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Boris: I may only serve one term as Mayor of London
Katharine Barney23.04.09
Boris Johnson today revealed that he might not stand for a second term as Mayor — and would be ready to serve as Prime Minister.
In an exclusive interview with Evening Standard Editor Geordie Greig, he admitted he had not made up his mind about running for re-election. Mr Johnson said: “Nothing is excluded.”
The dramatic move fuels speculation that Mr Johnson will use City Hall as a springboard for his own attempt to take Downing Street, creating an electrifying rivalry with David Cameron at the top of the Conservative party.
Today the Mayor launched a fierce assault on the 50p tax rate for people earning more than £150,000, saying a Tory government should abolish it —which Mr Cameron and his shadow chancellor George Osborne have not promised to do.
He said: “I'm against it. The Tories should not proceed with it. I would really urge them to concentrate on the huge savings that are available to an incoming government in Whitehall and look at the colossal waste.”
Asked if he might serve as Prime Minister, he said: “If like Cincinnatus I were to be called from my plough, then obviously it would be wrong of me not to help out.”
He also waded into the issue of academic selection. He told the Spectator magazine that allowing state schools to select on academic merit was the answer “as everybody knows but dare not admit”.
Today the Mayor made his bid to reclaim St George's Day from the far-Right in his own inimitable style.
Crusaders whooped and hollered, the pearly king and queen clapped and cheered and chef Gary Rhodes traipsed around Leadenhall market carrying a bread and butter pudding.
Mr Johnson declared: “It is right we should celebrate the patron saint of England because we the English, with the help of other Celtic parts of the UK, have given the world so much.
“We have given them democracy and habeas corpus and brains and warm beer ... we've given them the offside trap; the rules of cricket.”
Exclusive interview with Boris Johnson
Reader views (93)
i,m not a london insider but found the comment by someone nicknamed fresh very funny and hilarious,a strait plainspeaking against a nonperforming mayor,it seems.evening standard appears to provide a free forum for the citizens to publish comments which can be very blunt indeed!
- Sudipto Bose, CALCUTTA,INDIA
Long live Mayor Boris Johnson. You are a lion-headed and a noble man on the earth who generate such a 'nice idea' in your mind to suggest an amnesty to the long awaited illegal immigrants in the UK, leading a miserable and 'double' life by leaving behind their near and dear ones only to long-for to see their faces with the hope from you. Immigration and an amnesty is not a new idea. EVEN BIRDS MIGRATE FOR BETTER LIFE. You'll be remembered for ever in the history of the Britain for this leadership. Next Prime-Minister of the United kingdom: Mr. Boris johnson. God may bless you with full throttle of energy to wrestle this 'hercluean task'.
- S R Teji, Nakodar India
Please go.
Bozo. You are a clown. You do nothing- it's all spin. Typically, you haven't even got the dedication to want to stay-on and serve London.
What's up? Too much work? Got bigger fish to fry? Were we only ever a stepping-stone on your road of ambition.
Clear-off Boris- London needs someone who cares and has the guts to see the job through.
- Fresh, LONDON
PLEASE BORIS DO NOT QUIT AS MAYOR. ORDINARY PEOPLE LIKE US WILL BE STRIPPED OF OUR HARD EARNED CASH WITHOUT YOU I.E INCREASED CONGESTION CHARGE , 4X4 CHARGES EXTRA DRIVING CHARGES AND GOD KNOWS WHAT OTHER CHARGES WILL COME. YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THAT SHOWS YOU CARE ABOUT ORDINARY PEOPLE. I PRAY TO THE LORD JESUS THAT YOU STAY AS MAYOR FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.ALSO PLEASE DO NOT DISRUPT THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY BY STANDING AGAINST DAVID CAMERON . THE CONSERVATIVES ARE DOING WELL .WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS LABOUR GOV. IF YOU STAND AGAINST DAVID THERE WILL BE CONFUSION. PLEASE MAKE IT CLEAR YOU WILL NOT STAND AGAINST DAVID CAMERON AND THAT YOU WILL STAND FOR MAYOR AGAIN AND AGAIN AND I ASURE YOU , YOU WILL WIN AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST HONEST AND CARING .
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOB AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
- Mrs Coker, LONDON
He probably would make a good PM but I don't want that to happen....yet. The countrys' gain would be Londons' loss. He is of more value to London than to the country.
