Add a comment May 6th, 2008 by ThunderDragon
News that the Lib Dem candidate for London Mayor, Brian Paddick, received substantially more second-preference votes in the May 1 election than any of the other candidates is hardly ground breaking.
The Liberal Democrats are usually the second choice party of both Labour and Conservative voters. Why? Because they are considered somewhere between the two, and thus often “better” than the other main party. If the choice is between a Lib Dem and a candidate from the other main party, most will plump for the Lib Dem.
They are rather inoffensive to both sides in general discourse, and rather less affected by the tribal nature of British politics. A voter who would never even contemplate voting for Labour or the Conservatives would rather more happily vote for the Lib Dems than for the other party.
And that is where Lib Dems get these second preference votes from - because when it comes to crunch time, both sides would generally prefer a Lib Dem to the “other side”. Because the Lib Dems are pretty much pointless. They cannot hope to get a Commons majority within my lifetime, at least [if they do, I will eat my hat], if ever. They exist pretty much entirely as a repository of protest votes.
Lib Dems are second preference - and always will be - second preference. Since we have only one vote in pretty much our entire electroal system, this will never mean anything for them except in a few marginal constituencies, where it might enable them to win a seat.
Of course this isn’t always true. But it is more often than not.
The complete London Mayor results are here.
Add a comment May 3rd, 2008 by ThunderDragon
The most important result of the 1 May elections, the vote to select London’s Mayor for the next four years, is in.
Boris has won! Absolutely fantastic news, which rounds off a great election for the Conservatives. More than 250 councillor up, plus one London Mayor. All we’re waiting on now is the final GLA seat results.
Boris didn’t just win - he won convincingly. He enjoyed an 8.1% [149,884 votes] lead over Ken, with 42.5% of those cast, after the first preference votes and although more second preference votes went to Ken - by about 11,000 - all of Ken’s second preference votes didn’t amount to more than Boris’ first preference lead.
Londoners have made their choice, and have chosen a Conservative to be the second mayor of London and, what’s more, they have done so convincingly. Corks should certainly be popping in CCHQ tonight.
Now it is just up to Boris to prove to the people of London that they have selected the right person for the job.
On a far more local note, here is the Watford Observer write-up on the Three Rivers council, for which I was standing, and achieved a decent swing in my ward for the length of time that I have been the candidate. Unfortunately, the BNP gained a seat on the council.
1 Comment April 29th, 2008 by ThunderDragon
Ken Livingstone has called Kate Hoey “a sort of semi-detached member” of the Labour Party after she has announced that she will work as an advisor to Boris Johnson on sport and the 2012 Olympics should he be elected on Thursday.
Oh, the irony of Ken - the man who originally stood and was elected for London Mayor as an independent, against the official Labour candidate, and only brought back in because Labour wanted a winner - of referring to anyone else as “semi-detached” from the Labour Party!
Oh, the irony! You really couldn’t make it up.
2 Comments April 17th, 2008 by ThunderDragon
Ken wants to spend more time with his children:
London mayor Ken Livingstone said he arrived 30 minutes late for a BBC radio debate because he needed to spend some time with his children…
[Livingstone] said he left home late as his children “just wanted a little time this morning, sorry about that”.
Yeah, I’m very sorry. Look, my kids haven’t seen me any evening this week and they didn’t see me at the weekend and they just wanted a little time this morning, sorry about that,” he added.(BBC)
Maybe he should spend more time with them on a permanent basis, then?
1 Comment April 7th, 2008 by ThunderDragon
It seems that “Boris” is now a four-letter word to Labour:
Labour ministers and MPs have been banned from referring to Boris Johnson, the Tory candidate for London mayor, by his first name, it emerged yesterday.
Tessa Jowell, the government minister running Labour’s campaign in London, fears the widespread tendency to refer simply to “Boris” makes the Conservative contender appear too accessible and friendly.
She has instituted a “swear box”, threatening to fine colleagues who do not refer either to “Boris Johnson” or to “the Conservative candidate”. (The Telegraph)
It’s interesting how the use of the name “Boris” pulls people in, yet the name “Ken” pushes people away.
The use of just Ken Livingstone’s first name drives people away not because of the name, but because of it’s association with Livingstone himself. Whilst using just Boris Johnson’s first name pulls people in because of it’s association with him.
Labour are running scared, because they know that Ken can’t beat Boris. Hence their campaign of dirty tricks against him. They know they can’t win fairly, so they try to win unfairly. Typical Labour. They’re desperate. Trying to make “Boris” a “bad word” just proves it.
Even the Lib Dems know that Ken is dead in the water, hence their attacks on him now: “He is not listening any more. He’s surrounded by personal advisers pursuing their own personal agendas.”
They think it’s all over for Ken. It will be come May 1.
Add a comment April 1st, 2008 by ThunderDragon
Boris Johnson’s Mayoral campaign was launched yesterday.
