Boris Johnson's Mayoral application form
July 31, 2007 9:02 AM Subscribe
Examples of challenges faced: "Negotiating Hyde Park corner by bicycle. Outcome: survival." This and more from Boris Johnson's London Mayoral candidacy application [PDF] to the Conservative Party. thelondonpaper is not impressed that he submitted a handwritten form.
Why aren't conservatives in this country that funny? Intentionally, I mean.
Actually, reading through the PDF, there's only a couple joke answers in there. The rest seems hastily thrown together at best.
posted by DU at 9:12 AM on July 31, 2007
Actually, reading through the PDF, there's only a couple joke answers in there. The rest seems hastily thrown together at best.
posted by DU at 9:12 AM on July 31, 2007
Well, that sums up exactly why he should get the job...
posted by twine42 at 9:15 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by twine42 at 9:15 AM on July 31, 2007
That form is absurd and insulting. He treated it with all the respect it deserves.
posted by Tacos Are Pretty Great at 9:16 AM on July 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Tacos Are Pretty Great at 9:16 AM on July 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
And I'm not impressed by thelondonpaper. Significantly worse than the Metro.
posted by iso_bars at 9:21 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by iso_bars at 9:21 AM on July 31, 2007
He is a muppet. For those not familiar with UK usage, this is not complimentary.
More specifically, he's a buffoon, either an actual idiot or someone who pretends to be an idiot. In his last electoral contest, for Rector of Edinburgh University, he got beaten into 3rd by a Green MSP and a retired journalist. I'm sure Londoners will treat his candidacy with the same respect when he (inevitably) wins the Tory nominaton.
posted by imperium at 9:28 AM on July 31, 2007
More specifically, he's a buffoon, either an actual idiot or someone who pretends to be an idiot. In his last electoral contest, for Rector of Edinburgh University, he got beaten into 3rd by a Green MSP and a retired journalist. I'm sure Londoners will treat his candidacy with the same respect when he (inevitably) wins the Tory nominaton.
posted by imperium at 9:28 AM on July 31, 2007
Livingstone may have many bad sides to his character, but it's the only job he's ever wanted to do, to the point of leaving the party when they wouldn't let him run. Boris is no idiot, but this just makes it look as if he's treating the whole thing as a joke. So it's Ken by a smaller majority once again.
posted by ciderwoman at 9:37 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by ciderwoman at 9:37 AM on July 31, 2007
I thought he filled the form out well. It was a better read than thelondonpaper which is a trashy freesheet forced on unwilling motorists at traffic lights and unwilling commuters at tube stations.
posted by rhymer at 9:53 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by rhymer at 9:53 AM on July 31, 2007
amusingly though, all londers can vote for who becomes the Tory party's candidate...
posted by patricio at 9:53 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by patricio at 9:53 AM on July 31, 2007
Boris Johnson isn't fit for any public office - except as the Queen's Jester or TV moderator ...
posted by homodigitalis at 10:01 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by homodigitalis at 10:01 AM on July 31, 2007
He is a muppet... More specifically, he's a buffoon, either an actual idiot or someone who pretends to be an idiot.
In other words, he's not Bolshie enough.
Hats off to Johnson for treating that stupid applicaition form with the utter contempt it deserved. London may yet have a future.
posted by three blind mice at 10:05 AM on July 31, 2007
In other words, he's not Bolshie enough.
Hats off to Johnson for treating that stupid applicaition form with the utter contempt it deserved. London may yet have a future.
posted by three blind mice at 10:05 AM on July 31, 2007
If it's real, who released it? It has "Private & Confidential" printed on every page - Doesn't that mean anything anymore?
posted by Dub at 10:14 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by Dub at 10:14 AM on July 31, 2007
Another one of David Cameron's bright ideas turns out a shambles. Meanwhile Gordon's looking better and better (Ken too).
posted by Flashman at 10:41 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by Flashman at 10:41 AM on July 31, 2007
I know he'd probably be dangerous in one way or another if he ever managed to get himself into a position to wield any actual power but for as long as he isn't, oh, I do like him.
posted by Acarpous at 10:53 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by Acarpous at 10:53 AM on July 31, 2007
three blind mice, I'm not basing my objections to him on that form: it would have been a decent entry for "Who Wants To Chair 'Have I Got News For You'". The problem is his utter intellectual incapacity. And yes, those free papers are dire - I read London Lite while trapped on a Tube train and I wished I'd paid for it so I could demand my money back.
