Mayoral debate on Newsnight.

[Stobart Stopper]

Ken's knackered and Boris comes across as a posh Tory tosser.
Brian always comes out best in these tv debates, and so that leaves me no option but to vote for him. And he did a really good political broadcast tonight.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Ken's knackered and Boris comes across as a posh Tory tosser.
Brian always comes out best in these tv debates, and so that leaves me no option but to vote for him. And he did a really good political broadcast tonight.

Were you actually watching the same debate? Ken easily came out on top!

 

[Urbanblues]

Ken's knackered and Boris comes across as a posh Tory tosser.
Brian always comes out best in these tv debates, and so that leaves me no option but to vote for him. And he did a really good political broadcast tonight.

Thankfully, millions of Old Bill mistrusting Londoners will not be voting for the plod participant.

 

[stavros]

I take it they didn't invite Sian Berry.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

No, damn shame really too.

 

[lostexpectation]

is there no labour replacement? ffs

 

[Fictionist]

I thought that the debate (such as it was) didn't really give the viewers or those being questioned enough time to fully explore the issues that matter, but perhaps that was to be expected given the limitations of time and the programme on which they were appearing.

In my view no candidate managed to say a great deal, Livingstone was dismissive of Johnson and appeared resigned to the fact that Paddick was there. Johnson appeared to be trying to keep to a script, and Paddick has a habit of appearing to 'sit back', perhaps as a means of attempting to distance himself from the antics of Johnson and Livingstone - which isn't attractive to many potential voters. The problem is that this may well be his intention but I WANT Paddick to engage with Johnson and Livingstone - if only so that I can be clear as to what he stands for (other than trams to replace the bendy buses in London).

I just feel that the level at which this apparent debate takes place cheapens the process and cheats the people out there who are entitled to vote.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Johnson was all bluff and bluster, an absolute fool with no grasp of detail. Paddick was awful, hesitant, undecided, and beyond ranting on about the cops, seemed to know very little of what the Mayor's role actually entails. Livingstone was as he almost always is vaguely dismissive of his opponents, slippery when pushed on certain detail, but at least able to point to what he has achieved in office. I'm not particularly a fan of him by any means, but given the choice, i'm fairly certain where my votes going this time. Let's hope we can get some credible challengers next time around cos the Monster Raving Loony party would probably be a better bet than the current shower.

 

[Socket]

I was very disappointed with Paddick. Could he really not choose between Ken & Boris if he had to? He was already being vague but for me he lost a lot of credibility with that one.

 

[articul8]

To be fair, he would have got a right bollocking from his party is he'd answered. Being seen as too close to Labour could cost them.

 

[DotCommunist]

Paddick came across OK, but still smells of copper unfortunatly.

Boris came of as the odius fucker he is.

Ken looked about the best ennit. Not that I'd vote for the fucker

 

[Urbanblues]

I was very disappointed with Paddick. Could he really not choose between Ken & Boris if he had to? He was already being vague but for me he lost a lot of credibility with that one.

A non-committal “The blond cunt wouldn’t get my vote!” would have sufficed. But then, like Old Bill the world over, he suffers from deference disorder.

A non-committal “The blond cunt wouldn’t get my vote!” would have sufficed. But then, like Old Bill the world over, he suffers from deference disorder.

*Listens out for plods’ plod; the cold hand of Lily on the collar; and, the crack as lignum vitae meets with flesh and bone*

 

[poster342002]

let's face it: Ken could have come on the programme and just sat there and let rip a massive great fart and everyone on here would be saying how erudite, wise and thoughtful he'd come across.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

let's face it: Ken could have come on the programme and just sat there and let rip a massive great fart and everyone on here would be saying how erudite, wise and thoughtful he'd come across.

Yeah right.

 

[HackneyE9]

let's face it: Ken could have come on the programme and just sat there and let rip a massive great fart and everyone on here would be saying how erudite, wise and thoughtful he'd come across.

Instead, he was well-briefed, authoratative and on top of his facts, but if anything a little tetchy. And considering what an easy media ride that clueless blonde twat has had, who wouldn't be?

 

[tbaldwin]

I was very disappointed with Paddick. Could he really not choose between Ken & Boris if he had to? He was already being vague but for me he lost a lot of credibility with that one.

I think a lot of people struggle with it....

There is a lot of nonsense talked about both candidates...Livingstone is definetely no socialist and boris is not henleys answer to adolf...
I thought Paddick did well...Hes an old fashioned well meaning liberal isnt he. And to that is preferable to both Boris and Ken.
A lot of left wingers who have had dealings with Ken are really not keen on the man..He has done some good things in his time at the GLC and as London Mayor. But he has also been a let down and is somebody that most Londoners do not trust...

 

[HackneyE9]

Paddick came across as wooden as a plank, and his sole idea seems to be 'consult the people'. Ok, but what if they disagree? Or failing that, abolish the post and just hold plebiscites.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

I think a lot of people struggle with it....

There is a lot of nonsense talked about both candidates...Livingstone is definetely no socialist and boris is not henleys answer to adolf...
I thought Paddick did well...Hes an old fashioned well meaning liberal isnt he. And to that is preferable to both Boris and Ken.
A lot of left wingers who have had dealings with Ken are really not keen on the man..He has done some good things in his time at the GLC and as London Mayor. But he has also been a let down and is somebody that most Londoners do not trust...

Pray tell how you know that most Londoners do not trust him then?

Paddick did well? He fluffed his opening minute and a half, he couldn't make clear his policy proposals on any number of areas, he wasn't able to make firm decisions on issues (typical liberal fence sitting) and as i said above, he didn't really seem to have much awareness of what it is the Mayor actually does. He's only been back with the L/D's for ~2 years, wtf does he know about politics?

