Nice hair, Boris.

TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

When Tony Blair, the then British PM, put forward the idea of having a London mayor, it didn’t sound like a great idea.

Today, as the present incumbent at City Hall faced questions over the shocking number of cycling deaths over the last two weeks – six in total – the less convincing this American-style role appeared to be.

Boris Johnson brings a floppy hairstyle, colourful comments and language, as well as a buffoon-like manner to this role, all this no doubt helps to distract away from the central question about the London Mayor and the very expensive general assembly where he was being ‘grilled’, namely – ‘What is the point?’

Apart from being a talking shop – and at a time when ordinary Londoners and not the supper rich who Boris openly champions, are being squeezed like never before – a criminally over-priced one, there is little to be said for the glorified councilors who gather in the most grandiose surroundings to score points against each other.

Those who for so long despaired at Parliament and MPs may want to turn their attention to the capital and the motley crew of elected representatives that reside in a building that can only rival Athens for modern-day European-nostalgic hubris.

George Galloway’s announcement that he may be considering running for the role of London Mayor just highlights the utter pointlessness of this role.

For Boris Johnson of course, this is all a prep-school for bigger and better things, namely number 10 and being leader of the country.

As for the people he will leave behind – well, they will have to grin and bare another London Mayor and the promise of more council tax, higher car parking charges, VAT etc to pay for the dubious privilege.