Boris approaches his 100th day

Big interview with London's Mayor in today's Times in which Boris suggests that his London agenda could significantly inform David Cameron's agenda for Britain.

Phil Taylor has already written for ConHome's Platform about Boris' first months in office.  Here are four quick conclusions of our own:

High points: The audit of London's finances by Patience Wheatcroft and the alcohol ban on public transport.

Low point: The surrender to the race relations industry with the departure of James McGrath.

Hope for the future: The team that Boris Johnson is building. It's high calibre. We think of Tim Parker (most of all), Kit Malthouse, Dan Ritterband, Simon Milton, Anthony Browne (soon) and Guto Harri.  Harri must take some of the blame for the mishandling of the Ray Lewis episode but also the credit for the fact that Boris has two or three good stories - almost every day - in the Evening Standard.

Worry for the future: A bored Boris. Boris goes out of his way in The Times' interview to talk about his "wonderment" at being Mayor but we hear frequent reports of a distracted and sometimes frustrated Mayor.

> GO TO CONSERVATIVEVAULT.COM FOR A TIMELINE OF BORIS JOHNSON'S MAYORALTY

Comments

[Sally Roberts]

I agree that the danger could come from a "bored Boris" - he's got to keep focused and dealing with the next new challenge on the agenda - otherwise he will get himself into mischief! He also should be very much aware that Livingstone has by no means given up and is waiting in the wings to pounce on any slip-up - he's even got himself a radio show (Saturday afternoon on LBC97.3) on a regular basis starting at the end of this month - something which Guto Harri needs to keep a close eye on I think!

[thomas]

What has Boris done that Cameron could utilise? Aside from the alcohol ban and a financial audit what is it the party should copy?

[Libertarian]

"Boris goes out of his way in The Times' interview to talk about his "wonderment" at being Mayor but we hear frequent reports of a distracted and sometimes frustrated Mayor."

Pining for Petronella? He can't go out on the pull with Ritterband, Milton or Boles!

[Roger Evans]

The biggest danger for the future must be the time when the press honeymoon comes to an end. Thus far, with the exception of the Lewis episode, the press have been reasonably supportive of Boris. We can't realistically expect that to last.

Livingstone is still hanging around but, paradoxically, he is likely to be more of a problem for Labour. In 2012 they will be looking for a candidate who can rescue some crumbs from defeat at the general election. They will need to show that they have learned and moved on, yet their party loyalists will be very tempted to give the old socialist 'one more go'. Labour's search for a candidate could provide some class (war) entertainment.

[Libertarian]

Boris's inept performance to date (due in no small part to his over-reliance on the Policy Exchange clique) does not bode well for the rest of his term. By 2012, the sheen will have worn off a Cameron government.

Labour will probably be daft to pick Red Ken again. That will leave an opportunity for a credible independent candidate running on an anti-politician platform.

Jeremy Clarkson or Richard Littlejohn would be the perfect antidote to the paternalistic PC authoritarianism of Cameron and his Policy Exchange cabal.

Blue Labour Blue Danger!

[Goldie]

I really do think that, medium to long term, Boris is much more likely than not to become a net liability for Cameron.

The elections can't come soon enough.

But Boris is hardly Giuliani circa 1994.

[andy s]

I think Boris will do just fine. Lots of people seem to have very low expectations. Have some optimism!

[Sally Roberts]

"Pining for Petronella? He can't go out on the pull with Ritterband, Milton or Boles!"

Perhaps that's why it's a good thing he's got them around him - to stop him getting into mischief!

[Londoner]

One should not underestimate the sheer relief of many sensible Londoners that Ken is no longer "representing" us. Even if Boris does nothing it is a huge advance - and of course he is doing a lot more than that.

I find it perverse that the resignation through stupidity of a minor official (who apparently all you insider bloggers know and love) is considered the low point rather than the equally warranted, but much more embarrassing, resignation of a Deputy Mayor.

He will be judged principally by:
(a) getting the budget under control and containing or reducing the GLA's Council Tax take;
(b) getting the Olympics under control;
(c) getting rid, in due course, of Sir Ian Blair and then getting the police under control;
(d) looking effective in trying to help getting knife crime under control;
(e) getting rid of bendy buses;
(f) improving the tube etc, however marginally - good start of the Oyster Card deal with the train companies; and
(g) continuing to be the Mayor for all London, relishing its variety and visibly supporting great London institutions/events like Wimbledon, the Test Matches and, dare I say it, hopefully in the next few weeks both the Proms and the Notting Hill Carnival.

On all these it's rather early to judge, but the signs on most of them are promising. More than this - he will continue showing the political neutrals, don't cares etc that you can have a Tory in a senior executive political position and they are neither unpleasant and nor does the roof fall in.

[pallio]

What has Boris done so far? Is the alcohol ban on the tube really an achievement? Even if it had been useful or significant, it didn't exactly involve a lot of work or any great decisions. I can't think of anything interesting to say about Boris at all, so far, and I wish he'd get a shift on removing traffic lights, sorting out roads and putting windows in the fronts of buses to ease the heat.

[James Carter]

I worked hard to stop Livingstone in 2000, 2004 and 2008, but I think we missed a big opportunity by having Boris as our candidate this time around. Instead of a transformative Mayor with strong political skills we have "frequent reports of a distracted and sometimes frustrated Mayor."

It's one of the most interesting and rewarding jobs in the world, but he is the last person who seems to know that.

[Jack Stone]

Liberterian. Jeremy Clarkson or Richard Littlejohn as mayor would be like having a mixture of Gengis Khan and Adolf Hitler in charge of the city.

[Telegraph hack]

Why is anyone surprised? This is what everyone who has ever worked with him finds. You do all the hard work. He doesn't devote the time and is interested in something else.

[ASK]

The Evening Standard has a good article on this:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23526358-details/Boris%2C+beware+the+battle+of+the+egos/article.do

[J R Furnish]

Boris hasn't been very impressive. Re: "wonderment," he says it but he doesn't mean it.

[Jacob G.]

Sadly, "BJ" isn't ready for prime time. It's like having a backbench Tory MP run London.

Dave Hill has a brilliant account of the TfL board meeting on his blog. I wonder what it would be like if Norris was Mayor.

http://davehill.typepad.com/london3ms/2008/08/tfl-board-meeti.html

[Kathleen]

Our party should apply some thought to what a politically-focused Mayoralty would look like.