- Mike Coventry, Hertford GB
No Thanks, clowns should be kept where they belong, in a Circus.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
Sandy, Ealing Uk
Oh i see, presence and humour is good enough to run the country,Is it? In that case why don't we all vote for Billy S, smarts clowns to run the country. They couldn't do any worse than mayor bojo the clown.
- James Hennessy, london england
Respectfully under New Labour Habeus Corpus has now been abolished and substituted for the Eu Dictatorship's Corpus Juris where human rights are now considered subordinate to those the new SuperState.
God Help England - could St.George kindly come back and advise young Boris on a better way to proceed!
Regards
Bill G.
- Bill Groarke, Stevenage
Ha Ha.
You voted for him so you can keep him.
If he does to the nation what he is doing to London then the country under Brown would seem like paradise.
- Steve, Wiltshire
I think he would make a better PM than the one we have already.
Boris is no good at accounting; so we won’t get into any more debt with him.
Mind you; we might all end up speaking Latin and jumping red lights.
- Mickyinlondon, london
It would such a wonderful change to have someone with some presence, gusto and humour as a national LEADER! Boris is no buffoon, just a larger than life man who has his own opinions, talks straight and is not up tight all the time, or full of self importance. Roll on the day!
- Sandy, Ealing, UK
He's a clown who shouldn't hold any serious post.
- Rosie, watford
One term will be enough for us Londoners.
He was voted into office with a 'anything but Ken ' alliance of voters ,however, he has proved to be the bumbling buffoon he has long been labelled.
Many people had thought and hoped that he would be distinctly different from Ken Livingstone but he's proved to be more of the same with his pet projects and his failure to have a coordinated strategy for housing, transport and crime management.
- Eric Muldownie, London
Long live Mayor Boris Johnson. You are a lion headed and a noble man on the earth who generate such a nice idea in your mind to suggest an amnesty to the long awaited illegal immigrants in the UK." US President Obama plans to make legal status possible for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, would be a priority in his first year in office. Web site: ( Obama to Push Immigration Bill as One Priority-NYTimes.com ), dated April 8,2009." You'll be remembered for ever in the history of the Britain for this leadership. Next Prime-Minister of the United Kingdom: Mr. Boris Johnson. God may bless you with full throttle of energy to wrestle
this 'Herculean Task'...
- S R Teji, Nakodar India
Oh Boris! He's so funny on quiz shows and it's hilarious the way he goes 'Blah blah blah' when asked awkward questions, terribly amusing the way he has exposed Londoners to more congestion, more pollution, more traffic, more accidents, potentially millions of pounds of fines from the EU, the way his advisers keep resigning in disgrace, the habit he has of scrapping press conferences and making his office less and less accountable. Once he's ruined London he can go on to ruin the country because people seem to like to vote for bumbling, dishonest politicians who have been sacked from every job they've ever held. Except it isn't funny any more. It was predicted that Johnson would lose interest in the job once he realised it would involve actual hard work. Instead the power seems to have gone to his head. A joke, now possibly a joke on a national scale. God help us.
- Sally Pearsehouse, Bethnal Green
What is it with lunduners?
I like Boris even though I am a Brummie!
But first you had red ken as your mayor and he deluded himself with ideas of being prime minister and Boris seems to be doing the same.
We are pummled with the idea that elected mayors are good, well how much do all these quangos cost? I recently had the misfortune to see BBC Parliament channel and what was on - something called the London Assembly which reminded me of school debates, only worse than school debates.
All those people sitting around drinking their from their spring water bottles - being paid for by Lunduners.
I do think Boris has done good things to reverse the nonsense Ken was doing, the same nonsense which was being touted for other countries - remember the congestion charge?
But Boris you are no PM material - sorry.
- Arvinder, Birmingham
Wow, what a lot of silly comments to Boris' ambitions. Here we go again people underestimating one of the best brains we have. Yes he may appear clownish BUT he knows what he is doing. Give me Boris any day especially more than the charlatan, useless crowd now in charge of UK plc.
- Gary, W2, London, UK
Always look on the bright side of life...
Is it just me or does this whole affair read as a screenplay for a Monty Python Life of Boris episode ?
Sadest of all is who would n`t vote for him over Cameron ( who the fiddlesticks is cameron ?) Or Gordon Brown ?
- Mark, Trondheim, Norway
Possibly looked upon as 'one of the old school tie' remnants, Boris is actually, individually and brain-wise the best we have had for a few decades. I would gladly vote for him to become 'the next after David C' P.M.
So, Boris, don't change..you are a refreshing change in the awful chesspit that Labour got us into.
