Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Steve Norris Will Not be a Candidate
I'm afraid we are to be denied the spectacle of a Norris v Boris race for the Conservative mayoral nomination. I am reliably informed that Steve Norris decided not to hand in his forms to CCHQ today and will therefore not be a candidate. Personally, I think that's a shame but I can understand why he's reached that decision.
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57 comments:
Move on Iain. There was and is no way Norris would stand. These are bald political facts. Why do you go on about this? It is Boris. Get it!
Are you sure, Iain? If so, then this is a real shame. Steve is a real professional who, unlike Mr. Johnson, actually has relevant experience to do the job of Mayor.
However, it is unlikely that Boris Johnson can sustain a gaffe-free 10 months, so will Steve end up being the candidate after all?
Howard - did Iain have a thing about "shagger" Norris? I think not!
Boris will be carefully paired in the Primary with an unknown unelectable loser so as not to spoil the plot. And why not?
All who cherish individuality will be cheered by Boris' hurling of his titfer into the ring and thus bringing the prospect of some genuine colour into what might otherwise be a dull as ditchwater contest.
Norris is a loser whose decsion not to stand this time recognises that fact. Time to move on to the a new generation.
Boris has the charisma to appeal across party. LibDems who would cut off a hand rather than vote for a conventional Tory will not feel in the least bit guilty voting for Boris. Even some hardened Socialists may feel the urge to give Boris a whirl.
Londoners willing to live a little on the edge will take a punt on Boris, simply to bring some colour into the life of the city. And in due course he can pull Macavity's tail as well, opening up a second front for the Tories. GB's imploding Metronet scheme, for which GB is solely responsible with no one else in the frame for blame, is a good starting point. Other such opportunities will come along.
Boris can win and deliver a timely smack to Macavity's nose. We non-Londoners can sit back and enjoy with some impunity a genuinely interesting and probably fluorescent campaign to down the Red Reptile and all his rotten Commie friends. The prospect is positively pleasing.
I don't think we've heard the last of Steve Norris.
He has a lot to offer this city and could actually do the job, unlike one Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. Piffle anyone?
Steve was waiting for a call from CCQH , begging him to stand, but that did not happened.
What exactly does Steve Norris have to offer London or any other political entity? And what was that relevant experience? Losing two elections?
I wish Steve was in this election, if Iain's report is accurate.
He rather uniquely combines charisma with competence. The other one is just a clown.
Helen, as someone with a link to the conservative history group, do you perhaps know that Steve was in charge of transport, roads, rail, taxis, cycling, in London? He also has a lot of business and charity sector experience, not to mention having done a little bit more politically than being the MP in true blue Henley (not in London) for six years.
Steve Norris actually oversaw as a minister the largest expansion of the London Underground to date--the Jubilee Extension Line. A bit more worthwhile, surely, than insulting the people of Liverpool and Portsmouth, hey and Tower Hamlets too come to think of it.
People like to compare Steve's and Mr. Johnson's private lives but at least Steve Norris has achievements in the public arena to his name.
Norris is a man of stature and achievement, Boris is a buffoon. The party has completely naused the entire Mayoral selection and this is just the clincher that proves without question the incompetence and vapidity of those currently destroying a once great political force.
Lots of rattled Boris phobics around, this evening. Polly Queenbee (niece of the Earl of Carlise) has already filed a foaming piece from her imperial fastness somewhere in Italy.
This is going to be nasty. I had forgotton the sheer bile and hate of the Nulab establishment when it came to old-school Tories.
These middle-class people never, ever recovered from arriving at university, thus far unchallenged in their lives, to meet public school, ultra-confident, county set tories.
They were discomforted, unsettled and didn't know which knife to use.
They have carried this hate with them into their 40s and 50s. And into newspaper editorships, the Economist, Today etc, etc.
Richard Curtis has made a career out of writing about this tribe...he was clearly fascinated, but repelled at the same time.
That's why Major was utterly destroyed and mangled for five solid years by these people who couldn't abide their, and their party's, progress being hindered again.
This time, their faces are contorted with rage when a couple of affiable Etonians step up and charm the lower orders.
It makes so eye-rolling angry they just can't keep a straight thought.
