Boris is really beginning to deliver

In the sixth of eight reflections on Tory Conference week Tim Montgomerie notes the rise and rise of Boris Johnson.  The previous entry in this series examined the fact that Conference has "gone corporate".

The week began with the publication of ConHome's survey of Tory members.  The poll found that Boris Johnson enjoyed higher satisfaction ratings than any other Tory in the country - including David Cameron.  The rating followed the Mayor's strong defence of the City from Left-wing attacks.

My guess is that Boris Johnson will have only added to his standing since the survey was completed:

First was his very well received speech to Conference.  You can watch a section here.

Second was his announcement that he'd freeze the Mayor's component of the London council tax.  Having looked at the books he found plenty of economies from the Livingstone era.  As Cameron-Osborne look to bring discipline to UK-wide finances they now have a credible example of restraint to point to.

Third was yesterday's resignation of Sir Ian Blair.  Boris' statement on the resignation was statesmanlike but there can be little doubt that the Mayor's steel (and that of Kit Malthouse) forced the Met Chief out before he would otherwise have gone.  The normally reasonable Steve Richards of The Independent has blown a gasket in response.  But the greatest advance may be to come.  Justin Davenport and Pippa Crerar of the London Evening Standard are reporting that Boris Johnson met Los Angeles police chief Bill Bratton (who oversaw New York's zero tolerance revolution) at City Hall last Friday.  A City Hall source refused to rule out Bratton as a successor to Sir Ian.  Getting rid of Sir Ian was a good start.  Bill Bratton would be a brilliant leap forward for London.

Comments

[Heathrowcliffe]

But but but his crazy idea of relocating Heathrow is just plain (or is it plane?) crazy

[inside outsider]

Hmmm. Let's see, shall we? I am sure Kit Malthouse was the brains behind the operation. If he thinks he can just hire someone to sort out policing for him, then he is mistaken. He does have to do this job.

[no more mandy and dolly please]

General, unrelated, comment re: the video clip at the top right here.

Can we not say "Mandy"? It's homophopic. Also, can posters not say "Dolly" Draper. Same thing. Thankfully, no one does this about the party's many gay and lesbian members. Let's have the same high standards for the other side. Thanks.

[Norm Brainer]

Can we not say "Mandy"? It's homophopic.

I don't get it.. how?

[Boris Babe]

What a coup for Boris if he manages to convince the Emirates to finance a true world class airport on the Thames Estuary. Togetherwiththe high speed rail links to UK's major cities.
The spanish have run Heathrow and Gatwick to the ground. They are now worse than many so called third world airports.
It is rediculous to get off a plane after a 12 or more hour flight then have to walk 30 minutes before you are anywhere near an immigration officer, or to have to board and disembark aircrafts via steps and buses.
Bring it on Boris!

[Jill, London]

Perhaps when “Mandy” and “Dolly” disappear from the public sphere their nicknames will be forgotten.

According to the Guardian “Dolly” is so-called because he looks like Dolly the Sheep. And he’s married to Kate Garroway [and she was on Strictly Come Dancing] – so where’s the “homophobia” there? And “Dolly” is another Comrade who left the Labour fold under the proverbial cloud, and has now returned!

As for “Mandy” – that’s a universal nickname – even the Guardian call him that: Headline: ”Mandy on the warpath”
LINK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/mar/26/mandysaquitternotafighter

And there is an unauthorised biography called – guess what - Mandy: Unauthorised Biography of Peter Mandelson (Hardcover) by Paul Routledge (Author)
LINK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mandy-Unauthorised-Biography-Peter-Mandelson/dp/068485175X

So I suggest the person dubbing themselves “no more mandy and dolly please” stops seeing “homophobia” where there is none. Alternatively they could busy themselves haranguing the ‘big boys’ in the print media, to ‘persuade’ them to stop using these nicknames.

[U R V Sad]

"Norm, Brainer" "Jill, London"

U R V Sad.

[U R V Sad]

I think that "Jill, London" is somewhat obsessive and may have their (gender-neutral word) own issues.

Anyway, some information and education could usefully go their way.

[Jill, London]

“U R V Sad” should be called U R V Confusing – and possibly Confused.

I am bemused why anybody would think I am “obsessive” because I take the trouble to post up some information backing that certain nicknames are in the public domain.

As for “issues” – I think that is the domain of “U R V Sad”!

[Mr Angry]

Obsessing about stopping people using common words due to some vague perceived 'offense" being caused is the preserve of the terminally politically correct, and that is the left not the Conservatives. It therefore has no place in any political party that believes in genuine equality, not just the left's lip service variety, and even more in freedom of thought and of speech.

So U R V Sad et al please trot off to Labour Home or your SWP meeting where you belong and where you will find other like minded enemies of freedom to plot your oppression of the masses with.

Oh and as far as Boris goes, well done so far, especially on Ian Blair,let's have considerably more of the same please.

Bill Bratton would be an excellent replacement for Blair but isn't this appointment in the gift of the Home Secretary and as such very likely to be either the nearest Labour can get to an Ian Blair clone or a piece of tokenistic ethnic minority promotion?

[Just a thought]

Met police commissioner is a Home Secetary decision. We'll just get another Labour stooge.

[Richard]

He's pulled a blinder. I would be churlish, now that the dust has settled to pour scorn on Sir Ian Blair's term - I got the impression that his role had become too politicized and he sort of had 3 bosses. However, it literally demonstrates that there's a new sheriff in town. I would have thought that there are moves to change the commissioners terms of reference too.

In the short term - it gives London a sense of change - how cathartic that can be.

[Nicholas Keen]

Johnson's advocacy of an international airport on the Thames estuary makes much more sense than Cameron's suggestion that a third runway at Heathrow could be replaced by new rail services.

Having travelled through many airports, I can report that some are nice (Tampa) and some are nasty (Atlanta). However, the garish colours, chintzy carpets, exposed duct-work and roofing, and cheap plastic everywhere I see at Heathrow and Manchester seem to be a further development of dismal, tacky, British post-war architecture and design. By contrast Philadelphias's new international terminal features clean open spaces, good materials and classical music.

Scrap Heathrow, build a new one to the east with good motorway and rail links, and don't let the British design or architectural establishment anywhere near it.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Getting rid of Blair and keeping the precept at its current level are good things.But Boris tactic of staying quiet after Blair's resignation was a mistake allowing Labour to exploit what should have been a popular decision for him.
Equally Boris has drawn fire for not campaigning actively against the western spread of the congestion charge something he said he would do before he was elected. And why is Trafalgar Square still defaced by that piece of junk on the 4th plinth? I thought Boris had promised to put something decent on it?
Overall I would give Boris a B-, not bad but could do much better.

[Sally Roberts]

Malcolm - Boris is consulting at the moment over the Western Extension of the C-Charge - something he promised he would do! A meeting was held in Hammersmith the other night but as I was still on my way back from Brum I didn't manage to get to it in time to add my voice. I daresay many others did and once Boris knows how firmly local residents are against it, then he will act decisively.

[Nicholas J. Rogers]

Malcolm - I think Boris' period as Mayor might see the 4th Plinth get a statue we will all love.

It's true that Boris supported the campaign to put a statue of Sir Keith Park permanently on the 4th plinth, but appeared to step away from this idea once he took office.

It was reproted a while ago that the reason he cooled was because he was told of the plan to put a permanent statue of the Queen on the 4th plinth at some point in the near - medium future.

Sir Keith will, I think, get his own statue.