Mayor of London

[homeguard]

Originally Posted by penfold Honestly HG, I thought all this forelock tugging crap went out with the abdication. Where the hell have you been this last seventy years???

For 51 of them enjoying the best country in the world, for the last ten watching the State destroy it piece by piece. But I must confess a sense of warm nostalgia for the security I felt having my betters run this country properly for me. I have obviously not crawled out of my council-house, self-demeaning hole of a lifestyle. But if someone would make my movie - I could, I know I could!!!
Oh, and another quick confession - we go every year, first Sunday after Christmas, to see the Queen at Sandringham. And we're not alone!
All the best,
HG

[homeguard]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Maybe they didn't all vote for him personally, but they voted the Nazi party into power. So he took power just as legitimately as any British Prime Minister who took over the leadership of their party when it was in power. More so because the German people knew that Hitler was really the head of the National Socialists. OK, the way they then handled things once they had enough seats wasn't strictly all that legal, but they were voted into power by the German people. Oh, and Mussolini never got most of the trains to run on time. The only train that he was concerned ran on time was the one that took him to the big meeting with Hitler in 1934. Did Mussolini really make the trains run on time? Steve

Actually, Hitler lost 2,000,000 votes and 34 Reichstag seats at the last General Election on November 17th 1932, thereby losing overall control. His highest ever popular vote in the July of that year was 37%. It was this collapse in his popularity with the general population that forced him into an alliance with von Papen, and he was appointed by Hindenburg as a last resort. So I'm afraid the German people were not really responsible.
As for 'Il Duce', he scared the poo out of Hitler at first. And it was Hitler who travelled to Vienna in 1934 to meet Mussolini and talk him out of protecting Austria against the Anschluss.
Yes he did overhaul the Italian transport system, end Mafia corruption, and pour money into developing the poor Southern Italian agrarian system. I suppose his opposition to communism would make him unpopular these days amongst some sectors of society, but he didn't deserve to be strung up by the heels on a garage forecourt.
Regards,
HG

[Rob Compton]

Back to reality... talk of Hitler and Mussolini is hardly relevant is it? Any more than if I were to discuss Engels, Trotsky and Marx in the context of the British Labour Party or the current government. Boris is not the BNP - now the BNP is a worrying development for the Greater London Council.

All politicians, regardless of party, in this country (OK maybe except for the BNP) are distinguished by one thing only - that, if we all tighten our belts just a little more, then prosperity and broad sunlit uplands are "just around the corner".

The difference (and an increasingly blurred one) betweeen the two main parties is that the Conservatives are more keen on spending less of yours and mine money - and reckon that the taxpayer knows best how to spend his or her hard earned cash. While Labour generally thinks they know best how to spend our money...

Instead of hysterics and because the party that has had the chance to be in government for some years has now lost (normal swings and roundabouts for politics in this country) - let's see what sort of a job Boris does - may be a disaster, it may not! Certainly when Ken was elected, a fairly strong view at the time was that London was headed straight for the dogs. It didn't happen really did it?

rgds
Rob

[Moggy]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Maybe they didn't all vote for him personally, but they voted the Nazi party into power. So he took power just as legitimately as any British Prime Minister who took over the leadership of their party when it was in power.

I seem to recall that the Nazis never obtained a majority in the Reichstag by way of election. Hitler formed, I seem to recall, a minority government, after various powerful operators had him appointed Chancellor. Then, when in control of the organs of state, he perverted them and took control of them.
I also recall - was it in The World at War - that the Nazis popularity was actually declining, according to opinion polls, when Hitler was appointed. All this is hazy, but I remember the point was that democracy did not give rise to Hitler; weak institutions and officials who administer them did.

[Moggy]

Originally Posted by CaptainWaggett I'm not sure the ability to translate Euripides is a requirement for the job of Mayor of London.

In a democracy, I am not sure there are "requirements for the job" of holding a public office, apart from integrity, probity and a little rationality. That's the good thing about democracy, we have not bureaucratised it. But there may be too many professional pollies in the various democracies of the world.
One thing that amazed me about the London vote, was how few eligible voters actually came out to vote.
As for Boris - I find him enormously amusing; he makes me laugh. I recall seeing him on HIGNFY, when some female person was raving on about something or another, and he said: That's a big word for a pretty girl...." How I wish ore people in public life were as out of control as that. It would really ginger things up.
On another note, I share Boris' passion for the ancient Greeks and in particular, the Athenians; and of them, Thucydides and Perikles. For that reason alone, it would be fascinating to meet him.
But I don't have to live in a city he's administering. Maybe the question is: Eccentric - yes; but is he dangerous?

