ConservativeHome's ToryDiary

Moment of 2008

Our third 'picks'. Already picked are our Backbenchers and Frontbenchers of 2008.

Jonathan Isaby's pick: "Unable to choose between them, I have picked two moments of the year - both of which I was privileged to witness at first hand. Firstly, there was the victory for Boris Johnson at the London mayoral election at the beginning of May.  He reclaimed the capital for the Conservative Party, confounding all those who thought that Ken Livingstone was unbeatable, and I thought it was such a good story that I wrote a book about it!  My other moment, just three weeks later, was another historic Conservative election win. Edward Timpson's gaining of Crewe and Nantwich - marked the first Tory gain at a by-election since I was in nappies and showed just how vulnerable Labour had become. As David Cameron declared in Crewe's Market Square the following morning, New Labour died on the streets of Crewe and Nantwich."  (Picture credit: News Biscuit).

Tim Montgomerie's pick: "My moment was the one hundred and eighteen billion pound moment.  The moment that Alistair Darling told the House of Commons that Britain was up to its neck in Labour's debts (and would be for years to come).  George Osborne's response to Mr Darling's PBR announcement was outstanding and was 'remixed' by ToryBear in this terrific YouTube.  George's 'Labour didn't fix the roof while the sun was shining' soundbite doesn't capture half of the outrage we should feel at what Labour has done to Britain.  In years of economic plenty - years we may not see again for a long, long time - we saw dependency increase dramatically.  The public services and welfare went unreformed.  Our energy and transport infrastructure went unrenewed.  Many years of very tough decisions lie ahead because of the Brown-Blair years of spin and squander.  Brown deserves a trouncing at the next election."      

What was your moment?

David Cameron's New Year message

Just released by CCHQ and published in full below. In his message the Conservative leader promises that he won't drop his green, social justice and international responsibility agendas but will "step up the pace" on them.  He accuses Labour of losing its moral compass and of being "corrupted by power".  Boris' message is also pasted at the end of the post.

“In my New Year message three years ago, I said that I wanted the modern Conservative Party to be a voice for change, optimism and hope.  What was true in the good times is even truer now that times are tough, and getting tougher.  People are looking to us for hope in these dark days, and we must be ready to offer it: hard-edged hope, built on a clear-sighted analysis of what has gone wrong and how we can put it right.

That provides this Party with three important tasks for 2009.  First, we must show that we have learned the lessons of Labour’s Debt Crisis and will never let it happen again.  Second, we must offer constructive and positive ideas to help keep people in work and in their homes, and make sure the recession is as short, shallow and painless as possible.  But third and perhaps most important of all, we must set out our positive vision of change: to describe the new economy and the new society that we want to build once the recession is over and the recovery underway.

How can you be a journalist and a politician and still be loved?

It's hard to watch this Clarkson meets Boris video and not think that the Mayor of London is something of a political superstar.

Tim Montgomerie

Boris scraps westwards extension of congestion charge

In one of his biggest decisions since becoming Mayor - competing with the ousting of Ian Blair and the freezing of council tax - Boris Johnson has, as expected, scrapped the westwards extension of Ken Livingstone's congestion charge.

Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers - who differs with the Mayor on an alternative airport to Heathrow - welcomed the Mayor's honouring of West Londoners' views:

"Boris is today honouring an important election pledge to let local people decide on the future of the Western Extension of the congestion charge. Wherever they are in the country, it is always important that local congestion charging schemes are locally driven not forced on people from above. This consultation shows that residents in West London want the extension scrapped and Boris is right to respond to their views."

Is Boris too much of a maverick?

When London voted for Boris Johnson as mayor six months ago, it knew it was voting for figure who had a reputation for being a maverick.

Indeed, part of his appeal arguably was that he was someone who would not slavishly follow the party line, but rather speak his mind and not be afraid to cause the occasional headache for David Cameron and strategists at party HQ.

