Boris

smidsy

Frank the tank wrote:

Bunneh wrote:

I love the guy, he acts the bafoon but I suspect he's not as 'dumb' as people like to think.

I don't love the guy, and the bafoonary is an act. He's a cool calculating politician. He's right wing so,well, you know my views on tories. :twisted:

If he is Right wing then he's no Tory.

A fascist maybe - but not a tory.

tim_wand

Boris Johnson was commenting in a Spectator article in October 2004 following the beheading of Liverpudlian Ken Bigley by hostage takers in Iraq.

Boris suggested that the public outpouring of grief on this matter was being amplified by the fact that Mr Bigley was a Liverpudlian, and went on to express a view that following Incidents such as Heysel and Hillsborough that Liverpudlians could not "Help to see themselves as victims whenever possible, Who resent their victim status but whenever possible revel in it".

Place those comments in the context of Today's findings, which were well know or suspected by the families of the 94 who died at Hillsborough and the people of the City of Liverpool.

If you still see Boris as a loveable bumbling buffoon who had the courage to say what the rest of you media misguided idiots choose to believe through watching Brookie and Harry Enfield, then you really do deserve the leaders we have.

I have been fortunate to work all over the world with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and without fail I have always found people from Merseyside, to be warm, benevolent,funny , self effacing and hard working.

I ve also had the misfortune of being lead by a lot of Ex public schoolboys and cannot apply the same maxim to a single one of them.

bartman100

tim wand wrote:

I have been fortunate to work all over the world with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and without fail I have always found people from Merseyside, to be warm, benevolent,funny , self effacing and hard working.

I ve also had the misfortune of being lead by a lot of Ex public schoolboys and cannot apply the same maxim to a single one of them.

Well said that man. The 'victimhood wallowing' slur is spin, perpetuated by the tory right who seek to shout down a city with a proud history of standing up for itself and standing up to London.

Peddle Up!

baldwin471 wrote:

Yeah, he's a great guy

I wonder in Cameron reviewed this before drafting his "apology". Wheels within wheels. :?

tim_wand

It would be insidious but extremely likely that D.C is using this platform of sincere public apology (for an episode to which he is in no way connected) to juxtaposition his own sentiments to those previously expressed by Boris Johnson
in order to dispel the post Olympic clamour of Boris populism.

The proof will come in how supportive he is of the C.P.S when they look to pursue prosecutions against those responsible.

He wasn't exactly sabre rattling at Levison when his media cronies Brookes and Coulson were seen to have blood on their hands.

Either way they are both Tory W*ankers.

mattshrops

I think DC apologised because he had to. No other reason.

I was going to football matches around this time- and there were a LOT of pissed people in the crowds- all happy to push and be aggressive. That is simply a statement of fact. I've no doubt there were huge mistakes made by the police that day, and a subsequent massive cover up. But i also have no doubt that the situation was not helped by the late comers (why were they late?). The poor folks who were down at the front and the families of those were the innocents who would probably have got there early to get a "good" spot, and as such were entirely blameless.

Anyone who decides they do not like people from a certain area based upon some weird distortion in the media, or due to their accent, have such a small horizon they deserve to be pitied.

I realise this is a sensitive subject and have no desire to upset anyone(except for the bigots) but as usual nothing is black or white.

Dog Breath

OffTheBackAdam wrote:

Top man, our Boris, got Scousers spot on!

After what has transpired today, you should be ashamed !! Idiot !!

Yellow Peril

Glad to see the truth out about Hillsborough, I hope the families can move on.

However, I was at Heysel. I think that was a different story where fans didn't cover themselves in glory. It was the last time I paid to watch "the Eton game".

solosuperia

I don't affiliate myself with any of the political parties..... Hows that for a starter?
I do believe this country needs positive leadership, and that I believe is lacking in all three of the Parties at the moment.
There is an old adage in business.... A bad decision is better than no decision.

I tend to think Boris is brave enough to make a decision and stick to it rather than prevaricate.

MaxwellBygraves

No doubt Boris is a threat - but whether he can pull off the 'friendly idiot' act outside of London is hard to say.

I would hate to see Boris as PM (same with any Tory) but from a spectators point of view I admit it would be interesting to watch.