Paul from British Columbian.
- Paul Wernli, Richmond, BC Canada
The man needs a haircut. If he's ever a PM, I can see the Iranians laughing him out of their country or Obama dismissing him and ending the 'special relationship'.
- Jeremy, London
America gets Barack Obama & we might get Boris the buffoon what a joke this country has become.
I would not trust him or our current leadership to run a market stall in Walthamstow!!
- Chris Maltby, London
Lord help us!
- Simon, London
Send in the clowns? don't bother, they're here!
- Jeremy, Chelmsford, Essex
Boris for PM? So whats new? Nothing will have changed. They are all a bunch of clowns. St George is turning in his grave. Come back Arthur we need you now!
- Jon Vickers, SC USA
Should this gibbering buffoon ever be elected Prime Minister, surely a more fitting comparison would be a return to 'The madness of King George'?
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland
So come election time it will between Goondon or Dave/Boris. Same circus, different act!
- Dom, London
Boris would not attempt to rival David Cameron in the foreseeable future unless Cameron loses the next election badly. He cannot be leader of the Tory party unless he sits as an MP. He would have to be selected by central office first as a candidate and if his sole aim was to rival Cameron, Cameron and his cabinet would block it. Assuming they didn't, he would then have to get elected to Parliament and then there would have to be some reason why the Tories would want to dump David Cameron and would ballot for a leadership election. Boris would then have to come in the top 2 and then be picked by the party membership, according to this article over David Cameron. Since Cameron is the most successful and popular Tory leader in 15 years it's unlikely the Tories would dump him.
- Tom Moncrieff, london
If you chaps over there don't want him as PM we'll have him here in the States running for president. Then when he makes a great success of that you'll all be sorry you went for donkey David.
- Barry, La Jolla CA USA
Blobby Johnson as prime minister? We would be the laughing stock of the world like America were during the George W Bush era. I've said it several times on here, he's not delivered one useful thing during his year in office, so far no-one's managed to prove me wrong.
- D.W., London
Kerry, are you familiar with the expression: one person, one vote? Why shouldn't a UK national, paying taxes in the UK - who just happens to work overseas - not be allowed his/her say?
- Marianne, SW France
He would make an excellent PM, and would hopefully take the Tories back to core values which Cameron, as Blair Mk 2, shows no sign of doing.
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK
18 of the previous occupants of that post having been....old Etonians. Looks like we are about to wake up from the nightmare of New Labour to find we are back in the era of the old Tories. Why bother with the last 50 years at all. Douglas-Home for Prime Minister!
- Robert Carruthers, London UK
I'm a Labour supporter and I'm not worried at all. Just bemused to think that he vacated his seat in Henley to become Mayor and now he's bored with the job he thinks some Tory selection committee are going to offer him a seat in a safe constituency. Why would they; he might only stay for 5 minutes and then when he gets bored, go off and do something else that takes his fancy. Politicians need commitment and staying power; Boris has neither. It is patently obvious to anyone with half a brain that when the going gets tough, Boris gets going. The man has previous.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
Jaclyn should google "brain drain + UK + 1970s" and see where the 50p tax rate will land us. Attacking the people who create the wealth is never a good plan.
- Emma, London, UK
Cincinnatus was a consul who consistently fought rights the lower and middle classes (plebians).
Perhaps more to this simile than meets the eye...
- Neil, Brighton
One feels Boris is the only man who is strong and passionate about what he has views on and is not frightened to air his opinions, for me he is a breath of fresh air amongst politicians, politicians who generally while with there snouts in the trough seem to be hell bent on dipping there greedy little hands in the till while passing judgement 0n others short comings.
Yes I think Boris would make a good prime minister.
- Royston Amphlett, Bournemouth England
#Peter, London
He's already done a spell on the Tory front bench. DC sacked him because he was economical with the actualite when questioned about his private life.
# Yvonne, Doncaster
Do you mean William Hague?
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
I was surprised that in all the comments on this fanciful kiteflyer no one has made the obvious point that you cannot "take Downing Street" unless you are a Member of Parliament and leader of a party there (unless the story is predicting a City Hall coup d'etat with Assembly shock troops "taking" Downing Steet and installing a presidential system in the UK). If this "electrifying" conflict with David Cameron is going to take place, he needs to resign as Mayor rather fast (well now) and stand as an MP somewhere (next by-election), then stand for leadership of the Conservative Party - all before the next election - which has to come in the next year or so...why not let's discuss the more likely possibility of City Hall putting people on Mars in the London Space Shuttle?
