Rumour has it he may be using some of the Welsh he picked up during his unsuccessful campaign in Clwyd South in 1997. Given that as he put it, he fought Clwyd South and Clwyd South fought back, his vocabulary this evening should be interesting.
Showing posts with label Boris Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boris Johnson. Show all posts
Monday, 1 March 2010
Boris flies the flag
Rumour has it he may be using some of the Welsh he picked up during his unsuccessful campaign in Clwyd South in 1997. Given that as he put it, he fought Clwyd South and Clwyd South fought back, his vocabulary this evening should be interesting.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Guto and Madge
One of my Facebook friends put it this way: "In all the excitement about the All Wales Convention I'd almost forgotten about the Queen's Speech."
Not everyone covering politics fell victim to the same amnesia, but those who live on the political treadmill can occasionally miss the odd gem that fails to make the news bulletins.
So I've only just caught up with mixed news for my former BBC colleague Guto Harri, now chief spin doctor for Mayor of London Boris Johnson. As compensation for missing out on the Western Mail's list of 50 sexiest men in Wales, Guto has retained his position in the Evening Standard's list of London's 1000 most influential people.
The Standard says Guto is "Well-liked by his staff due to his ability to sweet-talk and get in a round of drinks, but not afraid to admonish anyone failing to toe the party line. Thought to have turned to Boris after a failed attempt to land the spin doctor job at Number 10. Must tread careful line in tense dealings with Cameroons."
The citation may not win top marks for 100 per cent accuracy, but in Guto's job it's probably better to be on it than off it.
The Mayor's office is also setting new standards for transparency for devolved governments with its register of gifts and hospitality. You can read where Guto has been breaking bread, and with whom, here, along with a list of others whose entertainment he has enjoyed in the line of duty.
Funny that, I never had him down as a Madonna fan.
Not everyone covering politics fell victim to the same amnesia, but those who live on the political treadmill can occasionally miss the odd gem that fails to make the news bulletins.
So I've only just caught up with mixed news for my former BBC colleague Guto Harri, now chief spin doctor for Mayor of London Boris Johnson. As compensation for missing out on the Western Mail's list of 50 sexiest men in Wales, Guto has retained his position in the Evening Standard's list of London's 1000 most influential people.
The Standard says Guto is "Well-liked by his staff due to his ability to sweet-talk and get in a round of drinks, but not afraid to admonish anyone failing to toe the party line. Thought to have turned to Boris after a failed attempt to land the spin doctor job at Number 10. Must tread careful line in tense dealings with Cameroons."
The citation may not win top marks for 100 per cent accuracy, but in Guto's job it's probably better to be on it than off it.
The Mayor's office is also setting new standards for transparency for devolved governments with its register of gifts and hospitality. You can read where Guto has been breaking bread, and with whom, here, along with a list of others whose entertainment he has enjoyed in the line of duty.
Funny that, I never had him down as a Madonna fan.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Sticky moment for Boris
An anecdote from the retiring Martyn Jones about his battle with Boris Johnson for the Clwyd South seat in 1997.
"Boris went to the Chirk car boot sale with one or two supporters and it just happened to be the same day as I went with about 20 supporters.
"He was walking about by himself and so we went over to say hello and we all patted him on the back - he didn't realise we were sticking Labour stickers on his back until afterwards - those little fun things that we do."
Anyone know what happened to Boris?
Some people, cynically, wondered if there is a link between the timing of Mr Jones's announcement and the imminent publication of details of MPs' expense claims.
He told us: "I have claimed on receipts ever since i got here. Would you believe i have subsidised my office costs , probably not but it's true. ... last month I had £342 left in my second home allowance to pay a rent bill alone that was £1745.40 - it is not adequate. ... the job is in two places and so we need another home."
"Boris went to the Chirk car boot sale with one or two supporters and it just happened to be the same day as I went with about 20 supporters.
"He was walking about by himself and so we went over to say hello and we all patted him on the back - he didn't realise we were sticking Labour stickers on his back until afterwards - those little fun things that we do."
Anyone know what happened to Boris?
Some people, cynically, wondered if there is a link between the timing of Mr Jones's announcement and the imminent publication of details of MPs' expense claims.
He told us: "I have claimed on receipts ever since i got here. Would you believe i have subsidised my office costs , probably not but it's true. ... last month I had £342 left in my second home allowance to pay a rent bill alone that was £1745.40 - it is not adequate. ... the job is in two places and so we need another home."
Friday, 27 June 2008
Ex-TV star snapped with mystery blond
Alternatively, my former BBC colleague turned mayoral spin doctor may have been doing his bit for the National Year of Reading by presenting his boss with one of his favourite books about Wales. Hopefully there's a picture of Clwyd South in it to remind Boris of what might have been....
