Mayor race in London seems under-discussed here
May 3rd, 2012, 06:23 AM
#1
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Mayor race in London seems under-discussed here
I'm still for Mr. Johnson, though this time I do not offer to trade my U.S. presidential vote for a London one. Somehow the stakes seem higher over here.
Since we'll be there this winter, and since I'd like to see the streets full of bicycles and Borismaster buses, I post this in the Europe travel section.
Since we'll be there this winter, and since I'd like to see the streets full of bicycles and Borismaster buses, I post this in the Europe travel section.
May 3rd, 2012, 06:59 AM
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You would see the streets full of hire bikes whichever of the front-runners got in, since that was Ken's scheme in the first place. You would see more bikes in general if the Green candidate got in, of course.
You're right, the stakes are just that little bit higher in your presidential race. The Mayor of London's direct responsibilities are primarily transport, some environmental matters and strategic planning, with shared responsibility over police and fire services. For the rest, there's a "knocking heads together" function, with some funds to encourage the boroughs and other authorities to work along with whatever strategic priorities the Mayor wants to set.
For myself, I have not voted for the Mop-headed Buffoon, though I fear the Bromleys and Bexleys of this world will have their way once again.
You're right, the stakes are just that little bit higher in your presidential race. The Mayor of London's direct responsibilities are primarily transport, some environmental matters and strategic planning, with shared responsibility over police and fire services. For the rest, there's a "knocking heads together" function, with some funds to encourage the boroughs and other authorities to work along with whatever strategic priorities the Mayor wants to set.
For myself, I have not voted for the Mop-headed Buffoon, though I fear the Bromleys and Bexleys of this world will have their way once again.
May 3rd, 2012, 07:10 AM
#4
having a vote in neither contest, i declare myself officially neutral, though my recent experience of mass transportation in Paris makes me long for a london supremo who could see the advantages of tube tickets that cost less than the price of a skinny latte with cinnamon, no sugar!
apropos of elections, stoke, if you will permit me to digress a little, what coverage, if any, in the US of the french presidential contest which will be decided on Sunday?
apropos of elections, stoke, if you will permit me to digress a little, what coverage, if any, in the US of the french presidential contest which will be decided on Sunday?
May 3rd, 2012, 09:14 AM
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Hi, Ann. Since I've swung away from Mr. J, I guess it's too late now for me to declare neutrality.
We don't watch TV news, but I'm guessing any mention of the French elections there would be brief and superficial. National Public Radio has periodic in-depth coverage of European news.
We get our city's newspaper for state and local news, and also the NY Times for a fair job of covering the tiptops of world news icebergs. Todays NYT devotes a top half page to the bitter end of the French campaign, and yesterday's gave top 3/4 page to Le Pen's non-endorsement.
I'm pretty sure that if I asked my bright and competent co-workers at the office what they thought about Sarkozy-Hollande I'd get blank looks.
We don't watch TV news, but I'm guessing any mention of the French elections there would be brief and superficial. National Public Radio has periodic in-depth coverage of European news.
We get our city's newspaper for state and local news, and also the NY Times for a fair job of covering the tiptops of world news icebergs. Todays NYT devotes a top half page to the bitter end of the French campaign, and yesterday's gave top 3/4 page to Le Pen's non-endorsement.
I'm pretty sure that if I asked my bright and competent co-workers at the office what they thought about Sarkozy-Hollande I'd get blank looks.
May 3rd, 2012, 09:31 AM
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I am in London as we speak. I am anxiously awaiting the elections results, now if I could only remember the other fellow. I read in one your local papers yesterday that your mayor is called by Bojo by some. Now there is a name fit for a PM.
If he is in charge of transport, tell him the construction at Paddington is lasting far too long. It has been going on both days I am here.
Full report some day on the Europe baord.
If he is in charge of transport, tell him the construction at Paddington is lasting far too long. It has been going on both days I am here.
Full report some day on the Europe baord.
May 3rd, 2012, 10:31 AM
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For 95% of their policies you'd be hard pressed to distinguish between the two - and much of Boris's "successes" pre-dated his rose to power.
The only significant "success" for BJ is the new Routemaster pastiche - each of which costs several times as much as an off the shelf hybrid bus.
Otherwise you'd be hard pressed to spot the difference - except that BJ will concrete every part of the SE to create a new London airport and Ken is unlikely to sleep with your servants.
The only significant "success" for BJ is the new Routemaster pastiche - each of which costs several times as much as an off the shelf hybrid bus.
Otherwise you'd be hard pressed to spot the difference - except that BJ will concrete every part of the SE to create a new London airport and Ken is unlikely to sleep with your servants.
