Boris Johnson: fool

by John Street
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

What is wrong with Boris Johnson? Is he really as mad as he appears?

The answer, it seems, is yes.

ASLEF general secretary Keith Norman was due to have a meeting with the Mayor of London last week, but this was summarily cancelled with this bizarre explanation from BoJo’s private secretary Roisha Hughes: “I understand that in the past few days you have indicated that you are in dispute with London Underground over a number of issues. It is the Mayor’s stated policy that he will not meet with trade unions in circumstances where there is an ongoing dispute.”

As they say, you couldn’t make it up, could you?

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About The Author

John Street is Tribune's diary columnist.
  • swatantra

    Johnson is not a born negotiator. He likes to get his own way, and doesn’t really believe in consultation or listening. So his refusal to talk is no surprise.

  • swatantra

    Johnson is not a born negotiator. He likes to get his own way, and doesn’t really believe in consultation or listening. So his refusal to talk is no surprise.

  • terence patrick hewett

    Taking a whimsical analysis; Johnson is running rings around his opponents, and they don’t even realise it. Not the least when he was attacked because of the shed on his Islington balcony. We live in a Shedocracy; Boris understands the deep love of Sheds that the English have, because he understands and loves the English. He reminds me of Lord Palmerston, both in his oratorical delivery and his popularity. Rightly or wrongly Boris is popular because people feel he is on their side against the big battalions. Against those people who “love every country but their own.” Or, as Palmeston neatly put it; against those who propagate the view that “everything that was English was wrong, and everything that was hostile to England was right.” The diverse peoples of London instinctively know that they are in no danger from libertarian Boris. As in Arnold Bennett’s book of the same name, he is a Card. In the book’s final exchange:

    “What a card!” said one, laughing joyously. “He’s a rare ‘un, no mistake.”
    “Of course, this’ll make him more popular than ever,” said another. “We’ve never had a man to touch him for that.”
    “And yet,” demanded Councillor Barlow, “what’s he done? Has he ever done a day’s work in his life? What great cause is he identified with?”
    “He’s identified,” said the speaker, “with the great cause of cheering us all up.”

  • terence patrick hewett

    Taking a whimsical analysis; Johnson is running rings around his opponents, and they don’t even realise it. Not the least when he was attacked because of the shed on his Islington balcony. We live in a Shedocracy; Boris understands the deep love of Sheds that the English have, because he understands and loves the English. He reminds me of Lord Palmerston, both in his oratorical delivery and his popularity. Rightly or wrongly Boris is popular because people feel he is on their side against the big battalions. Against those people who “love every country but their own.” Or, as Palmeston neatly put it; against those who propagate the view that “everything that was English was wrong, and everything that was hostile to England was right.” The diverse peoples of London instinctively know that they are in no danger from libertarian Boris. As in Arnold Bennett’s book of the same name, he is a Card. In the book’s final exchange:

    “What a card!” said one, laughing joyously. “He’s a rare ‘un, no mistake.”
    “Of course, this’ll make him more popular than ever,” said another. “We’ve never had a man to touch him for that.”
    “And yet,” demanded Councillor Barlow, “what’s he done? Has he ever done a day’s work in his life? What great cause is he identified with?”
    “He’s identified,” said the speaker, “with the great cause of cheering us all up.”

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