Boris Johnson is Tories' favourite to succeed David Cameron as leader - Polidicks

[img]http://imgkk.com/i/5ae6.jpg[/img] [url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jul/30/boris-johnson-tory-favourite-david-cameron[/url] [quote=The Guardian]Boris Johnson is the early favourite among grassroots Tories to succeed David Cameron as leader, according to a poll conducted by Conservativehome. The poll of 1,419 Conservative activists showed 32% back Johnson, eight points ahead of his nearest rival, former leader William Hague (24%), with education secretary Michael Gove on 19% and David Davis, who lost out to Cameron in 2005, on 10%. The findings make dismal reading for George Osborne, who languishes in eighth place on 2%, following a difficult few months that began with his unpopular March budget and persists under grim economic data. The poll was published four days after the London mayor showed his cheerleading qualities by whipping up a mass crowd in Hyde Park who had come to see the last leg of the Olympic torch relay, prompting the raucous chanting of his first name. It coincides with a separate report by the Independent revealing a slump in Tory party membership, with latest estimates putting the numbers at between 130,000 and 170,000, compared with almost 300,000 shortly after Cameron succeeded Michael Howard as leader. The poll of party activists showed Cameron was still the first choice to lead them into the next general election, though fewer than half backed him (49%). Johnson was second (18%), followed by Hague (12%) and Davis (10%), with Osborne trailing again. Though Johnson is rumoured to lack widespread support among the parliamentary party as a potential successor to Cameron, his supporters point to his re-election as London mayor in May in a set of local elections which otherwise made grim reading for the Tories. The mayor, as the chairman of Transport for London, is responsible for ensuring that disruption to commuters is kept to a minimum during the Olympics – reports from the Games's first Monday suggested this had begun promisingly. Tim Montgomerie, editor of Conservative Home, said of Johnson's popularity: "He is a Eurosceptic who doesn't just love his country but loves its people too, whatever their politics, colour, religion or sexuality. David Cameron is comfortable with modern Britain too, but, to adapt one of Mr Johnson's own expressions, Boris zoinks off the Geiger counter of positivity. He hugs the nation and smothers it with rhetorical kisses." The poll also showed pessimism among Tory members about the next election, with more than half (53%) predicting Labour will be back in office in 2015, compared with 47% who backed their own party. Members see a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition as the most likely outcome (22%), with 20% expecting an overall Labour or Conservative majority and 19% predicting a minority Tory government. Eleven percent predicted a minority Labour government and 8% a second Con-LibDem coalition. Just 1% of Tory members wanted the coalition with the Liberal Democrats to continue beyond the next election – 20% want the relationship to end soon as possible, ideally this year. The most favoured course (41%) was for the coalition to end shortly before the election so the two parties can set out their own plans, while 19% wanted it to continue right up to the election.[/quote]

good god no if he got into office i would fucking shoot myself

My aim with this thread is to make Cypher_09 smile with delight

No, no no no no. Jesus, God and the blessed angels, fucking no.

Ahahaha, that'd be brilliant

Bikes for everyone Take all the money out of education and fund a new pan-atlantic bridge Build a ladder to the moon All this and more

I would vote for him just to see what'll happen.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;37011531]I would vote for him just to see what'll happen.[/QUOTE]That's probably what got him into the Mayor's office in the first place :v:

Jesus fucking no, don't vote for that incompetant, useless cunt to do anything. He'd be on par with fucking Santorum.

it's bloody called whiff-whaff on a serious note, having someone who thinks McDonalds is health food and that marijuana is "dangerous" isn't my idea of an ideal PM

At least he isn't David Cameron.

Although he isn't nearly a stupid as he seems (that's not saying much, a sea urchin isn't as stupid as Boris Johnson seems), I'm pretty sure that Boris as leader of the opposition/prime minister would be a disaster.

[QUOTE=smurfy;37010870]My aim with this thread is to make Cypher_09 smile with delight[/QUOTE] It would be the first time I'd ever vote for a Tory if this happened! :v: [img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zGnH6HWaAi0/Sw3_5hiOEsI/AAAAAAAAEFU/stNyiGuyD0c/s1600/borisJohnson04.jpg[/img] Seriously though, he's incredibly intelligent and genuinely does have the country's best interests at heart and I'd be thrilled maybe to even see him as PM one day (Although he did say he didn't want to run again for office, let alone be PM; but that [being a few years ago on the Letterman show -yes, he went on Letterman] might change which his newly found popularity. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Av0-HGN0js[/media] To those saying he's against smoking, I'll need a citation but I know his stance on tobacco smoking and that's that he want's to remove the smoking ban, even on aeroplanes saying that the whole "Passive smoking" agenda is way overdone. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlH-OZ5R9xM[/media]

[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016148] Seriously though, he's incredibly intelligent[/QUOTE] like secretly? because publicly, i mean no he's obviously not

[QUOTE=thisispain;37016166]like secretly? because publicly, i mean no he's obviously not[/QUOTE] I think the way he throws his voice and tells jokes leads people to believe he's less smart than he actually is. [editline]31st July 2012[/editline] People should really watch the last video I posted. He wears a smoking jacket, a fez, and smokes a cigar saying "Tremendous! Am I breaking some sort of health and safety rule here? I sincerely hope so" :v: [editline]31st July 2012[/editline] He also says "I've had it (cannabis). It'd be pathetic to say that I haven't had it, it'd be pathetic to say that it's wrong"

[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016172]I think the way he throws his voice and tells jokes leads people to believe he's less smart than he actually is.[/QUOTE] i think his statements are to blame for that [QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016172]People should really watch the last video I posted. He wears a smoking jacket, a fez, and smokes a cigar saying "Tremendous! Am I breaking some sort of health and safety rule here? I sincerely hope so" :v:[/QUOTE] yes he does an amusing caricature of a comedian. a quality any PM should strive for

[QUOTE=thisispain;37016222]i think his statements are to blame for that yes he does an amusing caricature of a comedian. a quality any PM should strive for[/QUOTE] why aren't you backing up anything. i'm throwing out videos and quotes all over the place and you're just going "nope" without anything to back it up

[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016261]why aren't you backing up anything. i'm throwing out videos and quotes all over the place and you're just going "nope" without anything to back it up[/QUOTE] well first of all he's a tory, and i don't like tory policy. second of all you are trying to point boris johnson as a cool bro i could drink beer with that's great, but that doesn't mean he'd be a good PM.