- Damian Hockney, London, UK
- Er,Londinium - Don't damage yourself before you've got anywhere yet.
What crazy little world do you live in? Jonnson is already damaged goods, most of it coming from meddling in affairs that had nothing to do with him. Where was buffoon Boris when London was snowed under last winter? In hiding that's where. If he can't manage to keep londons roads gritted when we get a few weeks of snow and ice how the hell would he cope with being prime minister. I think its going to be a case of you can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. Johnson's act of being the clownish scatty buffoon is wearing thin and even the the people who voted for him in the mayoral election ars starting to see that now.
- James Hennessy, london england
Boris is hardly one to beat. It shows little committment to London that he would throw it aside for more power. I certainly do not agree with his views on the 50p band, about time the filthy rich paid their share!
- Jaclyn, Keynsham, England
I like Boris as he isn't frightened to say how it is. This Nation needs someone like that, a true leader, someone to stand up and say "this is wrong", someone to reverse the hundreds of overly pc laws enacted by Labour during their ridiculous rule and finally someone to stand up to more daft pc laws enacted anf forced upon us by the European Union. Come one Boris!
- Nick Nack Paddy Mac, Kilburn, London UK
interesting how worried the labaaaaaa gang sound...
If there was a vote tomorrow, I reckon Boris would get the nod.
- St, London
Well I am being honest now; and not taking the micky; Boris has added some humour to politics in the UK; all the rest are a pain in the backside; but Boris does make most of us laugh; and with laughter things never seem so bad.
I could see him turning the UK into the worlds biggest Disney land; without a single traffic light anywhere in the UK; and a congestion charge only on mount Snowdon for motorists in wheelchairs.
I don’t know about all you other people; but give me a good laugh anytime; over a mountains of tears.
It worked wonders during the war; so why not in the peace as well.
- Mickyinlondon, london
Peter of London: "He is so honest..."
You must have a short memory: he's had two extra-marital affairs already.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
Just because we have a bunch of clowns running the country at the moment doesn't mean we should settle for this Billy Bunter becoming PM. And as for Jeremy Clarkson being on the cabinet, he should stick to reviewing cars, which he's not particularly good at either.
- David, London
Go Boris! But actually I rather like him as my Mayor, so maybe stay put for a bit longer please.
- Deborah, London
Go Boris, time to kick ass!
- Martin, Southwark
Even I would have a problem with that.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
I hope he does quit. A joke of a mayor - London would be better off without him
- Leon, London
"Every time he opens his mouth he makes himself more foolish." Adrian, London.
And what do the entire Labour Politburo do then?
- Bj, London
Well, with his record so far reneging on most of his populist election promises, he's not likely to get a 2nd term, so he's just being realistic.
The thing is though, we all laughed when he was selected as candidate for mayor, and we're all laughing about him becoming PM, but just sit back and think of the reality of the fact that actually he won and suddenly it's no laughing matter! At least in London he can't do that much damage, given the limited powers the Mayor has... can you imagine just how damaging PM Johnson would be? The prospect of the Tories regaining control of this country is frightening enough without our beloved McMayor at the helm!
- Peter, London
Boris has shown himself far more in tune with Londoners than Cameron. The Tory Leader should match Boris in ending the persecution of those who have to drive, and cutting out the pretentious 'green' extremist politics that just wastes taxpayers' money.
On the other hand, Boris needs to realise that Londoners do not want an open door for illegal immigrants.
- Jools, London
Marianne in France, what's this "we'd" what town in France is Boris mayor of?
Suggest you mind your own business.
- Kerry, Purley
Hurrah for Boris that’s just what we need in bankrupt Britain—a good laugh!
- Tony Bulmer, London
clearly this should have been a report for the start of April rather than the end. lunatics;are;asylum;taking over;the: re-arrange into a well known phrase or saying.
- Ron Oliver, Edinburgh Scotland
PM Johnson indeed. Hmmm. He breaks his promise on rape centres for women, he has made extremely dodgy remarks about people from ethnic minorities, his closest advisors cant work with him or are sacked, he defends to the hilt the 1% of tax payers who earn over £150,000 and shows little concern for the rest of us. Then after ONE year he is already talking about ambitions to be in No 10. How shameful is that? I cannot believe people here are serious about wanting to vote for him. You want an idiot as PM? Well vote for him and split the Conservative Party. Please do.
