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Paddick: Clowning Boris is not up to mayor's job
Pippa Crerar, Political Correspondent31 Dec 2007
The Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor has branded Conservative rival Boris Johnson a "clown" who was incapable of being a "serious ambassador" for the capital.
Brian Paddick claimed that Mr Johnson's reported vow to give up drinking for the course of the campaign betrayed a concern that he might commit gaffes.
The former Metropolitan Police commander warned that the would-be Tory mayor would not be able to get through a four-year term of office without embarrassment if he succeeded in ousting Ken Livingstone in May's election.
In an interview with political website ePolitix.com Mr Paddick said: "Boris has got into the habit of believing that nobody will like him unless he makes a joke. There are these accusations of him being racist and him being sexist, but at the end of the day he just can't help cracking jokes and quite often they're offensive to the people that he's making the joke about.
"We need a serious ambassador for London to be our mayor - not a clown."
Mr Paddick said that Mr Johnson's campaign had so far been relatively low-key, apparently because of "some rather fearsome-looking minders" keeping him away from the press to make sure he avoids opportunities for gaffes.
He added: "If the reports are to be believed, he's given up alcohol for the duration of the campaign, presumably for a similar reason. What Londoners have got to realise is four years is a hell of a long time for the mayor to be kept out of the media so he doesn't make any gaffes, and for him to give up drink.
"We're not talking about somebody who can behave for four months of a campaign, we're talking about a mayor who can behave for four years in the interests of London. And quite clearly, Boris can't do it.
"I am quite happy for people to see me after I have had a couple of glasses of wine, but clearly Boris's minders are very concerned that he will revert to type."
Mr Johnson responded by accusing his opponent of talking "pyscho-twaddle".
"Londoners don't want to hear this kind of politically correct psycho-twaddle. I am offering a positive campaign to oust Livingstone, restore security to our streets, buses and station platforms and deliver taxpayer value," he told The Times.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson's campaign told ePolitix.com that although he had decided to give up drinking for the duration it was not a "hard-and-fast" rule.
He said: "Boris wants to be super-fit for the campaign and has already lost a stone-and-a-half in weight.
"The next big drink he plans to have is to help Ken drown his sorrows."
Reader views (9)
Paddick is the best hope London has.
- Marion, Wood Green, UK, 06/04/2008 23:30
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Paddick is the true clown. No ideas on policy, a very weak record on law and order and an embarassing self publicist. The fact that he has to attack Boris personally rather than on policy demonstrates what a weak and fragile candidate he is - a view shared by the polls which put him at a laughable 7%. I'm for Boris who will be a great Mayor.
- Andrew Finch, London, 10/01/2008 12:59
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Brian Paddick is grossly unfair in his criticisms of Boris Johnson. Why does Mr. Paddick consider himself so special for the job as after all, the
Liberal Democrats are unlikely to gain sufficient votes to ever be a real alternative anyway!
- Dawn Bonham, Northampton, 02/01/2008 18:26
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Johnson is truly a clown and the fact that the Tories have allowed him to stand as their candidate make one wonder!
- Cee, London, 02/01/2008 14:23
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He is a very wealthy buffoon if he wasn’t wealthy he would be the village idiot.
- Mike, Bedford England, 02/01/2008 14:05
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Boris will make a great mayor for London. Livingston and Paddick are not fit to comment.
- Andrew, Chessington, 02/01/2008 13:49
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We have all seen how the Police have become emasculated by the policies of their leaders like Brian Paddick. They are more concerned by Political Correctness, Human Rights and Targets than actually catching criminals. Maybe he should look at how these policies have had such a bad effect and sort them out before attacking others.
- Nigel, Wimbledon, 02/01/2008 13:13
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The idea of Johnson as mayor is horrific. The man is more than a clown, he's a total upper-middle-class buffoon and charade.
- Alfred Gormont, Hants., 02/01/2008 12:48
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As a resident of Brixton I think I can safely say that Brian Paddick is unfit to be Mayor of London. His ridiculous softly-softly policy towards cannabis dealing had drug dealers converging on our neighbourhood from other areas of London, safe from arrest. And we all know that people who sell cannabis would never dream of selling hard drugs...and then we woke up. What kind of wacky social engineering projects will he inflict on Londoners if elected?
- Sarah N., London, 01/01/2008 20:15
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