Boris Johnson to tell PM he has winning Tory formula

London mayor to say his 'compassionate cosmopolitan Conservatism' provides best chance for party after dismal results elsewhere

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/ma...ng-tory-formula

 

Boris Johnson is to tell David Cameron that his brand of "compassionate cosmopolitan Conservatism" provides the best chance for the party to rejuvenate itself across Britain and secure an overall parliamentary majority at the next general election.

 

In a clear signal that he will continue to differentiate himself from his fellow Etonian, Johnson will say that "bone-dry" Tory economics can triumph if the party appeals beyond its traditional base on social issues.

 

"Boris has championed a cosmopolitan and compassionate Conservatism which he has combined with a bone-dry approach on the economy," one source close to the London mayor said.

 

"If Boris had been seen as a straightforward Conservative, he would have been massacred."

 

In his victory, finally announced at City Hall late on Friday night, Johnson showed his personal appeal by performing more strongly in the mayoral contest than Tory candidates standing in the parallel elections for the London assembly. While his win was far narrower than expected, it provided one of the few bright spots for the Tories amid poor results across Britain. But the personal success of Johnson, who relishes the opportunity to embarrass Cameron and George Osborne, is a mixed blessing for Downing Street.

 

Friends of Johnson, who will be 48 next month, regard him as the most ambitious member of his generation at Oxford, and determined to become prime minister.

 

Cabinet ministers have long assumed that Johnson would return to parliament at the next general election in 2015, a year before the next mayoral election in 2016, even if he won a second term as London mayor this year.

 

There was speculation that the safe Tory seat of Reigate, held by the justice minister Crispin Blunt, is being lined up for Johnson. A triumphant return to parliament in 2015 – seven years after he stood down as MP for Henley after his election as London mayor in 2008 – would place Johnson in pole position to replace Cameron as Tory leader. The prime minister, regarded by Johnson as intellectually inferior, is expected to stand down in 2017 or 2018 if he wins the next election.

 

But Johnson said on Friday that he would remain as mayor for a full four-year term until 2016. "If I am fortunate enough to win I'll need four years to deliver what I've promised," he told the London Evening Standard. "And having put trust at the heart of this election, I would serve out that term in full.

 

"I made a solemn vow to Londoners to lead them out of recession, bring down crime and deliver the growth, investment and jobs that this city so desperately needs. Keeping that promise cannot be combined with any other political capacity."

 

It is understood that Johnson is not closing off the opportunity of returning to parliament after 2016. "Who knows what the future will hold," one source said.

 

For the moment, Downing Street will have to tolerate a free-thinking Johnson who seems to have overcome a weakness that is causing continuing grief for the prime minister: his privileged background. "Boris has shown that you can be an old Etonian who went to Balliol [Oxford] and that need not prevent you succeeding," one source said.

 

Johnson's friends say that his stance on social issues and economics is the only model that can ensure success for the party nationally. On the economic side, they cite Johnson's campaign to cut the 50p tax rate as he fought for the City of London.

 

"Boris has shown that you can stand up for the City of London and call for tax cuts if you are grounded in the right principles. Boris built more affordable homes in four years than Ken Livingstone ever did. He has halved the number of rough sleepers in London and he has extended the living wage to 10 times as many people as Ken Livingstone ever did. Boris also led on socially liberal issues by proposing an amnesty for illegal immigrants. He also spoke out against the housing benefit cap by saying there would be no Kosovo-style social cleansing in London."

 

Johnson's friends admit that his personality was a key factor in his campaign. "The character of Boris was at the heart of his campaign – he does not pretend to be something he is not, unlike Ken Livingstone. Yes, he is funny. But you need more than that to do well in a recession. Boris has delivered on 90% of his pledges."

 

One senior Tory at Westminster said the prime minister was bracing himself for jibes from Johnson. "Boris will now be saying, 'I am the man who has won twice, unlike you, David Cameron, who has yet to win an election'," the Tory said.

 

Osborne, seen as the "under the bus" candidate to replace Cameron, will have to watch out. "Boris's star has risen and George's has fallen," the Tory said. "But politics is more snakes and ladders than an escalator."

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He claims to have "ruled out" running for Parliament in 2015, but the fact is, he's very clearly just seeing his position as Mayor of London as being a stepping stone to further his own ambtions, he's a careerist politician, and Careerist Politicians are this country's whole problem as I see it, they only look to furthering their own ambition and dont have any interest in actually serving the people. Boris Johnson is very ambitious, that's the first thing people seem to say about him... But, it's self-centred ambtition and not an ambition to improve the lot of ordinary Londoners..

 

Londoners need Social Housing, they need rents to be capped. For all Johnson's talk about how he's against a kind of "Social Cleansing" of the working classes out of London due to the Tory's policies on housing benefits, what's he actually going to do about it...? How can ordinary Londoners trust him given the fact that he wants to be a Tory MP in Westminster at some point, how much opposition is he actually going to put up..? His "housing policy"? Well, he doesn't have one... In four years, less than 50 affordable homes have been built in London, London needs tens of THOUSANDS, and it's not as if there isn't the existing brownfield sites or derelict properties to achieve this... Policing numbers have fallen due to cuts, and more than likely more to come, fares on public transport are likely to rise steeply as well under Boris... Ken Livingstone, like him or loathe him, was committed to London, I dont think Boris has that commitment.. How on earth can he when he was considering a jump to a safe Tory seat in SURREY....

 

One million Londoners are idiots... End of story.....

Oh, and just as a post-script, here's an interesting bit of Number Crunching....

 

50% - the percentile that Boris set as the standard by which union strike ballots should be considered legitimate

 

38% - the percentile of eligible Londoners who actually turned out to vote on Thursday's elections...