As Vaizy pointed out on Sky this evening, Lenin, who last week welcomed a Johnson run with open arms, went into a purple rage.
Lenin's pitch was that Johnson had only voted on around half of all votes in the Commons. But Lenin was clearly so tired and emotional that he forgot when he ran for Mayor, he'd voted in less than one percent of all votes.
yes folks, it's tin hat time between now and May...
morrocanroll
Anonymous 2.59am:
Absolutely brilliant post! We need more like this.
Morrocon
Odd that , Boris was lovely about Polly TB complimenting her on her civilised lifestyle . Her sumptuous Italian Villa , the mouth watering exclusivity of her children`s school ,the comforting aroma of old money she wears without effort .
Insert newmania eulogy to Boris .
At least Norris can put some time into his Directorships now. He would have been bad for us again in London, wake up people. Boris is the future!
Wot no Nozzer v Bozzer? Whatever shall we do for entertainment come September when the runners and riders for the contest to come second in next year's mayoral election are finally announced? Have to make do with chortling about the reception that Dave 'seven points adrift' Cameron gets at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool I spose...
I love hery Majesty lady Toynbee`s description of Boris as a "Serial Liar"..he once made up a quote ? Pathetic .
Her article is in fact not as anti Boris as the headline and the accusation that he has no experience will be enjoyed coming from an old money scribbler who makes a living out of the Liberal establishment and has never even had to look at a budget.
Ken was I believe ,a school teacher for a few weeks , with four O levels and a failed 11 plus he would fit the bill nicely .
Apart from that he has been safely tucked in Local Government where you get experience true , but not of getting anything right.
HG pointed out that his anti semitic motif will have been electorally useful to him even if denied .Tells you all you need to know about this leperous reugee from a lefty Poly of the 1970s.
Boris can save London and he can save Cameron . In fact slap a red S on his chest and he could probably save the universe.
Who WILL be candidates? The MSM have Norris won't be. We're looking for more info from this CCHQ mainline blog.
I'm looking forward to Darius Guppy being pulled in to tackle street fighting and drunken brawling, even perhaps to regulate the city boys?
Norris is a sensible and talented person, but unfortunately does not seem to be the kind of person London is prone to elect.
Boris is a serious politician who is also a colourful character. What more could we want?
Shame, because I though non-election elections were all the vogue. A good chance to raise party profile missed.
Newmania - what a wonderful strap line: slap a red S on his chest etc!
Strongly suggest to anyone running BJ's campaign who is reading this blog that they apply to Newmania for the copyright to that.
We once knew a great big blubbery white whale called Boris. He used to keep us amused with jolly japes and jovial jokes. Sadly he got harpooned in the end, but we were never sure which end...
I can understand why Norris doesn't want to run again, especially if there a good chance of not even being chosen as the candidate.
However the cooler heads amongst us Tories - whilst we would love to see Ken Livingston having to get a real job - realise that a Boris campaign may be, how can I put this, a little too exciting.
Lets be clear about this Boris is a gamble as a candidate. Maybe this will make Boris - or maybe the gaffs will kill us.
He is a smart man, now he will need to a be ruthlessly disciplined one also. I hope its possible.
Let's face it, even on the shagging front, Bonking Boris is more than a match for drooping Norris.
Frankly the choice of Conservative possible candidates: Norris or Boris ,, shows desperation.
A serial shagger with no credibility or a serial shagger with no credibility...
Neither have any chance but of losing disgracefully imo..
Bring on Boris...Ken must be shitting himself!
The Media and especially the BBC will, I am afraid, make mincemeat of Boris. I have blogged as such this morning http://notasheepmaybeagoat.blogspot.com/2007/07/boris-bigged-up-by-bbc.html
Boris is the perfect Conservative candidate for the BBC - old Etonian, sitting for the seat of Henley with a middle name of de Pfeffel who looks and sounds like a toff. I feel sorry for Boris, I really do.
One of the many reasons the left hate Tories is that they abolished the democratically-elected GLC as they did not like its politics.
Ken returned in spite of those efforts and is hated by Tories for his temerity.
This will indeed be a rancourous contest.
Reinhard Heydrich said...
Bring on Boris...Ken must be shitting himself!
