Cameron makes light of Boris Johnson's campaign but donors express dismay to The Times

This morning's Times has more on the drift within the Boris Johnson campaign:

"Nothing has distilled the Tory leader’s doubts about his London mayoral candidate quite like Mr Johnson’s failure to exploit the fallout over the Stockwell shooting.

Mr Livingstone has left himself exposed by mounting a staunch defence of Sir Ian, but Mr Johnson has been all but mute. He gave a single quote on the day of the prosecution, saying that the commissioner should consider his position. Mr Cameron, addressing a function on Monday, made fun of his candidate saying: “Inside Boris there is a serious, ambitious politician fighting to get out.” The gag, while seemingly affectionate, was laced with menace.

Even donors to Mr Johnson’s campaign – he has so far registered £80,000 – express dismay privately at the hush that has settled over his mayoral effort. Other critics noted that the first public act of Mr Johnson’s campaign office on moving into new accommodation was to dispatch invitations to a Christmas party.

It is not denied that there was a meeting between Mr Johnson and George Osborne, the Tories’ campaign supremo, recently. It is thought that Mr Osborne pressed Boris to step up a gear and attempted to impose James McGrath, a Conservative Central Office staffer, to help to inject urgency. Nor is it denied that the Tory candidate has spent much of his time on the filming of a BBC documentary on London’s cultural heritage.

What Mr Johnson denies vehemently is that his failure to be more involved in what he calls the “scalp-hunt-ing” of Sir Ian is linked to his filming. He said that he had agreed long ago with David Davis that he would leave the field clear for the Shadow Home Secretary on the question of Sir Ian’s future. He does now think, he added, that Sir Ian’s position is untenable."

Related link: Get going now, Boris says Stephan Shakespeare

6.30pm: Ben Brogan's view

Comments

[conservativeplayer]

I think Boris' campaign could do with a kick up the proverbial. James McGrath did an excellent job with Francis Maude and would give the thing the shove it needs.

[Derek]

It is sometimes better to say nothing. I am sure Boris will have plenty to say when he feels the need. It is not as if he is not still commenting in his newspaper column.

[Deller]

COMMENT OVERWRITTEN BY THE EDITOR.

[Les]

Slightly old news now but I think that the likely Boris approach to the campaign could have been predicted from his somewhat casual and 'jokey' approach to filling-in the original application form.

In the absence of any other 'high-profile' Conservative candidates, I get the impression that Boris has taken on the job 'for a bit of a laugh' without any real expectation of winning.

A pity we couldn't have put up one of the serious candidates with local government background--thay may not have won but their contribution to the debate would have been valuable.

[london conservative]

He doesn't get his act together because he can't spare the time: he's too busy making money. He's done this before with the Spectator and the paid speaking circuit but at least other people were ultimately responsible for the election results. Sadly, that isn't so in this case.

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/2007/11/11/tv-boris-to-make-1million-98487-20092123/

"TV Boris 'to make £1million'

11/11/2007

Maverick Tory Boris Johnson is on course to pocket £1million this year through lucrative TV appearances and speeches.

In just six months, he has earned up to £250,000 on top of his MP's annual £60,000 salary.

Bumbling Boris is also paid £250,000 a year for a column in a Tory newspaper, according to a new version of the MPs' Register of Interests.

Critics claim the figures show that he is not serious about his attempt to oust Ken Livingstone as Mayor of London."

[englandism]

Just to cheer everyone up. Kenny is getting a serious caning over at the Guardian from 360 degrees of political opinion over his matey Sir Ian.

Link on ConHome front page if anyone wants to join in the fun.

[realtories]

Keep up the good work Boris and desist any attempts to include anyone in the team associated with Francis Maude.

[Treacle]

If you want to win you must prepare, if you want to convince you must know the issues inside out.

The only thing that could undermine the best chance we have had of beating Livingstone is for our candidate to look 'bumbling' or 'unprepared'.

The fact that he and his team are doing their homewark, and finding out about the real inside story in the outer London Boroughs that both Livingstone and Norris ignored is testimony to Boris's committment, not a lack of it.

So push off Labour trolls, we have a candidate who can win and we are coming for you.

When we are ready, not when you are

[Moral minority]

The words excrement and fan spring to mind!

[Carol Walker]

Bumbling, unprepared and un-interested. He's managed to come across as all three.

[Graham Checker]

Boris - pull yourself together and get out there NOW.

Waiting until the New Year is too late..

We don't want you to lose this.

YOU MUST FOCUS ON YOUR MAYORAL BID 100%

[buzzlightyear]

Quite clearly those directing this campaign have got the strategy all wrong.

Someone please explain why a Christmas party is of greater importance than a day / evening campaigning in London?

[Nicholas Bennett]

In the words of the great Michael Winner, "Calm down dears". The election campaign will take off after Christmas. In the meantime Boris is doing the serious work of ensuring he has a good grip of all the issues and has a well thought out manifesto. On Tuesday he had a the first of a series of meetings with activists when he met Chairman, agents, the GLA Candidate, the Borough Leaders and others from Bromley and Bexley at County Hall. Better to have a well thought through, intelligent campaign rather than a half cock one.

[london conservative]

I know that a lot of people in the party don't understand campaigns but this one requires a heavy media focus and presence.

Spending the odd day in between filming for the BBC talking to party workers is not the same as that, something which almost every newspaper and David Cameron have noticed.

And what is all this nonsense about "a good grip of the issues." Steve Norris used to show up knowing the issues inside out already. "BJ" said he was taking September off, you know as you do when you're a candidate who isn't the incumbent in a city where our party last ran London's elected government in 1981, to "learn the issues," but apparently that included October, November and December, so four months gone.

Also, I don't remember him explaining during the primary process about his lucrative work for the BBC that required so much time and effort this side of Christmas.

[Andrew Carter]

By taking four months off before his Christmas party, Boris Johnson has cut his available campaigning time in half.

Also, as someone who had initially thought about giving money, does anyone know to what the "costly organisational cock up" semi-reported here by the Daily Mail's Ben Brogan actually refers to?

"Boris 'in danger of bombing'

Where is Boris? Conservatives I have spoken to in recent days have all at some point turned the conversation to the performance - or rather the non-performance - of the party's candidate for London mayor. They are worried by his absence from the political fray, by his failure to make more of Sir Ian Blair's difficulties, and by rumours that he is spending more time on his media commitments than his efforts to unseat Red Ken. I suspect they have in part been galvanised by recent reports on ConservativeHome of the mop-haired one's casual approach to campaigning. The Times has elaborated on the theme today, reporting David Cameron's not-so-gentle put down of Boris on Monday: "Inside Boris there is a serious, ambitious politician fighting to get out." As Boris might say, "cripes". Last week I was sworn to secrecy about a costly organisational cock-up by Boris, which reinforced my doubts about his candidacy. I'm sure he'll turn up at some point, but beating Ken is a serious business; I'm not sure the party can afford an Old Etonian, Old Bullingdonian loser."

[John]

As a recent nu labour defector, I think Boris should stand down as London Mayor, not sure who should replace him, but ANYONE would be an advantade over red ken. ( EXEPT boris that is )