There are a couple of examples from the last fortnight of him doing just that: first, his continued support for a new airport in the Thames Estuary, and just last Friday, his announcement of a GLA inquiry into the benefits of an amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Part of his job as mayor is to act as a figurehead for the capital and to take a lead on a wide variety of issues - and Boris is clearly determined to do this, even in areas over which he has no direct jurisdiction.

But how far should he go? Is there a danger of him becoming too much of a maverick?

Jonathan Isaby

Boris breaks ranks with party on illegal immigrants

London Mayor Boris Johnson has broken ranks with party policy by suggesting that there should be an amnesty for illegal immigrants, of which 400,000 of the country's estimated 700,000 live in London..

The story broke on this evening's Channel 4 News.

Here's what he had to say, according to the transcript issued by Channel 4:

“What I want is to lead a debate about how sensibly to deal with the 400, 000 people who are living here (London) and working here illegally... What I want to do is to commission a study by my own economics team here at the Greater London Authority into the possibility. We want to look in detail at what the economic impact of such an earned amnesty system would be.

“There are about 400,000 in London.  That's a huge number. In principle these people have done the wrong thing: they’ve broken the law. In principle they should all be taken and sent back to their place of origin, that's the right thing to do .. (but) unfortunately it is just not going to happen…”

Asking the question: “How do you cope with people who have been here a long time, the huge numbers of people living here below the line, below the radar, not entering the economy, not able to play a full part in society?”, he said: “Should we have a mass programme of expulsions, because that hasn’t worked: it's legally incredibly difficult, (and) it's expensive for the state, or should we see if we can develop a sensible system of earned amnesty, so after a substantial period of time - and I would say more than five years - you can, in principle demonstrate your commitment to this society and to this economy. And you can earn your right to stay here.”

However he added: “What I emphatically don’t want to do is to set up incentives for illegal immigration. You don't want to create moral hazard, but I think you should have a system whereby people who have been here for a long time can earn a way out of the mess they're in.”

Talking of the financial benefits, Mr Johnson said:  “And the advantage of that is not just that you regularise them - and you bring them into society and you decriminalise them - but also of course you increase your tax base... In Spain when they did this they hugely increased the revenues available to the Spanish exchequer from people who were suddenly entering the economy legally and could be taxed.”

But: “There’s got to be a very substantial period in which they have been in this country. I think that we could have other hoops that they might have to go through in order to be able to quality for an earned amnesty scheme. For instance, it might be necessary to have a clean criminal record. It might be important that they should go through various citizenship tests, the kind we already have. And there might be some sort of financial obligations that they have to meet as well.”

Sources close to Boris insist that this is no gaffe, but rather something which he has thought through and decided merits looking into, not least because of that potential tax revenue there is to be gained. I understand Boris told shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve in advance of his intention to make this announcement.

It is, of course, not an area over which the London mayor has any formal power; but Boris evidently believes that it is his right as the capital's elected voice to lead a debate on this issue.

The official CCHQ response was:

"We will have to agree to differ on this. One-off amnesties have been tried elsewhere and the evidence is that they do not work, but lead to more."

What do you think?

Jonathan Isaby

> CHANNEL 4 VIDEO

Boris starts Oliver Letwin's savings list with attack on ID cards, national child register and public sector advertisements in The Guardian

London's Mayor has written a barnstorming article for today's Telegraph, complaining at the inflated cost of wine that will greet him and his diminished pounds on his forthcoming skiing holiday in France:

"I will be forced to sip that drink miserably, nursing it in a corner, while all around me hearty red-faced skiers from euroland will be singing shanties and calling for more, slapping their relatively un-devalued banknotes on the counter."

Defending George Osborne, Boris lays the blame for sterling's slide at Gordon Brown's door:

"Why is the pound at a 12-year low against a basket of other OECD currencies? Who is to blame for the cost of my vin chaud? I tell you who: it's you, Gordon. You did it, by running the largest budget deficit in the world, now hanging round all our necks at more than £100 billion. You wasted all that money in the good times, water-cannoning our dosh with so little thought or restraint that only Hungary, Pakistan and Egypt are suffering from comparable indebtedness, and Hungary and Pakistan are already in the hands of the IMF. You weakened the pound, Gordon, because you expanded the public sector without reforming it. You weakened the pound because you bloated the state pay-roll, and then you added the private finance initiative and the nationalisation of the Bradford & Bingley and Northern Rock, and all the time you somehow believed your own lunatic propaganda that you had personally defied the laws of economic gravity."

