Knick-knack Paddick-whack

Regular readers may recall that I don’t have too much faith in the capacity of parties to find suitable candidates for London Mayor. The problem is, there are simply too few roles available for people to perform credible “apprenticeships” for the top job, the GLA being an anonymous talking shop. Thus far the only elected… Continue reading Knick-knack Paddick-whack

Why are the Tories in such a mess over Europe?

Am I the only person to notice that the Tories were facing in both directions when it came to democracy yesterday? At the same time as condemning Tony Blair for ruling out a referendum on the next European treaty, they were launching a new policy paper which, among other things, called for directly elected mayors… Continue reading Why are the Tories in such a mess over Europe?

RoboCop comes out against elected mayors

An interview in the Guardian: Looking colourful in a salmon pink shirt and maroon pair of braces that contrast with his grey, brushed-back hair, Mallon claims that the mayoral model is open to abuse by the power-crazy. He realised that after meeting another mayor early in his tenure – whom he refuses to name. “I… Continue reading RoboCop comes out against elected mayors