- Matthew, London, UK
Go Boris Go...all the way to No 10!!Nothing could be worse than what is on offer now and at least Boris has gumption, smarts and a classical education (please don't ask 'what is that')Steve, London glad to hear you have respect for Scots-Mc Broon clan too?And Boris in a poll of a whole bunch of 18 year olds I did during my son's party you would win hands down too.
- Amoreno, Luxembourg
The money earnt only from the tv spin off "Boris UK PM"would clear the debt in no time.We could put him in a cage and change visitors a tenna just to look at him.I love this guy,he is a cross between Delboy and Basil.Please hold back the election Brown,give Boris the chance to challenge Mr No policies for the leadership.Now im excited,Wow,Boris for PM.
- David, london
Yes, I think that one term will be enough for Boris. He would not get a second one.
I think that Londoners are already beginning to realise that they have made an enormous mistake electing a 'celebrity' Mayor.
Boris for PM ?
Not a snowballs chance in hell !
- David Dee, Canterbury
Boris, if you happen to be given this to read .... slow down. Earn your respect as mayor 1st - and you're doing a great job - strengthen your credibilities therin and then show upward ambition. It's too early yet. Don't damage yourself before you've got anywhere yet.
- Er, Londinium
I'm all for getting Crash and Labour out ... but Boris Johnston? Sorry, we'd just be swapping one buffoon for another!
- Marianne, SW France
Please no... have mercy on us
- Jo, London
EXCELLENT!
If he gets the Top Job, he should immediately get Richard Littlejohn and Jeremy Clarkson into his cabinet as senior advisors.
This dream team would sort the country out in a few months and make us top of the world again.
- Anthony, Esher, Surrey
I love Lindsay, London comment "the UK would be a laughing stock" where has b
she been recently - the UK IS already a laughing stock Gordon Brown has his team have made sur eof it adding Boris would just make easier on us and adds humour
- London Eye, uk
Boris gets my support all the way.
He's a classicist. He knows what it takes to create a civilised society.
- Rikrok, UK London
I love this guy. He is so honest and one of the few politicians to show any common sense. I thought the idea of covering road workmans trenches when not in use is a good example.
His humour and openness are refreshing and he is only too willing to have a quick chat to the waiting press. My only concern is that he is not very good at waving flags(lol).
Nevertheless, if he does want to be PM I think he should do a season on the front bench first, he is young enough. Also, as an afterthought, gaffe's could be a problem, but not an insurmountable one.
- Peter, London. UK
If Boris Johnson becomes PM I am emigrating. The UK would be an international laughing stock and I don't think I could live with the shame.
- Lindsay, london
Done well so far and he is likeable which is more than can be said for Gordon Brown. On the downside he looks and sometimes acts like Bungle from Rainbow.
- Undercover Elephant, London, UK
Kimberley, London.
I was like you once; a dreamer……LOL.
Beware Greek Philosophers baring gifts; and dreams of utopia.
- Mickyinlondon, london
I must admit, my first reaction to reading this article was to, literally, laugh out loud.
A Prime Ministerial candidate who actually says what he believes? On the spot? Without first consulting a panel of think-tanks, opinion polls and PR gurus?
One who has principles and is prepared to stand by them rather than simply float into whichever way he thinks the wind is currently blowing?
Please!
It'll NEVER happen...
- John, London
I truly believe that MPs eagerness to use popular figures such as Johnson to get what they want shows just that: that they are doing it to get what they want (namely cushy jobs with huge expenses) because they know they'll be vote-grabbers simply based on personality and popularity. They could just as easily use David Beckham or Cheryl Cole. Or a dog. Or a packet of crisps. Except those other things have probably got more sense than the likes of Boris Johnson and would turn it down.
- D Woodstock, London
Go BoJo! Exactly what this country needs - a Conservative leader not afraid to stand up to his own convictions. Our current Conservative leader is a 'muppet' who is styling himself on the late Tony Blair - for goodness sake man (DC), put a tie on! Nobody wins elections by pretending to be the last guy ... Boris you have my vote and the whole of my constituency is behind you.
- Lady Windermere, London
Boris : UK = Berlusconi : Italy
Methinks he'll make it...
- Marco, Notting Hill
I would NEVER vote Boris in as Prime Minister, despite being a Conservative supporter - his policy on wanting to grant illegal immigrants an amnesty saw to that.
David Cameron has worked hard to build the Conservatives back up into a party with a strong chance of winning the next general election, he cannot risk undoing that by allowing Boris to interfere. Boris was voted in because of who he wasn't, not who he is.