And in words which, we hope, will reach the party's new Chief Waste Finder, Oliver Letwin, Boris - who has frozen the Mayor's share of council tax since coming to office - highlights public sector profligacy:

"Why are we still spending hundreds of millions on a new register of every child in the country? Why are we squandering billions on ID cards? Why does the Government still spend £800 million on advertising public sector appointments - very often in the Guardian - when they could be conveniently displayed online?"

Ending public sector advertising in The Guardian should be at the top of the Letwin-Osborne list of public sector economies.

Theresa Villiers distances the party from Boris's Thames Estuary airport

Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers has summarily rejected Boris Johnson's idea of a new airport in the Thames estuary - and let it be known to the world by way of a letter to a Lib Dem MP.

The Evening Standard is reporting that the suggestion of creating a new airport on a man-made island in the Thames Estuary - so-called "Boris island" - would not be considered by a future Conservative government.

In a letter to Norman Baker, the Lib Dem transport spokesman, Ms Villiers states:

"With regard to media debate on the possibility of a new airport in the Thames Estuary, this is not an option at which the Conservative party is looking.

"Boris Johnson is considering a range of ideas relevant to transport and aviation links to our capital city but this is his own initiative."

The idea had worried environmentalists and local residents alike - many of whom live in marginal constituencies. It is also unclear exactly what jurisdiction the London mayor would have over such a proposal in any case.

Bizarrely, two local Kent newspapers this morning give completely contradictory reports of Boris's position on the matter.

The Gravesend Reporter states that "Boris Johnson has assured campaigners that he will not push to build an airport on Cliffe marshes", whilst the Kent Messenger reports that "a controversial proposal for an off-shore airport in the Thames estuary near Sheppey has taken a significant step forward after London Mayor Boris Johnson confirmed a feasibility study would be carried out into his idea".

Update: As those with a better knowledge of the geography of North Kent have pointed out, the Cliffe proposal is indeed in a different location to that which Boris is talking about.

Boris sets out his plans to tackle youth crime in London

Youth crime recurred as an issue throughout the London mayoral campaign, not least because the tally of young people being killed in the capital continued to rise as Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone fought it out on the hustings.

It was also an issue which was never going to provide “quick wins” for Boris on his election in May.

But today, after spending a few months taking soundings on the issue, the London Mayor has unveiled an action plan for tackling youth crime, as featured in this morning’s Sun and previewed in last Friday’s Evening Standard.

Flanked by Sir Paul Stephenson, the Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Kit Mathouse, the Deputy Mayor for Policing, and (Liberal Democrat) James Kempton, London Councils’ Member for Children and Young People, Boris announced “Time for Action” in the same community hall in Edmonton in which he officially launched his mayoral campaign back in March.

Boris believes election of Obama would represent massive breakthrough for race relations

Boris Johnson had already endorsed Barack Obama but he goes further today. In his Telegraph column the Mayor of London pays tribute to John McCain but repeats his belief that the Democrat nominee "offers the hope of rejuvenating the greatest country on earth in the eyes of the rest of us".  He describes Senator Obama as "talented" and "compassionate".

Mr Johnson ends his piece by focusing on what an Obama victory will mean for racial equality:

"Huge numbers of voters, whether they admit it to themselves or not, will hesitate to choose Barack Obama for President because he is black. And then there are millions of white Americans who will undoubtedly vote Obama precisely because he is black, and because he stands for the change and the progress they want to see in their society.

After centuries of friction, prejudice, tension, hatred - you name it, they've had it - America is teetering on the brink of a triumph. If Obama wins, then the United States will have at last come a huge and maybe decisive step closer to achieving the dream of Martin Luther King, of a land where people are judged not on the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

If Obama wins, then black people the world over will be able to see how a gifted man has been able to smash through the ultimate glass ceiling.

