure this is the right role for him, however he does look the most electable of the options. It is a shame we are having to scrabble around for credible candidates this late in the game.
Posted by: RobD | July 04, 2007 at 16:16
"Anyone who questions Boris intelligence is the real 'baffoon'.
He achieved a first from Oxford Uni, and was President of the Union, that is pretty impressive"
I think you'll find he got a 2:1, not a first, much as he would like you to beleive otherwise.
He was indeed president of the Union, though that is more a popularity contest than an inteligence test.
Posted by: reality check | July 04, 2007 at 16:22
The man is a clown and an embarrassment to the Conservative Party.The people of London will laugh at a clown but they certainly will not vote for one to run there city.
Posted by: Jack | July 04, 2007 at 16:57
Hard Labour and LibDem voters tell me that there is one Tory they WOULD vote for- the name is always the same. It is Boris Johnson.
Posted by: eugene | July 04, 2007 at 17:22
Just relax. With one mighty bound Dave Cameron will get a celebrity to stand, and sign her up as a member of the Conservative Party. Probably young and from an ethnic minority.
Posted by: Gunther | July 04, 2007 at 17:30
Boris would not need to resign his Parliamentary seat if he won. Livingstone has already set this precedent by holding both jobs for a year between 2000 and 2001.
Of course the residents of Henley might not feel they were getting his undivided attention...
Posted by: Roger Evans | July 04, 2007 at 17:41
This is an insult to voters in Henley and in London. But then, of course, insulting voters is this man's stock in trade. Just ask the people of Liverpool.
Livingstone was a London MP when he ran for Mayor.
He is also a liar. Contrary to his statement, this "idea" came out of David Cameron's office. Nick Robinson did not pull his report out of thin air. But then he is no stranger to lying either, including, famously, in private, about his private life to Michael Howard.
Insulting voters is not the hallmark of a politician but of a clown. The little boys in the leader's office are wrong if they think Livingstone is one, or seen as one.
Posted by: Janet Friedman | July 04, 2007 at 18:08
Yogi suggested Archie Norman.
I think there is some merit in this suggestion. London would certainly benefit from someone like him at the helm though I accept the concerns that he might lack the political touch if he has to take tough decisions.
Boris Johnson ? He certainly would be the most recognisable candidate among the public, but I fear Jack is right. The public perceive him as a clown and you can be sure Boris will do something daft to reinforce that image.
Posted by: Odessa Calling | July 04, 2007 at 18:11
Boris is more than a politician - he is a brand.
And a pretty good one; I think many Londoners will vote for Boris with a smile.
Posted by: olivepeel | July 04, 2007 at 18:39
I don't see Boris as at all daft. Being mayor may be the making of him, but the flipside is that he'd probably have to temper his image. Add to that the need to compromise and the rest that go with actually being in power, and my feeling is that he'd lose his lustre. So we'd lose Boris.
Posted by: thaggie | July 04, 2007 at 18:54
It;s not April 1 is it?
Well it would certainly be an amusing campaign, with Boris and Ken competing to see how many sections of the London electorate they could offend!
Seriously though, he might be a clever chap but if he's been forcibly demoted from a senior frontbench post for a lack of political judgment this cannot be a sensible suggestion.
It smacks of desperation that he is being touted.
Posted by: JamesB | July 04, 2007 at 19:08
Don't understand all the bitching against Boris. Anyone who saw Question Time recently could clearly see that he would appeal to voters of other parties.
OK he is a personality but at least he is known to the voters which is more than can be said of most members of the Shadow Cabinet.Anyone who went to Oxford cannot be a fool or at least I don't think so. Isn't this buffoon thing a bit of an act?
Posted by: Andrew Bradley | July 04, 2007 at 19:26
"But then, of course, insulting voters is this man's stock in trade. Just ask the people of Liverpool."
Not just Liverpool, Southampton too.
This is just another example of the party not taking this election seriously. We need a real candidate not a stale old ham actor.
Posted by: James Furnish | July 04, 2007 at 19:26
Someone has brought up a lot of domain names like boris4london.com recently. I don't recognise the names of the London solicitors listed as registrars, but it could be something related to Boris - maybe he really is planning on running! He would be interesting to say the least.
Check out: http://westbromblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/boris-for-mayor-website-registered.html
Posted by: West Brom Blogger | July 04, 2007 at 20:30
This is fantastic. Boris has cult status with 16-30 year olds.... this has to happen!
Posted by: Jacob | July 04, 2007 at 20:57