Boris Johnson London Mayor Race: Bozza v Ken v Brian The Snail
“TORIES pick Boris to take on ‘King Newt’,” announces the Telegraph.
Well, less announces than whispers as the news that Boris Johnson has been chosen to take on Ken Livingstone for the job of London mayor appears in a side column on the paper’s page 4. Boris’s face is sandwiched between the news that the “BBC ‘to rely on more repeats’” and “City bonuses are driving up the price of farmland”.
The only paper to give Johnson any space is the Independent, which brings its readers “’Fogey’ Boris is chosen to take Livingstone”.
The paper produces wallet-size biogs of the leading contenders. Ken is 62, compared a Jewish reporter to a concentration camp guard and introduced the congestion charge. Alias: Red Ken.
Boris is Eton College educated, writes for the Telegraph and wants to scrap London’s bendy buses. Alias: Bozza. Alias: Boris – his real first name is Alexander.
So is it a Boris or is it a Ken?
Londoners would do well to conjure with those names. Boris – Becker, Pasternak, Yeltsin and Karloff. Ken – Barbie’s lover, Barlow, Rosewall and Dodd.
Exciting times there. And the polemic is only agitated by the Indy noticing that the contest includes a Brian.
He’s Brain Paddick, 51. He is the likely Liberal Democrat candidate. Brian is “soft on cannabis”, an ex-copper and “in favour of a non-strike agreement with tube unions”. Brian is the dreamer. Alias: The Pot Cop. (Although only the Indy’s offices have ever heard him called that.)
Tickle me pink, as Boris might say. Yeeeesss,” as Ken is wont to drone.
The race is on. Ken or Boris to win? Or Brian – the snail…?
Posted: 28th, September 2007 | In: Broadsheets, Politicians Comments (3) | TrackBack | Permalink