Oh, and previously.
posted by imperium at 11:14 AM on July 31, 2007
Oh, and previously.
posted by imperium at 11:14 AM on July 31, 2007
I think this neatly sums up both why many Londoners would be delighted to see Boris become the official Tory candidate for Mayor (because it would be funny) and why many Londoners would be horrified to see Boris actually become Mayor (because it would not be funny).
Also, as to who leaked something that's embarrassing to a close ally of David Cameron: right now, just about anyone in the Tory party would be a prime suspect. The knives are out, big time. That, also, is funny.
posted by flashboy at 11:41 AM on July 31, 2007
Also, as to who leaked something that's embarrassing to a close ally of David Cameron: right now, just about anyone in the Tory party would be a prime suspect. The knives are out, big time. That, also, is funny.
posted by flashboy at 11:41 AM on July 31, 2007
The problem I have with Boris is that he is wildly ambitious but treats pretty much everything as a joke. It's a classic case of wanting power for power's sake.
posted by patricio at 11:56 AM on July 31, 2007
posted by patricio at 11:56 AM on July 31, 2007
I like the people who lie to me to have more gravitas. That way when I pretend to be surprised that I have been deceived other people can likewise pretend to believe me. I of course will return the favour.
posted by srboisvert at 12:58 PM on July 31, 2007
posted by srboisvert at 12:58 PM on July 31, 2007
Boris for Prime Minister! Or what srboisvert said.
Boris on why it is now illegal to repair your own windows
Boris on why small, environmentally-friendly electric cars shouldn't be banned
Come on, he's a cyclist! He must be good!
posted by alasdair at 3:12 PM on July 31, 2007
Boris on why it is now illegal to repair your own windows
Boris on why small, environmentally-friendly electric cars shouldn't be banned
Come on, he's a cyclist! He must be good!
posted by alasdair at 3:12 PM on July 31, 2007
The application form questions are a bit less bizarre if you remember it's an internal Tory party application (see questions 10 onwards) rather than a Government requirement for candidates. They are the sort of questions a selection panel would be interested in asking.
Personally, I think that Boris Johnson would be a dreadful mayor of London. As well as concealing some pretty ill-informed right-wing views beneath that 'ho ho aren't I jolly' persona, he is also strongly anti-European - a stance that will not go down well with the City of London businesses on whose behalf he needs to do so much lobbying.
More generally, I know that politics stopped being about policies some years ago, but Boris Johnson just really rubs it in.
posted by athenian at 3:50 PM on July 31, 2007
Personally, I think that Boris Johnson would be a dreadful mayor of London. As well as concealing some pretty ill-informed right-wing views beneath that 'ho ho aren't I jolly' persona, he is also strongly anti-European - a stance that will not go down well with the City of London businesses on whose behalf he needs to do so much lobbying.
More generally, I know that politics stopped being about policies some years ago, but Boris Johnson just really rubs it in.
posted by athenian at 3:50 PM on July 31, 2007
As a Londoner, the idea of Boris running for mayor entertains me. The idea of him winning scares me to death.
posted by WPW at 4:15 PM on July 31, 2007
posted by WPW at 4:15 PM on July 31, 2007
And let's no forget, Boris did conspire with Darius Guppy to beat up a journalist who had been digging into Guppy's past. But of course you have to forgive him this as he's just so hilarious.
posted by ciderwoman at 1:56 AM on August 1, 2007
posted by ciderwoman at 1:56 AM on August 1, 2007
Another one of David Cameron's bright ideas turns out a shambles.
Boris Johnson as mayor of London? You think that's a bright idea? Or are you saying that Cameron is so ridiculously stupid that this is one of his good ideas?
posted by TheDonF at 5:41 AM on August 1, 2007
Boris Johnson as mayor of London? You think that's a bright idea? Or are you saying that Cameron is so ridiculously stupid that this is one of his good ideas?
posted by TheDonF at 5:41 AM on August 1, 2007
Why aren't conservatives in this country that funny? Intentionally, I mean.
I was wondering the exact same thing.
He's got adorable handwriting. And I love his blog. In fact, I have a bit of a blog-crush on him, the clever beast. He makes me want to move to England and take up tea-drinking in earnest. Because if that's what *your* conservatives are like, dear UK MeFites, why, I'll take 300+, please, special delivery, to replace all of the morons in Congress.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:30 AM on August 1, 2007
I was wondering the exact same thing.
He's got adorable handwriting. And I love his blog. In fact, I have a bit of a blog-crush on him, the clever beast. He makes me want to move to England and take up tea-drinking in earnest. Because if that's what *your* conservatives are like, dear UK MeFites, why, I'll take 300+, please, special delivery, to replace all of the morons in Congress.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:30 AM on August 1, 2007
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posted by oddman at 9:07 AM on July 31, 2007