Cameron should kick Boris out if he persists with this ridiculous notion of trying for No 10, he is simply too much of a liability.
- Daniel, Manchester UK
AS USUAL YOUR CORESPONDENTS HAVE NOT READ WHAT BORIS SAID, BUT AS ONE AT LEAST LIVES IN SPAIN WHAT WOULD HE KNOW ABOUT LONDON TODAY, WHICH UNDER LIVINGSTONE AND LABOUR BECAME A HELL HOLE. USELESS HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, TRANSPORT AND VASTLY OVERCROWDED. ACTUALLY TOO EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN. THE GOVERNMENT TALKS ABOUT TAXING INCOME OVER £100000 A YEAR. ACTUALLY ANYONE EARNING THAT COULD ONLY BUY A HOUSE ON THE FRINGE OF LONDON . BORIS IS THE SOLE POLITICIAN TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ABOUT THAT POLITICAL GESTURE
- Alan Green, Woodford Green
He is our great, blond, bumbling hope for the future!
- John, London
I would vote for Boris as PM, and why not? David Cameron is Tony Bliar Mk II, and, apart from William Hughes, who else is there?
- Yvonne, Doncaster, UK
This just shows that he doesn't care about London.
He's simply using the Mayorality as a stepping stone to further his idiotic ambitions to be PM.
- Ali, London
Boris Johnson is in favour of an amnesty for illegal immigrants, therefore he will not be getting my vote.
- Mark, South-East London
To qualify, BoJo will have to surrender his humanity and prostrate himself to the international banksters. Only psychopaths are allowed into the higher echelons of power in this world.
- Neil, London, London UK
It appears this man is a total fantasist.I personally believe Boris is seeking a way out,he knows himself now that he is totally over whelmed with the complexities of his mayrol position and will create a way out with out loosing face,he also knows he does not have a chance of ever becoming prime minister,this tactic will enable him to disappear from public life with out appearing as the failure he so obviously is,and will enable him to slip away quietly.
- Kev, London-UK
Boris would make an excellent PM because he wouldn't be bounded by the shackles of the Livingstone administration that have been forced upon him. When I voted for Boris I expected him to cancel the Olympics, ban all tall buildings and promote private transport over the dangerous Tube and dirty buses. I felt he hasn't, but this is down to Ken's cronies still in City Hall influencing him. With them out the way and Boris in Parliament he can hopefully complete his election promises.
- Kimberley, London
Yes.Now we the tax payer can blackmail the MPs.If the MPs do not do as told,we will vote Boris in.
- David, london
He must be joking. Could it be that he has realised he has blown it and wont get a second bite of the cherry. Those people who think it would be a good idea must want their bumps felt, Berlusconi has nothing on London's clown. How can anybody take him seriously when yesterday he was falling over himself to defend the activities of a section of the city who have brought this country to its knees, and saying he would campaign against the higher rate of taxation on people earning £150,000 or more. He is supposed to represent all the people of London not just a selected minority of spivs and self-serving wreckers.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
Boris is selling himself short by wanting to be Prime Minister; he should aim for the stars and become Queen of England.
- Mickyinlondon, london
The 'English' or what is left of them are too frightened of offending others to be nationalistic even for one day.
Burn the flag,ripo it up.I've more respect for the Scots these days.At least they've still retained some identity and national pride.
- Steve, London
Great !! Boris recently suggested that all illegal immigrants in the UK be granted amnesty in the middle of a recession ,nice timing Boris .Oh and by the way immigration is nothing to do with Mayors
- E.Reed, Bournemouth,UK
Oh please no!! This has to be a joke.
- Neil, London
I have been hoping Boris would "make a move". He has exactly the charisma we need in the Conservative leadership. I think the present Conservative leadership is Mickey Mouse, and there is every possibility they will let the next elecion slip from their grasp. Brown may be awful, but if there is nothing better on offer to the electorate he may will survive!
- Sandy, Ealing, UK
I thought it was St Georges Day not the 1st of April.Who showed Boris how to wave the flag?
- Mike, Bedford England
The Boris & Clarkson ticket ... one vote here!
- Paul, London
The man is an opportunisctic prat and God help us if he ever is elected leader of the Conservative or any party.Every time he opens his mouth he makes himself more foolish. It seems that he is using the citizens of London to further his political ambitions. Shame on you Mr. Johnson
- Adrian, London
Seeing as I couldn't write this after the article about St. George, may I wish everyone a very Happy St.Georges Day.
- S-M Hearmon, London, UK