CiB

tim wand wrote:

...what the rest of you media misguided idiots choose to believe through watching Brookie and Harry Enfield, then you really do deserve the leaders we have.

Point of order here, but I specifically excluded Brookside & Harry Enfield preferring instead to base it on news reports & the like. Never watched an episode of Brookie in my life and even the densest Tim Nice-But-Dim would recognise calm down calm down as caricature.

Looks like the Boris-haters have had all their birthdays come at once with the timing of this; Boris's stock rising ever higher on the back of a good year for London and Cameron failing to shine, and suddenly his steady rise in the public's consciousness can be stopped in its tracks thanks to a bit of nonsense from a few years ago.

Daz555

He would never have been considered as Tory leader. Just too much of a loose cannon. As for his comments being brought back into the public view since he made them - tough, that's politics.

I seem to remember he apologised a fair few years ago?

CiB

Daz555 wrote:

I seem to remember he apologised a fair few years ago?

He did, but what difference would that make? Any excuse to have a pop at him will do apparently.

disgruntledgoat

Plus he didn't actually write those words.

They were published as an editorial in the Spectator, of which he was editor at the time. The comment was actually authored by Simon Heffer of the Daily Mail. Doing something that is rarely seen in Britian these days, however, Johnson actually nutted up, took responsibility for words that went out under his editorial banner and went and apologised in person.

CiB

Here yer go. Just what you asked for, an apology for something he didn't actually say.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -fans.html

What a bloke eh?

bartman100

CiB wrote:

Here yer go. Just what you asked for, an apology for something he didn't actually say.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -fans.html

What a bloke eh?

Wow. So, when forced into a corner, he provides a grovelling apology. Did you read the article?

"Simon Heffer, a former columnist for The Daily Telegraph who now works for the Daily Mail, recently admitted that he wrote the first draft at Mr Johnson’s request"

So, Boris requested it, then sanctioned it, as Editor. Still, lets not let fact and truth get in the way of the cringeworthy fawning that characterises followers of the Cult of Boris.

CiB

bartman100 wrote:

Wow. So, when forced into a corner, he provides a grovelling apology. Did you read the article?

"Simon Heffer, a former columnist for The Daily Telegraph who now works for the Daily Mail, recently admitted that he wrote the first draft at Mr Johnson’s request"

So, Boris requested it, then sanctioned it, as Editor. Still, lets not let fact and truth get in the way of the cringeworthy fawning that characterises followers of the Cult of Boris.

Aah bless, as one of our Project Managers likes to say.

disgruntledgoat

So you demand somebody publically takes responsibility for something he didn't write, but was published under his stewardship, you demand he apologises.

He does so, twice. Publically. In the first instance, to the faces of those he offended and you're still not happy. I'm no raving fan of Boris Johnson, but it seems to me you have an axe to grind and wouldn't be satisfied whatever he did.

Gizmo_

Daz555 wrote:

He would never have been considered as Tory leader. Just too much of a loose cannon.

I agree. In fact, I strongly suspect he was told, in a friendly but serious way, that he should try and get the MOL job because it's the biggest one he'll ever get.

bartman100

disgruntledgoat wrote:

So you demand somebody publically takes responsibility for something he didn't write, but was published under his stewardship, you demand he apologises.

He does so, twice. Publically. In the first instance, to the faces of those he offended and you're still not happy. I'm no raving fan of Boris Johnson, but it seems to me you have an axe to grind and wouldn't be satisfied whatever he did.

I'm not demanding anything - I just refuse to join the Boris love-in. And just to be clear, Michael Howard forced him to go to Liverpool to save a furore and he arguably had to come out yesterday, given the press coverage. Sorry to sound cynical and that. Boris is a loveable rogue on the surface but probably more dangerous than Cameron and Osbourne who at least have the decency not to hide the fact that they're c--ts.

disgruntledgoat

bartman100 wrote:

disgruntledgoat wrote:

So you demand somebody publically takes responsibility for something he didn't write, but was published under his stewardship, you demand he apologises.

