[Jilly]

Boris although he is a brilliant mayor and ambassador for London, he would be useless as a party leader. Boris has a great personality but not the right one to lead a party.

Stick to what you are good at Boris.

[Miss Georgie]

he'd be better than Cameron any day

[Ethel_Fred]

BJ is popular and it is worth some votes to a sinking party. However as the Assembly vote shows his personal popularity doesn't translate into seats.

[grumpy-dad1972]

I am far far far away from being a tory, but Boris is one off the very very few politicians that IMO actually speaks with true passion and tries to engage with you as opposed to talking at you. If he was standing for election where i am i would probably vote for him. I think it would be a mistake for them not to try and replicate how he engages with others. If he was to become leader and potential PM he would need a good barber. Though personally i'd rather not see another tory PM fora long time.

[Hit Em Up Style]

Originally Posted by grumpy-dad1972

I am far far far away from being a tory, but Boris is one off the very very few politicians that IMO actually speaks with true passion and tries to engage with you as opposed to talking at you. If he was standing for election where i am i would probably vote for him. I think it would be a mistake for them not to try and replicate how he engages with others. If he was to become leader and potential PM he would need a good barber. Though personally i'd rather not see another tory PM fora long time.

Agree with this. I actually like Boris and unlike Cameron you never get the impression Boris is talking down at you or that he thinks you are beneath him. Cameron these past few months has become nothing more than bullylike with his immature put downs and genuine disregard for peoples real concerns.

[Annsyre]

Originally Posted by Jilly

Boris although he is a brilliant mayor and ambassador for London, he would be useless as a party leader. Boris has a great personality but not the right one to lead a party.

Stick to what you are good at Boris.

I agree. And in any event he announced on Today this morning that he will be running London until 2016 and wont be running for anything else.

[psionic]

Originally Posted by Jilly

Boris although he is a brilliant mayor and ambassador for London, he would be useless as a party leader. Boris has a great personality but not the right one to lead a party.

Stick to what you are good at Boris.

As we live in the 'X-factor' era it will take someone with a likeable personality such as Boris for the Tories to win outright. There aren't enough traditional Tory voters to win an election on their own. They need far wider support.

[Annsyre]

Originally Posted by psionic

As we live in the 'X-factor' era it will take someone with a likeable personality such as Boris for the Tories to win outright. There aren't enough traditional Tory voters to win an election on their own. They need far wider support.

Not true.

The group most likely to vote is the older group.

There are more people in this group than in the younger group.

Mature people are not stupid enough to treat politics like the X-Factor. They know what's at stake.

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by psionic

As we live in the 'X-factor' era it will take someone with a likeable personality such as Boris for the Tories to win outright. There aren't enough traditional Tory voters to win an election on their own. They need far wider support.

I think thats the same for any party, surely.

[glasshalffull]

It's worth looking to history:

Former MP for Henley
Born with silver spoon in mouth
Unconventional with ruthless streak
"Blonde Bombshell"
Not afraid to go against Tory Party line
Often tipped as future leader...but never got the job

I'm talking of course about Michael Hesletine

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by glasshalffull

It's worth looking to history:

Former MP for Henley
Born with silver spoon in mouth
Unconventional with ruthless streak
"Blonde Bombshell"
Not afraid to go against Tory Party line
Often tipped as future leader...but never got the job

I'm talking of course about Michael Hesletine

I was thinking of that comparison earlier

[psionic]

Originally Posted by Jilly

I think thats the same for any party, surely.

Indeed. Which is why who is best for the party isn't enough to win a GE. Charismatic leaders get wider support even from voters who might normally vote for another party.

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by psionic

Indeed. Which is why who is best for the party isn't enough to win a GE. Charismatic leaders get wider support even from voters who might normally vote for another party.

John Major?

[psionic]

Originally Posted by Jilly

John Major?

Tony Blair landslide?

[glasshalffull]

Originally Posted by Jilly

I was thinking of that comparison earlier

Great minds

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by psionic

Tony Blair landslide?

Not in 92.

[psionic]

Originally Posted by Jilly

Not in 92.

Against an equally uncharismatic Neil Kinnock, who actually won seats and Major lost seats.

[jmclaugh]

He's done well to win a second term and is a likeable and personable chap and I think he would have made a good party leader but that is now very unlikely.

[silentNate]

His acceptance speech was embarrassing, as an orator he simply can't cut it

[alanwarwic]

Originally Posted by silentNate

His acceptance speech was embarrassing, as an orator he simply can't cut it

Take away the jokey jibes and you get a 'far right' vacuum.
I kept hearing 'politically correct' pundits analysis describing something completely different.

Ken in his wisdom never took the bait from the extremely awful tone of it. 9/10 mayoral votes elsewhere shuddered at the thought of a Boris in every town like Cameron had suggested.

[flagpole]

I agree with the OP.

[TommyOliver]

I liked what he said at the end of his winning speech"May the force be with you"

[flagpole]

Originally Posted by TommyOliver

I liked what he said at the end of his winning speech"May the force be with you"

i thought it was May the 4th be with you.

[silent_man]

Well for a start hes certainly not a brilliant mayor, so you're wrong straight away, just look at his record for the last four years.

[Annsyre]

Originally Posted by silent_man

Well for a start hes certainly not a brilliant mayor, so you're wrong straight away, just look at his record for the last four years.

Well a lot of people did just that and voted him back in.