If Obama wins, then it will be simply fatuous to claim that there are no black role models in politics or government, because there is no higher role model than the President of the United States.

If Barack Hussein Obama is successful next month, then we could even see the beginning of the end of race-based politics, with all the grievance-culture and special interest groups and political correctness that come with it.

If Obama wins, he will have established that being black is as relevant to your ability to do a hard job as being left-handed or ginger-haired, and he will have re-established America's claim to be the last, best hope of Earth."

PS Within his piece Boris writes that he carefully studied Melanie Phillips' blog entries about Barack Obama's links with Bill Ayers but gave up "goggle-eyed and exhausted".  We quite like the idea that the Mayor of London studies blogs!  Here is a typical Melanie Phillips entry on Obama: "You have to pinch yourself – a Marxisant radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshipped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And apparently it’s considered impolite to say so."

Tory split in London Assembly over illegal immigrant amnesty

The Guardian reports a motion that passed through the London Assembly today with a 12-5 majority. Four of the eleven Tory Assembly Members voted in favour of the motion backing the idea of London-wide amnesty for illegal immigrants. The remaining votes in favour came from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Greens.

Four Conservatives AM voted against: the group leader Roger Evans, Tony Arbour, Gareth Bacon and Richard Tracey. The deputy mayor Richard Barnes formally abstained and two other Conservatives are reported to have left the chamber prior to the vote.

The proposal to call for an amnesty from central government was adopted by Boris Johnson during his campaign to be Mayor, in a departure from national party policy.  More recently it was advocated by the Mayor's new head of policy.

14 October update: The original Guardian story - which appears to have been edited - reported some Tory, Labour, Lib Dem and Green members voting in favour, with four Tories voting against and three abstaining or leaving the chamber. No official record is kept by the London Assembly to confirm this, but we are told (see comments) that in fact rather than voting in favour, the remaining four Tories who did not vote against, abstain or leave the chamber, were not present to vote in the first place.

Mayor claims victory as robberies fall on London buses

Boris Johnson is claiming to have achieved his pledge to cut crime and disorder on London transport, five months after taking office.

Announcing that dedicated police teams would be deployed across 30 locations in January 2009, the capital's mayor produced statistics showing that robberies on buses had fallen by nearly 38%, violent crime by 5.6% and "overall crime" by 16%, as a result of trials at three transport "hubs" in different parts of the city.

Johnson added that separate teams tackling bus crime already based in 11 inner-London boroughs would now be "made permanent" after "bus-related crime in the borough was reduced in the boroughs served by the teams by 13.6% in recent months."

However, the Guardian notes that the Mayor's use of official police data is in contrast to his scepticism of this data during the Mayoral campaign. The newspaper reports ongoing efforts by the mayor to compile crime statistics that account for changes in definitions and categorisation of offences, allowing for more meaningful long-term comparisons.

Should 42 days be a litmus test for the new Met Chief?

We know that most readers oppose 42 days (unlike this blog) but what do people think about it being an issue that stops an otherwise effective police officer from running the Met?  The Sunday Telegraph suggests confusingly that Boris Johnson both "may" and "will" object to a Met Chief that supported the Government on 42 days.  Such a litmus test (if it exists) may discourage police officers from making any statements on controversial issues in future - like drugs, speed cameras or stop and search.  Is that a good thing?

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.

Boris' new head of policy calls for amnesty for illegal immigrants

Anthony Browne, the outgoing director of Policy Exchange, has written for today's Independent - backing what he admits is a "politically dynamite" case for an amnesty for illegal immigrants.  Mr Browne is about to join the Mayor of London's office, as head of policy.  Boris Johnson himself backed an amnesty during the mayoral race - a position that puts him at odds with David Cameron.