Monday, 23 June 2008
"you know the candidate, um, in, in Wales"
Well, what's occurrin'? as David Cameron asked on his last visit to the Vale of Glamorgan.
Since then he's suspended as a candidate the man who stood alongside him during his visit, Welsh Assembly member Alun Cairns.
Mr Cairns upset the party machine - and more than a few others - by comparing Italians to "greasy wops" on a Radio Cymru programme.
Today, the Tory leader, questioned about the resignation of an aide to the London Mayor Boris Johnson, linked both cases even if he appeared to have difficulty remembering the name of his own candidate in the Vale.
"They do cause deep offence. That is why Boris has acted so swiftly and that's why I've always acted swiftly on these issues whether in the case of Patick Mercer {former Tory frontbencher} or, you know the candidate, um, in, in Wales or yesterday the candidate in Scotland."
Mr Cairns is suspended pending an inquiry by the Tory chairman, Caroline Spelman. Mr Cameron didn't pre-judge that inquiry but linking the Cairns case with James McGrath won't make Mr Cairns feel any better.
Since then he's suspended as a candidate the man who stood alongside him during his visit, Welsh Assembly member Alun Cairns.
Mr Cairns upset the party machine - and more than a few others - by comparing Italians to "greasy wops" on a Radio Cymru programme.
Today, the Tory leader, questioned about the resignation of an aide to the London Mayor Boris Johnson, linked both cases even if he appeared to have difficulty remembering the name of his own candidate in the Vale.
"They do cause deep offence. That is why Boris has acted so swiftly and that's why I've always acted swiftly on these issues whether in the case of Patick Mercer {former Tory frontbencher} or, you know the candidate, um, in, in Wales or yesterday the candidate in Scotland."
Mr Cairns is suspended pending an inquiry by the Tory chairman, Caroline Spelman. Mr Cameron didn't pre-judge that inquiry but linking the Cairns case with James McGrath won't make Mr Cairns feel any better.
Friday, 23 May 2008
Preparing for government?
Another day, another crisis for Gordon Brown. The Tories' win in Crewe and Nantwich is the party's first by-election win from Labour since 1978.
The 17.6 per cent swing would give David Cameron a majority of more than 100 seats at Westminster.
A BBC producer asked me to calculate how many seats Labour would lose in Wales on that swing. If you're a Labour MP you may want to look away now.
Rough back-of-envelope calculations suggest the loss of 13 of the 29 Labour seats - from the more predictable Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff North to the rather less likely Cardiff South and Penarth and Cardiff West via Delyn and Newport West.
Talk of 13 losses may be fantasy politics. No-one expects a by-election size swing at the general election, but all but one of those six seats have been held by the Tories since 1979. There will be some anxious Labour backbenchers today.
They may draw comfort from the clumsy nature of Labour's campaign in Crewe, not just the "toffs" stuff but also the over-emphasis on their candidate as the daughter of Gwyneth Dunwoody. Tamsin Dunwoody may be a Dunwoody but she lives in Pembrokeshire, had few links to Crewe and playing the continuity card doesn't work when "time for a change" is in the air.
What would a Conservative government be like? London mayor Boris Johnson, the nearest we have to one at the moment, has been honouring his election pledge to publish the details and salaries of his senior advisors.
His chief spin doctor, my former BBC colleague Guto Harri, will be paid £124,364, twice the salary of a backbench MP.
That said, Guto will be appearing at the Hay Festival this week for the usual fee on offer - a white rose.
The 17.6 per cent swing would give David Cameron a majority of more than 100 seats at Westminster.
A BBC producer asked me to calculate how many seats Labour would lose in Wales on that swing. If you're a Labour MP you may want to look away now.
Rough back-of-envelope calculations suggest the loss of 13 of the 29 Labour seats - from the more predictable Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff North to the rather less likely Cardiff South and Penarth and Cardiff West via Delyn and Newport West.
Talk of 13 losses may be fantasy politics. No-one expects a by-election size swing at the general election, but all but one of those six seats have been held by the Tories since 1979. There will be some anxious Labour backbenchers today.
They may draw comfort from the clumsy nature of Labour's campaign in Crewe, not just the "toffs" stuff but also the over-emphasis on their candidate as the daughter of Gwyneth Dunwoody. Tamsin Dunwoody may be a Dunwoody but she lives in Pembrokeshire, had few links to Crewe and playing the continuity card doesn't work when "time for a change" is in the air.
What would a Conservative government be like? London mayor Boris Johnson, the nearest we have to one at the moment, has been honouring his election pledge to publish the details and salaries of his senior advisors.
His chief spin doctor, my former BBC colleague Guto Harri, will be paid £124,364, twice the salary of a backbench MP.
