BNP backs Boris, Paddick piles in
5:26 pm - April 2nd 2008
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Here’s one endorsement he can probably live without.
The British National party has called on its supporters to give their second-preference votes in the London mayoral election to the Conservative candidate, Boris Johnson.
In a statement posted on its website today, the far-right party advised people to award its own mayoral candidate, Richard Barnbrook, their first-choice vote, and “the Tory clown Johnson” their second because he was the lesser of two evils.
Libdem candidate Brian Paddick has just released a statement saying:
Clearly the BNP have recognised Boris’s talent for causing offence and creating division. This should be a wake-up call for all decent people who could vote in the Mayoral elections to register their vote. The more votes there are for mainstream parties, the less chance there will be to give racists and extremists a seat.
We need a Mayor who does not make offensive remarks, who does not take sides and who will put all his efforts into uniting all Londoners whatever their background.
Update: A Guardian/ICM poll puts Ken and Boris neck-to-neck.
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Story Filed Under: Blog ,Conservative Party ,Debates ,Mayor election ,Race relations ,Westminster
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Reader comments
Heaven forbid that we might ever have a mayor that makes an offensive comment. Or even, Heaven Forbid, take sides on any matter. The skies would surely fall in on us all. Vote Paddick, vote Safety…
Oh dear. That’s a rather cheap jibe by Paddick isn’t it? Unless Boris has actually courted the BNP vote then it’s unfair to use their decision as a stick to beat him with. I mean, I understand the BNP opposed the invasion of Iraq too. Can that be used to criticise the rest of the antiwar movement? I think not.
Oddly this barely got a mention at the Time Out hustings last night.
There was lots of mocking Boris because he no longer turns up at such events – and when he does turn up he leaves after the photos have been taken.
And of course there was of aspirational talk about more police, more cycling, and so on.
But it was only mentioned in passing that he has this endorsment.
Boris seems to be avoiding public debates where he’ll actually be expected to know more than a soundbite about what his policies are and what they mean?
Bojo condemns the BNP and rejects their offer: http://www.backboris.com/assets/releases/pdf/02_04_08_second_preferences.pdf
I was at the Time Out hustings on Wed – missed the much better Evening Standard debate on Monday alas.
Paddick and Berry wholly platitudinous. Ken tired but better on the detail as of course he should be. Boris wasn’t there – though Ken is not attending the Centre for Social Justice hustings nor the No2ID hustings – not surprising since he supports ID cards!
Depressing event with all three promising things which are not in fact in the mayor’s power to deliver.
Still for me it’s anyone but Ken – which means Boris.
cjcjc
I think thats a harsh assessment
There was a lot of talk on policing, housing and transport. All of which are things the new mayor will be able to deliver (or not) on.
I was quite impressed with Brian and Sian in fits and starts. Every now and then the discussion hit a subject that they had both strong and well informed views on – and even though I’d want neither as Mayor and disagree with them on a lot – they impressed me a bit.
Ken was his usual self – he knows his beans – the city is basically in his hands and all his answers suggest that. I don’t know if that’s enough though, as his strength in past elections has been that he is radical rather than safe.
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