 

COUGH...COUGH....AHEM..... -_-

It was always obvious that he was going to try to return to Parliament whether he won or not - his winning actually means he won't be able to until 2015 when the Tories will most likely be kicked out anyway, whereas had he lost he could have been jetted into a safe seat straight away and had 18 months as PM before the next election.

 

Given Labour now have effective control of the Assembly with 12 of the 25 seats along with two Greens, Boris' power will be severely limited so let's be thankful for small mercies. That's not to say that watching him taking Ken's rightful place in the Olympic Opening Ceremony won't make my blood boil.

It was always obvious that he was going to try to return to Parliament whether he won or not - his winning actually means he won't be able to until 2015 when the Tories will most likely be kicked out anyway, whereas had he lost he could have been jetted into a safe seat straight away and had 18 months as PM before the next election.

 

Given Labour now have effective control of the Assembly with 12 of the 25 seats along with two Greens, Boris' power will be severely limited so let's be thankful for small mercies. That's not to say that watching him taking Ken's rightful place in the Olympic Opening Ceremony won't make my blood boil.

 

Not strictly true. There's no actual procedure in place to stop an incumbent Mayor from running for a seat in Parliament, Boris and his people had been discussing the logistics of it, and it was reckoned he could theoretically wear both caps for 12 months maximum... So, it's not entirely outwith the realms of possibility...

Not strictly true. There's no actual procedure in place to stop an incumbent Mayor from running for a seat in Parliament, Boris and his people had been discussing the logistics of it, and it was reckoned he could theoretically wear both caps for 12 months maximum... So, it's not entirely outwith the realms of possibility...

 

Maybe not technically but I still doubt that he'll run before 2015.

It's not just the 12-month overlap where he'd be splitting his time. Even if he stood somewhere like Reigate he would need to spend some time in the constituency unless he gets parachuted in after the incumbent delays announcing his retirement until the election is called. There are only minor changes to the Reigate constituency under the proposed changes so it is likely that Crispin Blunt will be reselected unopposed even if he has already decided privately that he won't be standing again.

It was always obvious that he was going to try to return to Parliament whether he won or not - his winning actually means he won't be able to until 2015 when the Tories will most likely be kicked out anyway, whereas had he lost he could have been jetted into a safe seat straight away and had 18 months as PM before the next election.

 

Given Labour now have effective control of the Assembly with 12 of the 25 seats along with two Greens, Boris' power will be severely limited so let's be thankful for small mercies. That's not to say that watching him taking Ken's rightful place in the Olympic Opening Ceremony won't make my blood boil.

 

LMAO. Ken doesn't have a rightful place there. He has to hope Boris invites him there. He's an idiot. His time is over thank God.

 

BORIS FOR NEXT PM.

Edited May 8, 201213 yr by Common Sense

LMAO. Ken doesn't have a rightful place there. He has to hope Boris invites him there. He's a tax evading corrupt idiot. His time is over thank God.

 

BORIS FOR NEXT PM.

 

How much did Boris do for winning the Games?

How much did Boris do for winning the Games, you scrounging little cunt?

 

Doesn't matter. Me and the wife voted for him and are very happy that he's been re-elected. Ken can crawl back in his hole now and good riddance.

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by Common Sense

How much did Boris do for winning the Games, you scrounging little cunt?

 

Name-calling really shows your maturity and ability to debate a subject doesn't it? :rolleyes: I left name-calling in the playground!!

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by Common Sense

Doesn't matter. Me and the wife voted for him and are very happy that he's been re-elected. Ken can crawl back in his hole now and good riddance.

 

Ha, a little ironic but you'll deserve whatever's coming to you with Boris as Mayor and possible future PM.

Ha, a little ironic but you'll deserve whatever's coming to you with Boris as Mayor and possible future PM.

 

I think he'd make an excellent PM but personally can't see the Tory party ever electing him as leader. :(

How much did Boris do for winning the Games?

 

FWIW I don't agree with us hosting the Games and don't intend to watch one second of them on TV. France should have got them. Total waste of public money which could have been spent on pensions, hospitals, schools and increased benefits and personally I hope they go ti** up.

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by Common Sense

I think he'd make an excellent PM but personally can't see the Tory party ever electing him as leader. :(

 

I disagree with both of your points, he'd be disastrous (although whether it can get much worse than the current lot is debatable) but it might actually happen. At least it's been delayed by his re-election, though.

I disagree with both of your points, he'd be disastrous (although whether it can get much worse than the current lot is debatable) but it might actually happen. At least it's been delayed by his re-election, though.

 

I honestly can't imagine the Tory MP's electing him leader. Winning in London is different to winning a nationwide General Election.

I honestly can't imagine the Tory MP's electing him leader. Winning in London is different to winning a nationwide General Election.

 

Who else do they have?

Who else do they have?

 

William Hague should get another go imo.

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by Common Sense

William Hague should get another go imo.

 

I think most Tory MPs would go for Buffoon Boris over Mr. Monotone, personally...

FWIW I don't agree with us hosting the Games and don't intend to watch one second of them on TV. France should have got them. Total waste of public money which could have been spent on pensions, hospitals, schools and increased benefits and personally I hope they go ti** up.

Hardly a waste given most Games make a profit off of the increased levels of tourism and given the amount of regeneration funding that's gone into East London...

Hardly a waste given most Games make a profit off of the increased levels of tourism and given the amount of regeneration funding that's gone into East London...

 

Not to mention we're spending half of what Beijing did, and less inflation-adjusted than Athens. Of course that's partly because much of our infrastructure is already there but we still have to build a new Olympic Park from scratch.