Bye Bye Boris

With it less then a month until we cast our votes to elect a new Mayor of London, this article will discuss how Boris Johnson’s role as London Mayor. The last eight years has not been spent effectively in the best interests of Londoners.

Whilst boosting London’s profile by getting stuck on a zip wire, his time in this position has mainly been spent on pointless vanity projects, causing massive debt at the expense of the taxpayer, multiple policy failures and reoccurring broken promises. With his last Mayoral term nearly over and rumours of becoming a possible Prime Minister candidate, this essay will look at key moments that prove little beyond boosting his own profile and showing minimal thought for the 8.6 million people who live here.

In 2008, Boris took his first term as Mayor of London and set out his vision for the future of London. His manifesto included to make the capital the greenest city in the world, make the streets safer, create affordable housing and to create a no-strike deal with the tube unions. The reality in fact, is the opposite. London has suffered it’s worst riots in 30 years, is more polluted then ever, housing is the most expensive it’s ever been, the gap between the rich and the poor is wider then ever, there have been more strikes then under his predecessor Ken Livingston and transports costs are the most expensive in the world. When Boris departs his role next year, all these challenges that remained previously in 2008 will be present for the next occupant, but much worse. Which makes you question what has one of the capital’s top politicians actually done for it’s inhabitants. A YouGov poll included the words buffoon, untrustworthy and arrogant to describe Boris. There is much more to the role then being able to make convincing speeches, photo-ops and appearing on programmes such as Top Gear. Boris, who regards his £250,000 Telegraph column salary as “chicken feed”, is seemingly oblivious to the problems that Londoners are crying out to be tackled.

In his eight years, Boris has used his power to put his stamp on the city. There’s nothing more that unitarily affects Londoners then transport. Our Tube, buses and trains together carry over 10 million daily. Cost of travel in London is currently at an all time high, and is the most expensive in the world when compared to other global cities. In 2011, Boris introduced 800 new unnecessary routemasters to the capitals roads at a cost of £250 million, with £30,000 salary for each of the rear bus assistants. The new buses are said to be more environmentally friendly, but actually emit 74% more harmful particles then the older buses and many even run on environmentally harmful diesel now. London is experiencing a toxic air crisis. This year, research found that 7,500 people die each year as a result of air pollution. The New Statesman argues that “if these figures don’t cause the Mayor to wake up and take action, nothing will”. Since Boris came to power, London’s pollution problem has been concerningly absent from his agendas. Shockingly, this proves most worrying when thirteen city schools lie within 150m of roads with daily heavy vehicle usage, keeping the children inside for their play time. When questioned about this pollution, Boris said “it seems perfectly fine to me”. Clean air is one of our most basic human rights. More controversially, is the Silvertown Tunnel proposal in East London to link London's Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula. While residents of the area argue the risk of further lethal pollution, Boris said the £750 million tunnel, that will ease congestion, “is essential for the future success and prosperity of a growing capital city like ours”. 

The Silvertown Tunnel is a seemingly worthwhile project to Londoners, a massive contrast to this is, the Garden Bridge. The New Statesman questions is this Boris’s biggest mistake. As far as tourist attractions go it’s a winner. As a transport project, it’s totally useless, like the Emirates Cable Car. This £175 million bridge is the most elaborate of Boris’s vanity projects. Private donors supply £100 million towards the unnecessary bridge fund, and the public cost has been reset at a substantial £60 million from an original £3.5 million. A sort of reverse Robin Hood economics, taking from the poor to prop up extravagant vanity projects. Concerns are growing further after Lambeth council on the south side of the bridge withdrew support because the taxpayers money was unjustified. Many people have questioned whether the publics moneys towards the bridge should be concentrated on something else, like investing back into fire stations or the metropolitan police. Jenny Jones, Deputy Chair of the Policing and Crime Committee, who consistently calls for greater police resources and deals with Boris in holding the Mayor to account, was asked her opinions on Boris Johnson as the Mayor. He is a “useless Mayor”, and a “selfish sociopath” who is “totally uninterested in the police” and will “trample over anyone” to get what he wants.

With his eight year reign coming to an end, it’s obvious that his passion for his job has dwindled. Leaving questions behind of was there ever any legit enthusiasm there before. Was everything done in vain, or was this just a job to keep him occupied until he can sleep comfortably at night in No. 10. But, when he can appoint a team of deputy mayors and advisors, how can you be angry with Boris for juggling writing history books, a newspaper column, campaigning to get the UK out of the EU, becoming an MP and going on a holiday three weeks into his newly appointed role. A buffoon, yes. Mayor of London? Fuck no.