Boris the Hustler

Bloody hell BoJo, make up your mind will you? Is it a yes or no?

Please don’t tell me we have to suffer another ride on the Boris merry-go-round; it’s all getting rather dizzy – especially for us Londoners. What are we to do with Boris the hustler? Inspired it seems by one Monsieur Alain Juppé – Boris bookmarked the idea that it was perfectly feasible to hold both the office of mayor and serve as prime minister all at the same time.

Boris, as mischievous as ever cast speculation that maybe, just maybe, he might like to follow his French counterpart, but of course it was just a ‘joke’ woven into his comedic script at the  annual Tory party conference. It wasn’t long after that in true BoJo style, he started to back track after realising the conundrum he had just put himself, the country and more importantly Londoners in.

Yet again we have found ourselves sitting through another episode of Boris’s foot-in-mouth syndrome – medication please. But jokes aside, Tony from Woodford had a point when he apprehended our blonde eccentric live on LBC. Doesn’t he owe it to Londoners, the people who have given him the platform for limelight, to stop the pussy footing around and give us a straight answer about his future plans?

I guess though, like most politicians… oops… sorry mayors, it’s all a bit of a game. The myth that because Boris has had some success as head honcho at City Hall doesn’t mean he has the people of London at heart. Boris is a talented individual, who’s bashful and humble play acting hides his knowledge of this. Look beyond the veneer, and like many public officials, you will find an underlying goal or game plan at least.

To think that ambitions would or could lay dormant within him would in reality be naive. Don’t get me wrong, I love London and I want the best for it. ‘I love’ Boris too. Like many I have been smitten by his charm, his buffoonery, even managing to overlook his political incorrectness because of the awkwardness that follows.

However in my view he’s a politician at heart who wants to act out his politics. That’s not to say that his current role isn’t political, it’s just that I don’t think it is enough for him. As such I believe that London needs someone who is deeply committed to it and undivided in their attention. If Boris runs for MP, London will suffer even if it’s in the short term. Although part of the greatness of Britain, it has its own heart and soul that needs to be cocooned in love. It doesn’t need or want someone to dip in and out of politics at our expense; playing ball with our affections.

My heart flutters for the blonde Mr Biggles, however, I can’t help but want to release him to be and do what his heart betrays: politics through and through. The matter of whether he can move from MP to PM, we’ll determine another day.

Image by garryknight courtesy of Flickr