In his piece for The Independent Mr Browne notes estimates that there are 400,000 illegal immigrants in the UK; largely in the south east of England.  There are, he writes, three options to deal with this problem:

1. Mass deportation: Mr Browne dismisses this as very expensive and unrealistic; "No country that sees itself as civilised wants to send immigration officials into schools, yanking distraught children away from their distressed classmates."
2. Accept the status quo: But this prevents a huge number of people from becoming fully participating members of society.
3. An amnesty: Mr Browne believes that this is the best option and will benefit the long-term productivity of the UK economy.  He calls for an "earned amnesty" for those who have been resident in the UK for a short number of years and haven't been found guilty of any criminal offences.

The most common objection to an amnesty is that it will only encourage further illegal immigration.  Spain, for example, has granted six amnesties.  The first amnesty twenty years ago granted residency to 44,000 people.  The most recent and sixth amnesty - in 2005 - involved 700,000 immigrants.  Anthony Browne says this can be avoided by doing much more to protect Britain's borders.

> There is an extended profile of Policy Exchange in The Guardian, including an interview with its new Director, Neil O'Brien.

August's ten biggest political stories

There was a time when August was a quiet political month.  No longer.  If today is your first day back at the computer here's the ten most important (mainly Tory) stories you missed from the last few weeks...

The Tories maintain their large opinion poll lead. The month began with a Conservative lead of 19.0% in the ConHome poll of polls.  It ended with a lead of 18.6%.

Boris Johnson enjoyed lots of attention.  He endorsed Barack Obama, celebrated 100 days as Mayor, lost another Deputy Mayor, received the Olympic flag from Beijing, claimed the Brits had invented ping-pong, unveiled a climate change strategy for London and fanned speculation that he wanted to be PM.  A new narrative is clearly underway: Boris V Cameron is going to be the media's device to undermine DC.

Michael Gove attacked the hedonism of lads' magazines like Zoo and Nuts.  This socially-responsible Conservatism was followed up by Iain Duncan Smith and Ed Vaizey who suggested that Batman, The Dark Knight should have carried a stricter cinema classification and Andrew Lansley launching an inquiry into obesity.  A ConservativeHome survey found that Tory members were much less laissez-faire on these 'nudging' initiatives than those who leave comments on blogs.

David Cameron took a tough line against Russia over Georgia. A telephone call with John McCain helped produce a very assertive Conservative position - overturning an even-handed immediate reaction from a very cautious William Hague.  Mr Cameron's active stance contrasted hugely with the absence from the world stage of the feuding Brown and Miliband.

David Cameron's tour of northern marginals was overshadowed by a Policy Exchange report that the media reported as a call to 'abandon the north'.  The report was unfairly reported but it highlighted the dangerous strategy that had seen PX get too close to Team Cameron.

John Major won a lot of credit for funding the revival of British athletics.  ConHome was first to recognise that Britain's last Tory PM was due a measure of rehabilitation.

Lord (Sandy) Bruce-Lockhart died.  One of the gentlemen on Conservative politics - a leader in local government and of compassionate conservatism - lost his battle with cancer.  Tributes poured in and in.

Caroline Spelman lost the confidence of Conservative Party members.  A ConservativeHome survey found more members dissatisfied with the Tory Chairman than satisfied.  An unfair briefing campaign against Eric Pickles suggested that Team Cameron may be thinking of Chris Grayling as her likelier successor.

George Osborne claimed that the Conservatives are now the party of fairness. Mr Osborne is formally the Shadow Chancellor but he most enjoys his role as the strategic brain behind Project Cameron.  His 'fairness' speech sought to knock Labour off its most sacred turf.

The biggest story came at the very end of the month when Alistair Darling spoke of the worst economic crisis for sixty years.  Yes, sixty years!  Watch him here.  Charlie Elphicke decided that Darling must go for unforgivably talking the UK economy down.  Is Tory economic policy up to the increasing challenge of restoring the competitiveness of UK plc?  ConHome surveyed the good, the bad and the ugly of the frontbench's thinking.

Boris Johnson unveils climate change strategy for London

Today's Guardian has a detailed account of Boris Johnson's announcement yesterday of the strategy London will take in tackling climate change:

"An increase in the number of rooftop gardens to soak up rainwater across the capital is among a series of measures suggested by Johnson yesterday...