[Marky B]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Ken Clarke's had a long running series about jazz on Radio 4. What about Lembit Öpik? He doesn't conceal his hobby. How are the Cheeky Girls doing now? Steve

Frederick Forsyth calls him "Letme Gropeit".
Ta Ta

[penfold]

Originally Posted by homeguard I must confess a sense of warm nostalgia for the security I felt having my betters run this country properly for me. Oh, and another quick confession - we go every year, first Sunday after Christmas, to see the Queen at Sandringham. And we're not alone! All the best, HG

Well, that's where we must agree to differ....I don't think either politicians, 'bred' to it or otherwise, or aristocrats, or oligarchs, are better than you or me. And I doubt the Queen does either...ask her next time you pop over to see her. I'd vote for her...

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Mark O An interesting trivia website there I wasn't aware of Steve, as for Boris, I just hope he dosen't have any plans to abolish the 'Travelcard' , which as I recall nearly happened pre-Blair, it's a boon for those of us who live in the Home Counties and enjoy regular trips into London........it certainly won't help 'Congestion' if he does

The Snopes site is very useful for checking on urban myths that so many people seem to believe as being the truth

Steve

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by homeguard Actually, Hitler lost 2,000,000 votes and 34 Reichstag seats at the last General Election on November 17th 1932, thereby losing overall control. His highest ever popular vote in the July of that year was 37%. It was this collapse in his popularity with the general population that forced him into an alliance with von Papen, and he was appointed by Hindenburg as a last resort. So I'm afraid the German people were not really responsible.

It is possible for a party to have a majority and to be in power even if you only get 37% of the vote, it's happened often enough in this country

As for 'Il Duce', he scared the poo out of Hitler at first. And it was Hitler who travelled to Vienna in 1934 to meet Mussolini and talk him out of protecting Austria against the Anschluss.

As the meeting didn't happen in Germany or in Italy, I think there is a chance that they both had to travel to get there

Yes he did overhaul the Italian transport system, end Mafia corruption, and pour money into developing the poor Southern Italian agrarian system. I suppose his opposition to communism would make him unpopular these days amongst some sectors of society, but he didn't deserve to be strung up by the heels on a garage forecourt. Regards, HG

He wasn't strung up by the heels for what he did (or actually didn't do) for the Italian transport system

Steve

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Moggy In a democracy, I am not sure there are "requirements for the job" of holding a public office, apart from integrity, probity and a little rationality. That's the good thing about democracy, we have not bureaucratised it. But there may be too many professional pollies in the various democracies of the world. One thing that amazed me about the London vote, was how few eligible voters actually came out to vote. As for Boris - I find him enormously amusing; he makes me laugh. I recall seeing him on HIGNFY, when some female person was raving on about something or another, and he said: That's a big word for a pretty girl...." How I wish ore people in public life were as out of control as that. It would really ginger things up. On another note, I share Boris' passion for the ancient Greeks and in particular, the Athenians; and of them, Thucydides and Perikles. For that reason alone, it would be fascinating to meet him. But I don't have to live in a city he's administering. Maybe the question is: Eccentric - yes; but is he dangerous?

Even "integrity, probity and a little rationality" aren't requirements for the job in any branch of politics, or most of them would be out of a job.

Nobody doubts Boris is an amusing and eccentric character - but would you want him in charge of where you live?

Steve

[Marky B]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Even "integrity, probity and a little rationality" aren't requirements for the job in any branch of politics, or most of them would be out of a job. Nobody doubts Boris is an amusing and eccentric character - but would you want him in charge of where you live? Steve

At least we would know who the mayor is. As for ours,I wouldn't know their name,sex,or what party they represent.
Ta Ta
Marky B

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Marky B At least we would know who the mayor is. As for ours,I wouldn't know their name,sex,or what party they represent. Ta Ta Marky B

That's the case in most boroughs in the country. But the Mayor of London is in charge of a bit more than a borough. I don't think anyone, especially any Londoner, was in any doubt as to who Ken was

Steve

[DB7]

Boris news at Tory HQ. (all people over 40 carefully locked away in a cupboard)

[1stas]

Originally Posted by CaptainWaggett More buses and free buses for schoolkids is quite a major achievememt considering that transport is his major responsibility. Though many would also consider the introduction of the Oyster card and the congestion charge fairly major (they've certainly both improved my life!). He has some say in the budget of the police but he can't actually order them to get more PC Dixons on the street. Do you really think that Boris has the power (or knowledge) to set up the sort of schemes that will actually tackle crime? I guess we'll have to wait and see whether Boris' term of office will be as free of scandal as you clearly expect. His past record suggests not.

Pray tell: how on earth has the congestion charge improved your life???

Scandal - Ken is riddled with it!!!

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by 1stas Pray tell: how on earth has the congestion charge improved your life???

Quite simply, by reducing the traffic driving in London - there's a lot, but imagine how bad it'd be without the congestion charge. And by using the money raised to fund the Oyster card scheme and pay for improved public transport

Steve