Newsnight: the London Mayoral debate
I’m all in favour of elected Mayors. They really brighten up a city’s politics. Last night’s Newsnight debate between the three top candidates was a democratic treat but also really good, knockabout entertainment. Paddick couldn’t have looked more like a copper if he’d been swinging a truncheon (it’s the ramrod back and shiny shoes) and could do with some charisma augmentation work. Ken’s got the lofty air of a man the job was invented for but his impatience with London’s apparent falling out of love with him diminishes him—he seems pettier, less in control. The big surprise, of course, is Boris who seems to have stopped being a buffoon almost completely and made such a good fist of the debate that I’d be surprised if he doesn’t walk it on 1st May.
I found it excruciatingly good tv. But excruciating.
More even than any other area of political debate they seem to have lost sight of what’s really bothering people. Like the promise keeping thing. I don’t really care if my mayor changes his mind for good reasons…and they wasted a good 10 minutes finger wagging about that.
Crikey. Hope you’re wrong about Boris.
Paxman certainly handled the whole debate very well, slipping in some corkers of questions to each of them, and putting them all in their places when needed. Pointless TV really as most of it was along the lines of “I’m going to be better than you nuh nuh ner ner nuh”, but hell, it was entertaining!