His priorities are:
- Making the streets safer
- Improving transport
- Making neighbourhoods greener
- Making City Hall genuinely accountable
Ken has not proven himself worthy of a third term as London Mayor. And the polls certainly agree with it, giving Boris a 10 per cent overall lead, and a 56 to 44 per cent second preference lead as well.
And there’s just a month left until the election.
2 Comments March 20th, 2008 by ThunderDragon
The nominations for the London Mayor has opened, with 14 candidates putting their name forward. Why twelve of them have bothered is beyond me. The race is between Ken Livingston and Boris Johnson, maybe with Brian Paddick in a distant third. And bar those three - and very occasionally Sian Berry of the Green party - none have been mentioned in the media at all.
The candidates are:
Alan Craig - Christian Peoples Alliance & The Christian Party
Boris Johnson - Conservative party
Brian Paddick - Liberal Democrat
Chris Prior - Stop The Congestion Charge party
Damian Hockney -One London party
Dennis Delderfield - New Britain
Gerard Batten - UKIP
Ken Livingstone - Labour party
Lindsey German - Left List party
Matt O’Connor - English Democrats party
Richard Barnbrook - BNP
Sian Berry - Green party
Winston McKenzie - Independent
John Flunder - Senior Citizens’ Party
It is a straight race between Ken and Boris. And Boris is the only candidate who can offer a better future for London.
Add a comment November 14th, 2007 by ThunderDragon
He could be, since a single is being created featuring Boris.
These DJs - who are not connected with any political group or Boris’ Mayoral campaign -want to “catapult Boris to chart success using the power of the internet.” There is already nearly three hundred people who have joined the facebook group promoting it.
It really is quite amusing. Whether it will actually reach number 1 is extremely debatable, but the snippet so far released is quite good, and we are assured that the complete track is “utter genius“.
You can listen to a snippet of the single - “Is Fatboy Slim a DJ?” - being created here.
All I can say is good luck to them!
Add a comment September 27th, 2007 by ThunderDragon
Boris has, as expected, won the Conservative selection of candidates for London Mayor. But the margin at which he one is higher than most expected, winning with more than 75% of the vote in the open primary:
Boris Johnson: 15,661 votes
Victoria Borwick: 1,869
Andrew Boff: 1,674
Warwick Lightfoot: 609
From the moment Boris threw his hat into the ring, the other candidates had no chance of becoming the Conservative candidate for London Mayor. His name made the contest interesting in a way that it really wouldn’t have been otherwise. I feel sorry for them, really. Whilst they are obviously highly talented people who could run London far better than Ken, they had no chance in the selection against Boris.
Boris has posted a message on his campaign website, saying:
I’d like to thank Londoners for giving me this opportunity.
As I visited all of London’s 32 boroughs in the last few weeks, the message is loud and clear - King Newt’s days are numbered. Across London I’ve met people fed up with paying so much to city hall and getting so little in return.
The job of the Mayor is simple - to get people to work on time, to ensure people feel safe on the streets, to help people find a place to call home, to celebrate our diversity and to champion our success.
My determination to lead this city is stronger than ever. After seeing both the good and bad that London has to offer, I am committed to making London greater and standing up for every Londoner that invests so heavily in our city.
I want to be a Mayor for all Londoners, from Zone 6 to Zone 1. A Mayor that will listen, will learn and will lead.
Ken’s days really are numbered. Boris may face a fight against him, but nothing that he can’t handle. Ken has until May 2008, then he’s out of office. Finally!
Sources: BBC, The Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent
Add a comment September 3rd, 2007 by ThunderDragon
Dear Londoner.
People still ask me why I want to be Mayor of London and my answer is very simple. Who wouldn’t want to do the job, and try to make this city greater still?
I believe that Londoners want a Mayor who not only gives a lead but who keeps his leadership simple - and doesn’t trample needlessly over the councils; a Mayor who celebrates the culture of our diverse and beautiful city while directing energy at the core issues of crime, housing and transport. The contest next May is of huge importance for Londoners and everybody who invests in this city. And Londoners deserve a real debate about how to improve their city and how it will be paid for.
To reach that contest, I need your help in this Primary round, to become the Conservative Candidate for Mayor. Please register for your ballot paper and vote, to ensure that we give London the debate it deserves.
Boris
Boris Johnson has now officially launched his campaign to be London Mayor. He is the best candidate from any party, and deserves to be elected Mayor. Ken is obviously rattled by Boris - hence their attempts to smear him as a racist, with their inaccuracies pointed out by Andrew Gilligan in the Evening Standard.
Boris is a shoe-in for the Conservative nomination. As able as the others - Andrew Boff, Victoria Borwick and Warwick Lightfoot - are, Boris is the man to beat Ken. And Ken knows it. London has wised up to Red Ken. The “blonde bombshell” is the best man for London.
You can watch his announcement speech here.