"The mayor's adaptation strategy, billed as a world first, aims to address the challenges of flooding, extreme temperatures and drought. It calls for compulsory water metering, greater awareness of flood risks and more tree planting, alongside stronger efforts to resist attempts by local authorities and insurance companies to fell existing urban trees."

The article lists the key points of the plan:

On flooding

• Citywide urban greening programme based on green spaces and trees to soak up water
• Campaign to raise public awareness of flood risk
• Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable communities

On drought

• Reduce leakage from water mains
• Compulsory water metering where feasible
• Rainwater harvesting and 'grey water' use

On heatwaves

• Enhanced access to air-cooled buildings for London's vulnerable people
• Specific guidance to architects
• Requirement for new developments to help cool the city

Mayor Johnson explains his commitment in terms of a genuine change of mind:

"Despite previously attacking the Kyoto Protocol - which regulates international carbon emissions - as "pointless" and saying that anxiety over climate change was "partly a religious phenomenon" Johnson now admits that the 2006 Stern review on the issue had convinced him of the need to act. "When the facts change, you change your mind," he said."

The 2006 Stern review met with much scepticism from experts who noted that if Stern's proposals were implemented now, most of the benefits would not be seen until after the year 2800. The Yale economist William Nordhaus calculated that while inaction on global warming would reduce global GDP by $22 trillion over the next century, Sir Nicholas Stern's proposals - if implemented in full - would see global GDP reduced by $36 trillion.

Boris answers your questions

Last week we invited your questions for Boris Johnson and he has submitted the answers below. He answered all fifteen that we submitted him to him. Our apologies if your question wasn't one of those we put to him. Brickbats please to us rather to Boris if that was the case.

Tim Parker resignation overshadows Johnson's dismissal of broken society narrative

Boris Johnson yesterday casually dismissed the chiefly Conservative notion of a broken society and demoralised youth as "piffle" in his Telegraph column, referencing the success of Britain's young athletes. While it would appear obvious that celebrating Olympic success hardly requires denying that social breakdown can exist on a large scale alongside it, Johnson was explicit:

"If you believe the British press, the youth of today is aimless, feckless and hopeless, addicted to their PlayStations, lacking in respect and lacking in the emotional discipline needed to cope with a big match occasion.

"If you believe the politicians, we have a broken society, in which the courage and morals of young people have been sapped by welfarism and political correctness.

"And if you look at what is happening at the Beijing Olympics, you can see what piffle that is."

Johnson has faced conflict with Conservative leaders in the past, with both William Hague and Michael Howard facing flak when Johnson's journalism contradicted the party line. In each case, the damage appeared inadvertent. On this occasion, some of today's press did pick up on the comments after they resurfaced on journalists' blogs yesterday afternoon. But the potential conflict with David Cameron's message was largely overshadowed by the resignation yesterday of the Mayor's deputy Tim Parker.

1pm Addressing Demos for his speech on Fairness, George Osborne was asked about Boris Johnson's comments. To the obvious scepticism of some present, He replied Johnson had made clear his words had been completely misinterpreted, and that Johnson completely agrees with David Cameron. He said that he and Cameron also agree with Boris Johnson that young people need role models.

Tim Parker resigns as Boris' First Deputy Mayor

Two weeks ago we wrote this (emphasis added):

"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."

So we cannot be as sanguine as Iain Dale in hearing the news that Mr Parker is standing down as Mr Johnson's Number Two.  We understand the change is a friendly one and ConHome was offered a conversation with Mr Parker earlier to confirm that it was. 

But, for all the reasons we expressed at the time of his appointment*, Mr Parker will be hard to replace.

* "In terms of meeting the big challenges we can take a lot of encouragement from Boris Johnson's first moves.  On Thursday the new Mayor of London announced that Tim Parker had been hired as day-to-day chief of City Hall.  Mr Parker has a great record of cost-cutting in both the private and public sectors.  Unsurprisingly, the left doesn't like this inspired appointment.  A record that he'll now bring to London after years in which Ken Livingstone allowed costs and council tax to get out of control." (ToryDiary, 25th May 2008).

