Political insiders argue that Boris Johnson should emphasise his serious side in final stages of London campaign

Later this morning we'll have the latest YouGov poll for The Evening Standard.  An Ipsos MORI poll for yesterday's Observer had Boris Johnson 2% ahead on second preferences.

In the meantime PoliticsHome.com has just published a poll of one hundred political insiders and their responses to what Boris Johnson should do next.  The panel's key conclusions were:

1. "Keep focus away from the candidate himself by primarily presenting Boris as the anti-Ken option and the face of a cabinet-style of government, supported by professionals
2. Keep up the attacks on Ken as both enmeshed in corruption and cronyism and a tired figure of the past
3. Maximise chances of winning the second-preference vote by focusing on the environment and social exclusion
4. Above all, focus on combatting the impression that Boris is an unserious candidate who has never run anything substantial
5. Do not ‘let Boris be Boris'. In order to avoid losing his lead, Mr Johnson must contain the eccentricities of his personality and try to present a more conventionally serious image."

Read the full results here and, for fun, watch Rory Bremner's parody of Boris from last night's Bremner, Bird & Fortune programme.

Comments

[eugene]

I have two family members living in London- both were voting Boris a week ago and now both are unsure. Their view is that he waves his hands too much and stumbles and bumbles to the point that one cannot follow what he is trying to say.... and is unprepared for debates.

It is very worrying.

[Clockwork Mouse]

Does he have a serious side? He does not seem to be able to answer questions properly or speak seriously.
As Mayor he would be a disaster.

[Rachel Joyce]

Boris has been to Harrow a number of times now. On the last visit he came to a number of campaign sites.

He was completely on top of his brief on all occasions and was open and able to talk to ordinary voters easily about the issues that affect them.

He might be a human being as opposed to an automaton politician, but that makes him the right person for the job.

[Matt Carter]

He was great on Newsnight too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRRYDVaXdaA

;-)

[Tony Makara]

A big part of Boris Johnson's appeal is that he is not a production line politician. I think its a bit patronizing to suggest that Boris rein in his personality in the run up to the big vote. Of course all politicians have to watch for gaffes but Boris isn't going to court controversy. People seriously underestimate Boris, he has a sharp mind and his affable nature is disarming and deadly to an opponent. Boris doesn't need to watch his step, you can bet he is the most calculating of all the candidates.

[eugene]

On paper, Boris should walk it....even Labour agree that inside the M25, Labour lost the battle years ago. Livingstone has lost the Jewish vote since and his sucking up to terrorists apologists will not win over the anti Iraq war crowd from East London.

Why then is the polling so close and showing Livingstone closing the gap?

Boris needs to get his thumb out, look presentable, prepare for questions, pause (even a long pause) before answering questions to avoid stumbling over his words, keep those damn hands down, put out a list of his achievements, make his qualification clear so people know he cannot be an idiot and attack Livingstone for a lax attitude to business, crime and welcoming some very dodgy people to London.

Then we will win....and we richly deserve to win.

[Adam-]

What have they done to his hair? Don't tell me they got to his hair!

[Backing Boris]

I was with Boris all Sunday afternoon on the campaign. He is a winner, he is convincing, he knows his brief and he comes across as human. He did two 'soapbox' speeches and the voters love him. The other side has no idea what to do. The 100 Insiders you quote are absolutely right. Lynton Crosby will certainly be saying the same. Now it's up to US, the campaigners - to campaign 24/7, get the pro-Boris vote out and persuade LibDem voters to put him #2. Boris and Lynton are 80% there. We must not let them down.

[TimberWolf]

How many jobs has Boris been sacked from?
What does this tell us about him?

[backing boris]

Please campaign for Boris in London if you aren't already doing it. Those from out of London - I'm sure we can provide beds for you during the last two weeks of the campaign

[according to YouGov]

Four in 10 Londoners agree with the statement: “Boris Johnson is not serious enough to be an effective Mayor of London.”

[Backing Boris]

"Four in 10 Londoners agree with the statement: “Boris Johnson is not serious enough to be an effective Mayor of London"

==> So what? If 60% say he IS serious enough to be Mayor, that gives him a comfortable victory over your clown

You'll have to try harder than that, Mr/Ms "according to YouGov".

[snegchui]

Tony Makara: "People seriously underestimate Boris, he has a sharp mind and his affable nature is disarming and deadly to an opponent" OK what is Boris going to do to make them stop underestimating him?? Because if he doesn't do it soon, he could slip up, and if you don't have the job, you can't show what you can do.
With this question of the cabinet, I think it is now too late. I accept points people made that you can't expect people to risk current jobs/reputations on a promise so Boris can't name people. And if he did now, would it be spun/perceived as himself being rattled. ? But on the other side people know it will NOT be Boris running London, but don't know who will be. Right strategy, wrong tactics?, time will tell. Ken is a rusty old tin with a peeling and obscure label and with a bad niff about it, but people feel they understand it better than they understand Boris, and so may vote, even unwillingly for that which they think they understand.

[Jill, London]

Matt Carter – the same week as the “Newsnight” debate was the LBC radio mayoral debate – Boris performed excellently :)

There’s a listen again facility – link:

http://www.lbc.co.uk/
LISTEN AGAIN TO NICK FERRARI'S MAYORAL DEBATE

[Jill, London]

TimberWolf – why sneer at Boris when Comrade Livingstone has barely worked outside politics. As far as I can ascertain, Comrade Livingstone last had a non-political job back in 1973.

Why do the Left hate people who’ve got experience outside politics, and who’ve worked in the private sector?

[anti-clown]

Jill, Nasty, seems to have forgotten: it's hardly just the Left that has questioned Boris's experience and abilities. Many on the Right, and in the Conservative Party also have as is well known. Would she like to be reminded of their names and comments?

And as for "and who’ve worked in the private sector?" I think Andrew Rawnsley (who doubtless is a "Lefty" or a "Comrade" and so whose opinions don't count, oh but wait a minute no criticism of Boris counts for her) put it rather better than she did:

"The Tory MP for Henley is not over-burdened with qualifications to run London when all Boris has done is preside over (I hesitate to say edited) a right-wing magazine."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/apr/06/livingstone.boris?gusrc=rss&feed=politics

[Londonlx]

so, anti-clown... Boris' ability was questionned (would you not question any candidates ability or just blindly follow your leader?!) and he was found not over-burdened. Big whoop.
Why do people who seem to be on ken's side write things in a negative way, but are actually not that negative, if at all... I guess these are the people who can't see past spin, so are happy when ken says everything is under control!

[anthony scholefield]

I see the Lega Nord was the leading party in the Italian election in Milan and the whole of Lombardy-31% of the votes. Their first order of business is no more mosques to be built and a clearout of illegal immigrants.
I wonder what the BNP vote will be- any takers on 12% as the Boris/Ken show continues with uusual Westminster evasions on the key issues.

[West London Tory]

My wife and I have yet to receive any communication from Boris or any of his opponents. Matt Carter's excellent ads and political broadcast has persuaded my wife to vote English Democrat. She has switched from Boris who, in her opinion, has bumbled his way through television and radio interviews. More floating voters could back the candidates of the minority parties because they find Boris unconvincing. Not even Lynton Crosby can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.