July 17, 2007 10:18 AM
You are joking. Ken will be wetting himself with laugher. When the hustings start, Ken will give him a little poke, and the verbal diarrhoea from Bozzer will flow like a river of coffee. We all love Bozzer, but we are not stupid. Note how many people who love Boris and support him with cries of Go Boris Go are all from outside London. More importantly Bozzer was clearly pressurised into taking up this torch, and it will show in the coming months.
I feel sorry for Boris. The whole of the Tory party have come to the roulette table and bet all their chips on Green Zero. The pressure on him will be unbearable and Im sorry to say he will crack and flagg under the immense burden put on his shoulders. He is his own worst enemy, the media circus will follow his every step and word, because they know he will give us some gems over the coming months, unfortunately the gems will all be Jeremy Clarkson style drivel, with added nastiness.
If Boris is so Non-PC can someone please explain why he is always going on about his ancestry. He gives great emphasis to his varied and mix lineage…. Isnt that also being PC
Anon 10:18 AM said:
Note how many people who love Boris and support him with cries of Go Boris Go are all from outside London. More importantly Bozzer was clearly pressurised into taking up this torch, and it will show in the coming months.
Wake up, twit! Boris is miles ahead - c 1000% more votes in the most recomended section - on BBC's Have Your Say forum and the BBC probably filter out more pro-Boris comments than they publish.
Most of these posts are from Londoners!
Some Londoners are saying, Go Boz! Others are saying 'Anyone but Ken'.
Boris is going to win.
Anonymous said...
If Boris is so Non-PC can someone please explain why he is always going on about his ancestry. He gives great emphasis to his varied and mix lineage…. Isnt that also being PC
Boris is a fundamentally honest man who has always been proud of his mixed heritage. Like many of us who value our roots, he's talked about these for years
Take a look at this lovely clip from Youtube of Boris talking about his schooldays - long before he thought of standing for London's mayor.
The clip says it all for me about why Boris is so well loved - he's a rare gem with a big heart!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA6sW-P-GPQ
Go, Boz!
Auntie Flo'
Jimbo said...
The pressure on him will be unbearable and Im sorry to say he will crack and flagg under the immense burden put on his shoulders.
take a look at the clip I've just posted - and those shoulders - again, jimbo.
Boris won't crack.
If HO and the spin doctors give him agro' they'll have us in his huge fan base to contend with.
Those who try to smear him as a toff are the ones ending up with egg on their faces, not Boz, he's soaring above it all.
Auntie Flo' - I'm with Boris!
Newmania said...
I love hery Majesty lady Toynbee`s description of Boris as a "Serial Liar"..he once made up a quote ?
Polly Toynbee, taking Boris to task for inventing a quote - as a young journalist, years ago - what hypocrisy! I bet Boris owned up to it too, he always does.
This is a rich accusation indeed Coming from, Ms Toynbee, the champagne socialist journo exposed by the website factchecking pollyanna as having repeatedly misquoted and failed to give attributions.
You are so right, newmania. Boris will save London and Cameron.
We must back Boris 110% and I do.
I've just signed up to help with his campaign and I don't live in London - yet, though it's rapidly movng towards me.
Auntie Flo'
Boris will win
people like him , that is enough.
People also see to forget that this "buffoon" won a scholarship to Eton , was president of the Oxford union pulls in 500 large a year from the sweat of his brow rather than off the tax payer edited a well respected magazine and increased its circulation.
Everything Boris touchs turns to gold.
He will be prime minister within 10 years.
In fact I am going to get odds on that and place a bet.
Just as you think the Hitch is beyond redemption he goes and totally redeeems himself.
General Custard - I am from inside London. I will be helping the campaign if I can.
One thing you may not be aware of is the extent to which Ken Livingstone is detested by a number of groups not least the white working class. I will enjoy attempts to patronise Boris as a "Clown".There are very few people with his brains in public life . Compare his academic record to say Toynbee and Livingstones( The former is especially inexcusable but then she really does have a silver spoon up her arse)
The Hitch said...
Boris will win
people like him , that is enough.
People also see to forget that this "buffoon" won a scholarship to Eton , was president of the Oxford union pulls in 500 large a year from the sweat of his brow rather than off the tax payer edited a well respected magazine and increased its circulation.