May 3rd, 2012, 10:42 AM
#9
except that BJ will concrete every part of the SE to create a new London airport and Ken is unlikely to sleep with your servants.>>
have you seen LP's thread about class? I am reminded of the "Lady Chatterley's lover's" trial where the prosecution QC asked the jury if it was a book they'd want their wives or servants to read. it is widely thought that remark contributed largely to the acquittal.
have you seen LP's thread about class? I am reminded of the "Lady Chatterley's lover's" trial where the prosecution QC asked the jury if it was a book they'd want their wives or servants to read. it is widely thought that remark contributed largely to the acquittal.
May 3rd, 2012, 12:37 PM
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London's mayors are almost as embarassing as ours (Toronto).
Our current mayor is an illiterate buffoon who has vendettas with newspapers and CBC TV personalities. He comes with an ignoramus brother (even more illiterate than he is) who loves monorails and ferris wheels. It's awful.
Our current mayor is an illiterate buffoon who has vendettas with newspapers and CBC TV personalities. He comes with an ignoramus brother (even more illiterate than he is) who loves monorails and ferris wheels. It's awful.
May 3rd, 2012, 12:45 PM
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<i>Our current mayor is an illiterate buffoon</i>
He's the one who hates bikes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17914503
He has a London cousin in the form of the boss of Addison Lee
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...=feeds-newsxml
However given that the top 4 Mayoral Candidates are heavily pro-bike he's had a bit of a kicking and has lost several contracts including government ones and has now been forced to give his drivers cyclist awareness training and was in danger of having to appear in court for saying he'd pay the fines of his drivers who use bus lanes
http://road.cc/content/news/57616-ad...eness-training
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/add...t-of-bus-lanes
He's the one who hates bikes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17914503
He has a London cousin in the form of the boss of Addison Lee
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...=feeds-newsxml
However given that the top 4 Mayoral Candidates are heavily pro-bike he's had a bit of a kicking and has lost several contracts including government ones and has now been forced to give his drivers cyclist awareness training and was in danger of having to appear in court for saying he'd pay the fines of his drivers who use bus lanes
http://road.cc/content/news/57616-ad...eness-training
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/add...t-of-bus-lanes
May 3rd, 2012, 01:21 PM
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I was going to start a thread about not understanding how Londoners could reelect a buffoon for Mayor but then remember that we in the US elected GWB twice.
Carry-on!
I do wonder where the voting was heavy today. If it was in the outlying area then Boris wins by a landslide.
Does the BBC do the whole election night coverage blanket like the US? Interviewing plebs off the street and other filler until election results are issued?
Carry-on!
I do wonder where the voting was heavy today. If it was in the outlying area then Boris wins by a landslide.
Does the BBC do the whole election night coverage blanket like the US? Interviewing plebs off the street and other filler until election results are issued?
May 3rd, 2012, 02:00 PM
#18
Does the BBC do the whole election night coverage blanket like the US? Interviewing plebs off the street and other filler until election results are issued?>>
not for these sorts of elections. They are showing the normal weekly "question time" programme at the moment which will be followed by the election special at about 11.30pm; results will start to come in at about 12 midnight so there will be interviews of plebs and others but most coverage will be of hard results and reactions to them.
this is more or less what happens in a general election too, though the build up tends to be more intense. it is nothing like the blanket coverage that the US electorate is subjected to, thank goodness.
not for these sorts of elections. They are showing the normal weekly "question time" programme at the moment which will be followed by the election special at about 11.30pm; results will start to come in at about 12 midnight so there will be interviews of plebs and others but most coverage will be of hard results and reactions to them.
this is more or less what happens in a general election too, though the build up tends to be more intense. it is nothing like the blanket coverage that the US electorate is subjected to, thank goodness.
May 3rd, 2012, 02:04 PM
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It was being discussed on NPR (National Public Radio, fyi) here this a.m. The program vaguely hinted that his vague-ness and dishabille were possible feigned? Or did I put something there that didn't exist?
Did they say there has only be a Lord Mayor for 12 years? Thanks.
Agree with your there annhig (about the U.S. coverage).
Did they say there has only be a Lord Mayor for 12 years? Thanks.
Agree with your there annhig (about the U.S. coverage).
May 3rd, 2012, 02:13 PM
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Boris is very smart-I think he plays up the buffoon act just like GWB(IMHO) played up his Texas accent even though he grew up in the Northeast.
The Mayor's position has only been around for 12 years. Lord Mayor is another title/position and is older.
I'm glad to hear about the election coverage being toned down there. It's always annoying to see our local news coverage filling time by interviewing the man on the street or poll trackers. Somehow it always reminds me of the "Mary Tyler Moore show where she's doing the election night coverage during a snowstorm so the phones go out and she's forced to interview people at the station.
The Mayor's position has only been around for 12 years. Lord Mayor is another title/position and is older.
I'm glad to hear about the election coverage being toned down there. It's always annoying to see our local news coverage filling time by interviewing the man on the street or poll trackers. Somehow it always reminds me of the "Mary Tyler Moore show where she's doing the election night coverage during a snowstorm so the phones go out and she's forced to interview people at the station.