 

[lostexpectation]

he know london better then boris does

 

[tbaldwin]

Pray tell how you know that most Londoners do not trust him then?

Paddick did well? He fluffed his opening minute and a half, he couldn't make clear his policy proposals on any number of areas, he wasn't able to make firm decisions on issues (typical liberal fence sitting) and as i said above, he didn't really seem to have much awareness of what it is the Mayor actually does. He's only been back with the L/D's for ~2 years, wtf does he know about politics?

Ive talked to all of them.....Nope just a lot of them and people i know from a wide variety of different class ethnic and political backgrounds i would say that there is a high level of suspicion about KL. He has never had a majority of londoners voting for him. And more and more people have seen how he backed lee jasper how his politics seem stuck in some cosy little time warp, how much he earns and how he sorts out his friends with 100k jobs to do er hardly anything.

As for Paddick. Your complaint is that he has not been a proffesional politician for long enough......Fuck me paulie....you got curry for brains...

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Ive talked to all of them.....Nope just a lot of them and people i know from a wide variety of different class ethnic and political backgrounds i would say that there is a high level of suspicion about KL. He has never had a majority of londoners voting for him. And more and more people have seen how he backed lee jasper how his politics seem stuck in some cosy little time warp, how much he earns and how he sorts out his friends with 100k jobs to do er hardly anything.

As for Paddick. Your complaint is that he has not been a proffesional politician for long enough......Fuck me paulie....you got curry for brains...

No, just a reasonable expectation that someone elected to the position of Mayor of one of the biggest and most economically powerful cities in the world should have a bit more understanding of the political arena than appealing to emotive calls of "how many more kids must die" and unable to set out any clear strategy on transport, housing, regeneration, urban planning, international partnership, relations with central government, liaison with London councils, culture, environmental issues, that kind of thing.

Paddick is a total novice who can't even talk a good talk. Tbh, i think he would be a bigger disaster than johnson, and that really is saying something. As for your omnipotent interrelations with the 7 million or so citizens of this fine city, I'm amazed you've got time to draw breath if you know so many of them. Is there more than one of you?

 

[tbaldwin]

No, just a reasonable expectation that someone elected to the position of Mayor of one of the biggest and most economically powerful cities in the world should have a bit more understanding of the political arena than appealing to emotive calls of "how many more kids must die" and unable to set out any clear strategy on transport, housing, regeneration, urban planning, international partnership, relations with central government, liaison with London councils, culture, environmental issues, that kind of thing.

Paddick is a total novice who can't even talk a good talk. Tbh, i think he would be a bigger disaster than johnson, and that really is saying something. As for your omnipotent interrelations with the 7 million or so citizens of this fine city, I'm amazed you've got time to draw breath if you know so many of them. Is there more than one of you?

Omnipotent...Me....Cant argue with that.

As for emotive calls about how many more kids must die....What about KL bringing out doreen lawrence how sad was that....

 

[Stobart Stopper]

Paddick is a total novice who can't even talk a good talk. Tbh, i think he would be a bigger disaster than johnson, and that really is saying something. As for your omnipotent interrelations with the 7 million or so citizens of this fine city, I'm amazed you've got time to draw breath if you know so many of them. Is there more than one of you?

Brian is more than capable of running London IMO.
I love Ken to bits but it's time he had a rest and that's why I won't be voting for him, my decision to vote for Brian has absolutely nothing to do with the vindictive backstabbing campaign the Evening Standard has conducted against Ken, I just think he's looking worn, tired, and we need a change.
London is a classy city and we need someone with a bit of an image to go with it. Fuck me, Boris hardly makes the mark does he?
He's probably a really intelligent bloke but he just isn't "London".

IMO Ken has done a great job over the last 2 terms but it's time for someone new. And at the moment the pressing concern for Londoners IS crime. I worry about my son every time he goes out, and talking to black parents I know, they are worried even more and just don't let their teenage boys out unsupervised any more. Nothing to do with gangs, as none of them are in one. It's just that fear of one wrong "look" to some little shit on a bus and the knife comes out. That's what I am hearing.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Fair enough, but i thought the clear difference was that KL was talking about developing local schemes with local groups to try to prevent the problems of alienation and lack of guidance, whereas BP was more about lets get more plod on the street which is dealing with the symptoms rather than the causes, and if anything, probably exacerbates the issue.

 

[tbaldwin]

And at the moment the pressing concern for Londoners IS crime. I worry about my son every time he goes out, and talking to black parents I know, they are worried even more and just don't let their teenage boys out unsupervised any more. Nothing to do with gangs, as none of them are in one. It's just that fear of one wrong "look" to some little shit on a bus and the knife comes out. That's what I am hearing.

Very true....And crime is one thing that KL despite coming out with tough on crime tough on causes of crime the other night is very weak on....
Do Black youths deaths only count for Ken if they are killed by white youths who look and sound a bit racist....

 

[Kid_Eternity]

And at the moment the pressing concern for Londoners IS crime.

I'm not so sure about that (ludicrous assertions about the whole of London aside...) tbh. Seems to me that more people, at least ime, are pissed off with the transport than crime. Transport affects virtually every single person all over the city. When it fucks up it makes your day shit. Crime doesn't affect anywhere near as many people if you consider the number of actual crimes to the number of people in the city.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

...i thought the clear difference was that KL was talking about developing local schemes with local groups to try to prevent the problems of alienation and lack of guidance, whereas BP was more about lets get more plod on the street which is dealing with the symptoms rather than the causes, and if anything, probably exacerbates the issue.

Indeed.