London has spoken

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Tarih	: 15 Mayys 2008 16:55

BORIS Johnson is the new Mayor of London. Now I am sure many of you could not care less, because this is most certainly the impression I had come the day of the election. Many people were freely expressing cynical sentiments ‘what difference will it make’ ‘who cares they are all just as bad as one another’. But is it really the case that there was little to no difference between the two main contenders- Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson? I would go so far as to say that there is a clear difference between Boris Johnson and many other politicians. He is what makes me cynical about British politics and society in general. An upper class eccentric type who seems to be a success despite coming across as a total buffoon - I wonder if I would be able to get away with such behaviour with my cockney London accent? Somehow it is doubtful.

I heard him talk at a conference once and all I can say is that he made me laugh quite a few times, but not for the right reasons. He did not seem to know what he was talking about, or particularly care about the subject at hand, turning most comments into a joke. But apparently the majority of Londoners seem to feel that he is the man who is going to solve all our problems in the city, particularly in the inner cities as this is what the main focus of the campaign seemed to be on. The media were pivotal in all of this, subtly and obviously portraying Ken as a failure due to the recent spout of youth related killings. Of course the argument goes that his left wing credentials somehow make him ‘soft’ and unable to deal with such issues. An argument I have heard directed at myself a few times, usually from those who do nothing more than sit at home reading tabloid newspapers, those who have forgotten the last time they spoke to anyone under 18, except perhaps their own children (even then this is questionable in itself). Somehow it seems London has been convinced that Boris is going to provide us with the answers to our problems around the youth crime agenda. Don’t make me laugh, I am tired of Joe Public taking the word of the tabloid press as gospel ‘tough on crime’ is the answer they shout, ‘yes yes yes’ scream the public ‘lock up the young thugs’ ‘get them off the streets that is the key’! I am tired of the inability of most people to probe into issues a little deeper then this. Why do people not cast their eye across the Atlantic to what is going on with our American brethren. No one can accuse them of being soft on crime, yet they hardly have an idyllic crime free society, do they? Far from it in fact.

Once again I will get on my soap box - create opportunities for young working class people, show them realistic boundaries, challenge them in a firm but fair way, have belief and faith in them and then stand back and reap the benefits. This is an issue of class more than anything else and it is this that needs to be challenged before we can see any positive changes in a city as divided by income and wealth as London.  The next few years will be interesting for London; no doubt Boris will just surround himself with advisers who are more capable than himself at being Mayor of London, people who will make sure that he is not exposed for what he really is. Although why stop at Boris - how about Russell Brand for Deputy Mayor and Roy Chubby Brown for the Mayors adviser on race? The previous, being a great comedian, and the latter a supposed comedian who is fully reliant on a 1970s brand of racist humour. Let’s go the full hog and make sure that we have a really funny administration and show the world that the British undoubtedly have the best humour in the world.

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