[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016261]why aren't you backing up anything. i'm throwing out videos and quotes all over the place and you're just going "nope" without anything to back it up[/QUOTE] This is what he does, I've tried arguing with him too many times and literally all he does is post meaningless shit with no thought. I'm shocked he even managed to use some fullstops in this thread. [QUOTE=thisisdumb]well first of all he's a tory, and i don't like tory policy.[/QUOTE] So you're just going to go ahead and refuse to accept anything anyone says if they have any faint conservative views? That's really shallow.

[QUOTE=thisispain;37016273]well first of all he's a tory, and i don't like tory policy. second of all you are trying to point boris johnson as a cool bro i could drink beer with that's great, but that doesn't mean he'd be a good PM.[/QUOTE] eugh, just stop responding to me if you are going to be as ignorant as you are being [editline]31st July 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=AngryChairR;37016428]This is what he does, I've tried arguing with him too many times and literally all he does is post meaningless shit with no thought. I'm shocked he even managed to use some fullstops in this thread. [B]So you're just going to go ahead and refuse to accept anything anyone says if they have any faint conservative views? That's really shallow.[/B][/QUOTE] Exactly, even if I am highlighting likeable aspects of him which are particularly left-minded

I'd prefer him over some robot politician.

No matter how hard I try, I really cannot trust nor like David Cameron.

I dunno Cypher, your one point for saying he was intelligent was that he cracked a joke and was wearing a smoking jacket etc. Boris Johnson anywhere near power is a catastrophe. If he was PM, we may as well clap our hands together and collectively say "I'm out."

[QUOTE=Craigewan;37016567]I dunno Cypher, your one point for saying he was intelligent was that he cracked a joke and was wearing a smoking jacket etc. Boris Johnson anywhere near power is a catastrophe. If he was PM, we may as well clap our hands together and collectively say "I'm out."[/QUOTE] That wasn't intended to be a point for his intelligence, sorry if it looked that way. It was a point for me liking him more than most other politicians and having some agreeable policies/relatable attitudes

[QUOTE=thisispain;37015358]it's bloody called whiff-whaff on a serious note, having someone who thinks McDonalds is health food and that marijuana is "dangerous" isn't my idea of an ideal PM[/QUOTE] as someone whose nation's humour is a derivative of subtle british model i'm going to go out on a limb and say that the maccas thing was a joke

[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016642]That wasn't intended to be a point for his intelligence, sorry if it looked that way. It was a point for me liking him more than most other politicians and having some agreeable policies/relatable attitudes[/QUOTE] How likable he is doesn't matter, has Boris kept any of his promises?

[QUOTE=danharibo;37016664]How likable he is doesn't matter, has Boris kept any of his promises?[/QUOTE] Specify some of his promises [editline]31st July 2012[/editline] I just think he would be a breath of fresh air from the unpenetrable wall of emotion that Cameron's put up because he's too afraid of the media. Boris seems to be one of the few that isn't afraid of the media. We need that more than people realise.

[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016642]That wasn't intended to be a point for his intelligence, sorry if it looked that way. It was a point for me liking him more than most other politicians and having some agreeable policies/relatable attitudes[/QUOTE] I think I'd prefer a complete dick who can get the job done to a likable but less competent one. I mean, I'm never going to actually meet the Prime Minister and have a couple of beers with him, why is the fact that he's most assuredly a nice, agreeable person in any way relevant? cool leaders speak for their people, use their resources in efficient ways, and seek to minimize the price of living for everyone. cool [I]people[/I] simply don't come into it. [editline]31st July[/editline] not that there's anyone I know of who's even close to a cool leader, looking for someone like that in our voting range would mostly just be pissing in the wind

[QUOTE=Cone;37016757]I think I'd prefer a complete dick who can get the job done to a likable but less competent one. I mean, I'm never going to actually meet the Prime Minister and have a couple of beers with him, why is the fact that he's most assuredly a nice, agreeable person in any way relevant? cool leaders speak for their people, use their resources in efficient ways, and seek to minimize the price of living for everyone. cool [I]people[/I] simply don't come into it.[/QUOTE] Would you rather have Cameron? I agree that it's farfetched to assume you'd be having a beer with the prime minister, but it gets to a certain point where the trust just dissipates and eventually public favour and opinion just drops like a rock. Everybody in the country I know hates Cameron. Being a likeable character is a very very strong advantage in politics.

[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37016775]Would you rather have Cameron? I agree that it's farfetched to assume you'd be having a beer with the prime minister, but it gets to a certain point where the trust just dissipates and eventually public favour and opinion just drops like a rock. Everybody in the country I know hates Cameron. Being a likeable character is a very very strong advantage in politics.[/QUOTE] of course I wouldn't rather have Cameron. as I say, almost everyone there is to vote for is either two-faced, extremely disagreeable, or super incompetent. thinking about it, I guess "he isn't a dick" is as good a reason to vote as any.