Everything Boris touchs turns to gold.
For once I agree with the Hitch.
Boris even beat the Germans at football, agame he'd never played.
Just ONE of the youtube videos which record this dazzling feat by Boz now has over 874,000 votes on youtube. Add all of the votes for different video versions of Boris's great tackle and they must total a million votes.
A dazzling number one.
The most Blair ever got on youtube in his heyday was around 300,000 votes - and that miserable performance was feted as a great achievement.
Multi-talented Boris? You aint nothing yet!
Auntie Flo' - backing Boris
Woops, that should have read:
Multi-talented Boris? You aint seen nothing yet!
Auntie Flo' - I'm with Boris
Have you seen that interview on the BBC with Cameron about Boris?
It can be found on the right hand side of this page:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/default.stm
I've never seen anything like it - the woman pretty much rips into Boris and then asks Cameron to react. I'm amazed he didn't actually lose his temper.
BBC have the anti-Boris bandwagon out already I see...
Surely, we don't know for sure that Steve won't be running. Even if he isn't, we will need him when that accident-prone and gaffe-prone buffoon Boris Johnson screws it all up for us and himself.
If Steve doesn't do it, Boris won't be challenged effectively in the primary, so we won't know if he would be a good enough candidate until it is too late.
I'm sorry I don't get it.
The problem with London is transport, Norris is M Transport with a capital T, and women love him. Johnstone offers us eff all other than being likeable.
I hate the man and his politics, but my money is on Livinstone for life-presidency as London Mayor if this is the best the Cons can do.
Just watched the Al-Beeb clip. Who is the nasty little bint posing as a newsreader on our beloved Soviet style corporation?
The bitch needs a right slapping taking that tone.
If this news is confirmed, it's very bad news for the party and for London. Steve Norris has what it takes to be a successful Mayor. Boris Johnson is at best an amusing diversion and at worst an accident-prone embarassment.
"Steve Norris has what it takes to be a successful Mayor."
Pity the electorate have a different opinion.
He's UNELECTABLE>>
(not that stops many posters here.. Hague for DC's job anyone?)..
Lets ignore reality and live in the land of nursery rhymes and magick.
"Pity the electorate have a different opinion."
The election is in 2008, see the newspapers for details...
We won't have a serious candidate if it's Boris and not Steve.
See the real world for details...
Polly Wally doodles all the day so for her to call Boris a "serial liar" is hilarious.
Boris brings humour with intellect and at least he is honest. More than can be said about Polly or Shagger Norris.
"Polly Wally doodles all the day so for her to call Boris a "serial liar" is hilarious.
Boris brings humour with intellect and at least he is honest. More than can be said about Polly or Shagger Norris."
Don't care for Polly Toynbee but you've obviously never met Steve Norris. Great sense of humor, huge intellect and honest with his party about what needed to change long before the likes of Boris, or frankly even David Cameron, had woken up to the fact.
"Boris" is a clown. No amount of spinning can alter or hide that fact.
So that's an Etonian wanting to run the country and an Etonian wanting to run London. And the Cameroon Tories wonder why they're not really appealing to C21st voters?
You're quite right, jimthechimp - I want all my leaders to have failed their 11+, have 4 O-levels and slag anyone off who has done well for themselves.
"slag anyone off who has done well for themselves."
Hardly true to say "who has done well for themselves" when one's parents provide one with a trust fund and mortgage-free house, is it?
blimey coo ur gosh. i was looking forward to 'boz-v-noz' in the nominations rumpus.
armand sa it remind him of penultimate play-off at his old skool, st.ettiennes, where the slogans eventually reduced down (apparently that is a cookin term) to "vote for the thief, not the fascist"
i shudder to think wher things might hav led if norriss1's knee had not suddenly gon bad(we hav yet to see a note from matron... hem-hem), but i for one regret that i shall not be able to have a speculative 6d on the 'shagger-v-bonker' set-to that may now never be....chizz,chizz
I think it will be Norris yet.
Boris is descended from the prophet ain't he? That should mop up a good share of the Respect vote.
The first Ken vs Boris poll is out in the Standard - Livingston 32%, Johnson 23%
whoops :)
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