He does so, twice. Publically. In the first instance, to the faces of those he offended and you're still not happy. I'm no raving fan of Boris Johnson, but it seems to me you have an axe to grind and wouldn't be satisfied whatever he did.

I'm not demanding anything - I just refuse to join the Boris love-in. And just to be clear, Michael Howard forced him to go to Liverpool to save a furore and he arguably had to come out yesterday, given the press coverage. Sorry to sound cynical and that. Boris is a loveable rogue on the surface but probably more dangerous than Cameron and Osbourne who at least have the decency not to hide the fact that they disagree with me.

FTFY

I don't agree with everything Johnson says and does but he at least seems to take responsibility for his actions which is more than can be said for the occupants of most of the great offices of state over the last 2 decades.

bartman100

Well, lets see how he performs as PM shall we? I just kind of object to him being given an easy ride because people can't see beyond the loveable, cuddly, eccentric. And no need to fix my post, I meant what I said. C--ts is a little used word for a reason and should be applied to people who deserve it. I think the 80k who booed Osbourne at the Olympic stadium agree with me.

disgruntledgoat

bartman100 wrote:

Well, lets see how he performs as PM shall we? I just kind of object to him being given an easy ride because people can't see beyond the loveable, cuddly, eccentric. And no need to fix my post, I meant what I said. C--ts is a little used word for a reason and should be applied to people who deserve it. I think the 80k who booed Osbourne at the Olympic stadium agree with me.

Wy don't you articulate why you dislike him so vehemently than jus calling him a name? All it does is make your argument look irrational and shallow.

Who gives Boris Johnson an easy ride by the way? The Guardian has at least one article a week on his failings, there are numerous blogs devoted to unpicking his record as Mayor of London and he has an elected assembly to scrutinise his decisions.

The reasons I admire him as a politician are his commitment to freedom of speech and liberty of assembly, his recognition that the state cannot solve everybody's problems whilst ackowledging it delivers certain services better than a private model and the fact that he actually pays his taxes. In addition to taking public responsibility for his failings.

Before you slate me as a right wing "c--t", there are also principled politicians on the left I admire such as Frank Field and Andy Burnham.

vitesse169

bartman100 wrote:

Well, lets see how he performs as PM shall we? I just kind of object to him being given an easy ride because people can't see beyond the loveable, cuddly, eccentric. And no need to fix my post, I meant what I said. C--ts is a little used word for a reason and should be applied to people who deserve it. I think the 80k who booed Osbourne at the Olympic stadium agree with me.

I think I agree - in the main - I don't think there is such a creature as a nice, decent politician.... they just don't exist; that appears to be the nature of politics today. The need to make decicions without emotion is somewhat the nature of the job & telling people what they need in simple terms may be 'nasty' but is sometimes necessary.
Like a Doctor being nice to an obese patient instead of telling it like it is - 'stop eating burgers, fries, beer - take exercise & lose weight or you're dead in 2 years'..... instead of ' modify your caloric intake as an aid to slimming and you'll be ok'.....

bartman100

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Wy don't you articulate why you dislike him so vehemently than jus calling him a name? All it does is make your argument look irrational and shallow.

I don't and I didn't. I just questioned the 'stop picking on lovely Boris - he said sorry ok?' brigade. And I don't have a crusade against Boris as you seem to imagine, I only commented in relation to the Hillsborough business.

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Who gives Boris Johnson an easy ride by the way? The Guardian has at least one article a week on his failings, there are numerous blogs devoted to unpicking his record as Mayor of London and he has an elected assembly to scrutinise his decisions.

Fair enough - I don't read the Guardian or said blogs and can only comment on what I see/hear which = 'Boris Love-in'

disgruntledgoat wrote:

The reasons I admire him as a politician are his commitment to freedom of speech and liberty of assembly, his recognition that the state cannot solve everybody's problems whilst ackowledging it delivers certain services better than a private model and the fact that he actually pays his taxes. In addition to taking public responsibility for his failings.

I'm sure all this bears scrutiny. My only point was that people seem to be entranced by his charisma at the cost of scrutinising him.

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Before you slate me as a right wing "c--t", there are also principled politicians on the left I admire such as Frank Field and Andy Burnham.

I wouldn't do such a thing.