Any questions for the Mayor of London?

Boris Johnson's 100th day as Mayor of London is this Thursday.

To mark the occasion the most powerful Tory in the nation has agreed to answer questions from ConservativeHome readers.

Please leave them in the thread below and Boris has agreed to answer a selection of them (chosen by ConHome) by the end of the week...

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

Boris and Dave both seek to gain from the 'Obama effect'

Boris Johnson endorsed Hillary Clinton last year and has now backed Barack Obama according to today's Evening Standard.  London's Mayor is reported as saying: "John McCain has many, many wonderful qualities, but I think a Barack Obama victory would do fantastic things for the confidence and the feelings of black people around the world."

David Cameron has also sought to benefit from Senator Obama's massive popularity in the UK.  UK citizens that have been Googling 'Barack Obama' in recent days will have been presented with a Google ad for the video of the Tory leader meeting the Democrat nominee.  CCHQ won't tell us how much their Google ad campaign cost but insists that it is a "very cheap" campaign and has contributed to the more than 15,000 views of the video.  Advisers to the Tory leader expect Senator Obama to become the President and are preparing for a period of six years where they would both lead their respective nations - should both men secure election and re-election.

A recent survey found that up to a third of Tory MPs may be backing Barack Obama.  Liam Fox remains loyal to the Conservative Party's traditional ally, the GOP, however and will be leading a delegation to the Republican Convention in September.

Anthony Browne leaves Policy Exchange to become Boris Johnson's Policy Director

Anthony Browne, Director of Policy Exchange for just eighteen months, is to step down and become Head of Policy for Boris Johnson.  During his time at PX there was a doubling of staff numbers but a concern that the think tank became too close to Project Cameron.

Boris Johnson has issued this statement:

"I am delighted that Anthony is joining my team at City Hall. As a policy expert in the fields of environment, health and politics for the influential Policy Exchange and a former journalist on the Times and Observer, I am sure Anthony will be a valuable asset in helping to shape London's future over the next four years".

And this from Anthony Browne himself:

“It is a real wrench to leave Policy Exchange, but the opportunity to develop policy for the first Conservative administration in London for over a quarter of a century was irresistible. I have lived in London for twenty years, and loved its extraordinary vibrancy and diversity from the day I moved here. It is the world’s greatest city, but we need to make sure that all Londoners can be part of its success. It is unacceptable that one of the world’s most affluent cities has such high unemployment, and such deep pockets of deprivation. I look forward to helping ensure that all Londoners are equipped to take advantage of the amazing opportunities it offers, and to help make London more liveable for all Londoners. I can think of no higher calling than trying to make the city I love more loveable for all who reside in it.”

Anthony Browne will be a real boost to Boris' office.  He is a considerable talent but in searching for his successor we'd like to re-emphasise these words from Tim Montgomerie in a recent piece for Comment is free: "PX's director Anthony Browne appeared on the Today programme a couple of weeks ago and sounded like a Tory Treasury spokesman. He peddled the modernisers' myth that tax cuts had lost the last few elections and wouldn't be potent now. Times have moved on, and PX will lose some of its usefulness to the party if it simply echoes the party line."

Policy Exchange recently lost its excellent Chief Economist, Dr Oliver Marc Hartwich, to Australia's Centre for Independent Studies.  Portland PR's respected James Bethell has replaced Steven King as Head of Communications.

Boris Johnson is "pure party Viagra"

A list compiled by Tatler magazine has Boris Johnson as the most wanted party guest.  David Cameron comes in at Number 12 in Tatler's annual list of what the Daily Mail calls "the [100] most wanted Toffs in town".

Tatler’s editor Geordie Greig told The Mail: "Boris and Marina have become the most head-turning couple in Britain – and this is no longer just to do with his mad blond hairstyle. He has become a folk hero in London and beyond, and his letterbox has become almost choked with invitations."

So our question to you: Which Tory would you most like at your party and why? You could have David Willetts and his silver shoes.