Boris Johnson agrees to be sprayed by a water cannon

[C0ckney]

Apart from when he's caught out being casually racist, lying to Parliament, and agreeing to having journalists beaten up on behalf of his jailed drug-dealing best friends.

i think ken's point was that he has emerged unscathed from all the various scandals, many of which would have killed a lesser politician's career.

[kentonio]

i think ken's point was that he has emerged unscathed from all the various scandals, many of which would have killed a lesser politician's career.

Indeed, he's basically the most Teflon UK politician I've ever seen (apart from maybe Blair). Despite the whole public schoolboy thing he's just incredibly likeable and he tends to say the kinds of things people can actually relate to (when he's not off on one of his mental moments). In an age of super polished politicians repeating the same carefully planned lines, people feel like with Boris they're going to at least hear truth.

[C0ckney]

in a way he's similar to farage both in appearance and reality. by which i mean that he's an utterly establishment figure who's seen by the public, and the media, as an outsider, with some connection with the 'man on the street'.

[Elok]

So . . . he's like your Marion Barry?

[Dinner]

Without the crack.

[pchang]

Get back to me after he gets sprayed.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

He's allowed an air of genial, bumbling incompetence to conceal the fact the fact that he's actually a rather nasty elitist dildo.

[pchang]

elitist dildo.

So, not just any orifice then.

[molly bloom]

Apart from when he's caught out being casually racist, lying to Parliament, and agreeing to having journalists beaten up on behalf of his jailed drug-dealing best friends.

Don't forget the adultery and lying to his editor. And presumably his wife too.

He used to be editor of the Spectator and has written a number of books, including about one of his favourite subjects Ancient Rome.

Have you read it ?

he's just incredibly likeable

Err, if you say so. I think he's marginally less pleasant than having your nose filled with silage.

For those of you unfamiliar with the effect of water cannon on the human face, this is a public health warning (those of a delicate nature should perhaps avert their gaze):

[kentonio]

Have you read it ?

Nope, always meant to pick it up and never got round to it. Any good?

Err, if you say so. I think he's marginally less pleasant than having your nose filled with silage.):

I'm talking about public persona, and he is hugely popular.

[molly bloom]

Nope, always meant to pick it up and never got round to it. Any good?

I'm sure you don't want my opinion. Try someone who desn't find that suppurating, privileged orifice repellent and ask them.

I'm talking about public persona, and he is hugely popular.

You mean his stage-managed portrayal/public persona is popular in parts of London & the Home Counties.

It's also deeply unpopular in parts of London & the Home Counties.

Pick where you like...

[kentonio]

I'm sure you don't want my opinion. Try someone who desn't find that suppurating, privileged orifice repellent and ask them.

If I didn't want your opinion, I wouldn't have asked for it.

You mean his stage-managed portrayal/public persona is popular in parts of London & the Home Counties.

It's also deeply unpopular in parts of London & the Home Counties.

Pick where you like...

Yes his carefully stage managed persona. A persona that manages to make an Eton educated toff popular in mining villages and northern towns throughout the country (ok, probably not Liverpool ) even amongst people who loathe and despise the Conservative party with every fibre of their body. Seriously I've talk to rabid Old Labourites who would spit before saying the word Tory, and even many of them tend to smile at the mention of Boris.

[molly bloom]

and even many of them tend to smile at the mention of Boris.

The way we smile at the things that inarticulate children or the educationally subnormal do. I'm afraid I don't know anyone who likes the knobhead.

[kentonio]

The way we smile at the things that inarticulate children or the educationally subnormal do. I'm afraid I don't know anyone who likes the knobhead.

Perhaps your circle is a little more titled towards the intellectual.

[Hauldren Collider]

If by intellectual you mean "pseudo-intellectual" I would agree with that hypothesis.