...Black History Month, for all its good intentions, isn't an obvious commercial vehicle. The Johnsonian view is that these things must pay their way.And lo, a great clamouring went up in the land, as thousands of racemongers and diversity outreach consultants saw their hard won positions at the trough being stripped away...
Livingstone took the traditional view that one of the best ways to foster community relations in the capital, a legal requirement under the Greater London Authority Act, was to use public money to assist groups seen as disadvantaged. The Johnsonian approach again is different. There is no element of crusading or social engineering. He is into diversity; but that isn't the same thing as equality. It isn't his job to make the playing field level, especially if it means throwing money at groups and initiatives favoured by the left.Hurrah! At last, sanity...
Some will read this and say, quite right Boris, this is life as it should be. Value for money at last and an end to special pleading.Who would say otherwise? Except, of course, for those making a tidy living from it...
Others will be critical, that this is simplistic Johnsonian Toryism, where...everyone is equal...Oh, horrors! Equality? Who wants that? There's no money in it...
Either way, there are dividing lines here that will allow voters to make a coherent choice should the mayor seek a second term in 2012.Check out the comments, Hugh. Looks like the answer's a resounding 'Yes!'
Boris's way or another way? Depends whether you like his sort of change.
Can I add to that, 'Yes! Yes! Oh, yeesss!'
Gah!
ReplyDeleteThe man acts like a total loser 99% of the time. Like all women, you see his faults and promise to ditch him and then he does one good thing and you lose your resolve.
If they don't stop spending money extorted from taxpayers on these divisive events then it will be BNP-Day at the election*.
ReplyDelete*As I'm not far left this isn't good news.
Tweet tweet.
ReplyDeletePlease sue me for libel. It'll be great publicity.
Boris does have his occasional good moment, I'll add this to a very short list.
ReplyDeleteTrawling through the comments there was entertaining. Thanks for highlighting it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of an old post on a blog I used to read......
It looks like some of the diversity outreach self-esteem consultants will have to find proper jobs.
ReplyDelete@ TDK,
ReplyDeleteI think I'm developing a soft spot for the blonde bombshell as well.
In love with Boris? The illiberal twat who banned anyone from drinking on the Tube because it was easier than dealing with a small number who got shitfaced? He may be right on this but still...
ReplyDeleteCan I add to that, 'Yes! Yes! Oh, yeesss!'
Julia, you're sick. :-)
Why would anyone want to drink on the tube?
ReplyDelete"The man acts like a total loser 99% of the time. Like all women, you see his faults and promise to ditch him and then he does one good thing and you lose your resolve."
ReplyDeleteHe said he'd change! ;)
"Please sue me for libel. It'll be great publicity."
I'm not going to throw you into that briar patch.. ;)
"Boris does have his occasional good moment..."
Very occasional, I'll grant you. But baby steps, and all that.
"I'm reminded of an old post on a blog I used to read."
Why not still read it? It goes from strength to strength. iDave could do a lot worse than invite her in for a chat on education policy.
"It looks like some of the diversity outreach self-esteem consultants will have to find proper jobs."
ReplyDeleteMy heart bleeds for them...
"In love with Boris? The illiberal twat who banned anyone from drinking on the Tube because it was easier than dealing with a small number who got shitfaced?"
Well, yes. In an ideal world, he wouldn't have had to. But he really had no alternative, did he?
We're talking about getting the BTP and the Tuber workers to make a judgement of who needs arresting and who doesn't. You and I both know, sure as god made little green apples, that they would pass by the noisy, possibly violent druunk in a heartbeat and go for the person quietly sipping a can of beer.
As Ken S points out, you shouldn't NEED a drink on the Tube (though I can understand the need, especially on the Northern Line...)
But he really had no alternative, did he?
ReplyDeleteSure he did.
Pick up phone, dial police chief's number, say 'ah, hello, Boris here', tell him in Latin to get officers out on the trains and platforms actually nicking people who are public nuisances (drunk or otherwise), tell him again in English, remind him that's actually what the police are for, quote some obscure piece of ancient Greek poetry that the poor woodentop has probably never heard of, tell him you'll write it up in the Daily Telegraph, end call and go on TV to accidentally insult a whole town somewhere in the north.
Fairly easy for Boris, bit more challenging for plod. Easier still for both Boris and plod simply to treat someone with a half bottle of Krug as the same as someone half fucked on Wife Beater by criminalising everyone who drinks. Being less of an authoritarian bastard than that newt felcher Ken Livingstone means an improvement, sure, but he's still an authoritarian. He can be quite amusing despite that, but love... ewwww.
And I bet those fucking bendy buses he promised to get rid of are still there.
his is where some of the money ALWAYS goes (though not to this particular individual):
ReplyDeletehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8523559.stm
"Sure he did.
ReplyDeletePick up phone..."
And while that would no doubt be amusing to do, and to read about, he doesn't have the authority to make them do it.
Sadly.
"And I bet those fucking bendy buses he promised to get rid of are still there."
Yup. How'd you guess? ;)
"his is where some of the money ALWAYS goes..."
Oh, good lord!