That said, Guto will be appearing at the Hay Festival this week for the usual fee on offer - a white rose.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Wales in London
Could Wales be a winner in tomorrow's election for London Mayor? It's estimated that more than 70,000 Welsh people live in the UK capital and Wales in London wrote to the four main candidates asking for their views on transport, trade and Welsh issues.
You can see a full list of the mayoral candidates on the BBC website. Under Welsh issues, Wales in London asked these detailed questions:
a) Will the Mayor support a Welsh Week, centred on St David’s Day, as part of that programme?
(b) Will the Mayor give support to organisations which seek to preserve Welsh cultural heritage in London - such as the Welsh School [Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain] and the proposal to place a monument on Primrose Hill to mark the beginning of the Gorsedd of the Bards of the Isles of Britain and Iolo Morganwg?
Twenty four hours before polling day there's been no response from Sian Berry of the Greens or Boris Johnson. Ms Berry's first name may hint at Welsh ancestry while Mr Johnson was once related by marriage to Owain Glyndwr and did fight Clwyd West during the 1997 general election (Clwyd West won).
He did speak to a Wales in London gathering recently so may be forgiven for not responding directly to the questions.
There were detailed replies from Ken Livingstone and the Lib Dem Brian Paddick. You can see them here.
Brian Paddick: "I would be happy to talk with the Wales in London Association about how we could work together on promoting a Welsh week and preserve the Welsh cultural heritage in London."
Ken Livingstone's response was rather lengthier: "I would be very happy to work with Welsh organisations and other Welsh interest groups in the capital to develop an appropriate celebration of Welsh culture in London.
"Another way that we have promoted the different cultures that go to make up our great city is through Visit London - our tourism agency for London. They have produced a series of on-line guides - a guide to Jewish London, African London, Irish London and so on. A guide to Welsh London would be a very appropriate addition to this if you could help us with finding the content.
This would also be a way to promote organisations like the Welsh school and others that seem to promote and preserve Welsh heritage.
"Finally, on the monument on Primrose Hill, in principle I am keen to see all ways of marking the history of the city, the contribution it has made to different cultures, and the contribution they have brought to it. The proliferation of civic style statues is something I would like to see us move beyond - although they clearly have their place - and to bring more imagination and creativity to bear in the monuments or memorials that we put up. But I am sure that a monument to the Bards would give great scope for this!"
If the winning candidates delivers that pledge, he might yet end up being offered a white robe of his own....
You can see a full list of the mayoral candidates on the BBC website. Under Welsh issues, Wales in London asked these detailed questions:
a) Will the Mayor support a Welsh Week, centred on St David’s Day, as part of that programme?
(b) Will the Mayor give support to organisations which seek to preserve Welsh cultural heritage in London - such as the Welsh School [Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain] and the proposal to place a monument on Primrose Hill to mark the beginning of the Gorsedd of the Bards of the Isles of Britain and Iolo Morganwg?
Twenty four hours before polling day there's been no response from Sian Berry of the Greens or Boris Johnson. Ms Berry's first name may hint at Welsh ancestry while Mr Johnson was once related by marriage to Owain Glyndwr and did fight Clwyd West during the 1997 general election (Clwyd West won).
He did speak to a Wales in London gathering recently so may be forgiven for not responding directly to the questions.
There were detailed replies from Ken Livingstone and the Lib Dem Brian Paddick. You can see them here.
Brian Paddick: "I would be happy to talk with the Wales in London Association about how we could work together on promoting a Welsh week and preserve the Welsh cultural heritage in London."
Ken Livingstone's response was rather lengthier: "I would be very happy to work with Welsh organisations and other Welsh interest groups in the capital to develop an appropriate celebration of Welsh culture in London.
"Another way that we have promoted the different cultures that go to make up our great city is through Visit London - our tourism agency for London. They have produced a series of on-line guides - a guide to Jewish London, African London, Irish London and so on. A guide to Welsh London would be a very appropriate addition to this if you could help us with finding the content.
This would also be a way to promote organisations like the Welsh school and others that seem to promote and preserve Welsh heritage.
"Finally, on the monument on Primrose Hill, in principle I am keen to see all ways of marking the history of the city, the contribution it has made to different cultures, and the contribution they have brought to it. The proliferation of civic style statues is something I would like to see us move beyond - although they clearly have their place - and to bring more imagination and creativity to bear in the monuments or memorials that we put up. But I am sure that a monument to the Bards would give great scope for this!"
If the winning candidates delivers that pledge, he might yet end up being offered a white robe of his own....
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Latter day Dick Whittington
This may or may not be a silly season story. Lembit Opik is considering running as the Liberal Democrat candidate for London mayor.
The leader of the Welsh Lib Dems says the speculation linking him with the job is "ever so flattering".
"If I was a London MP I would stand like a shot. The only issue is my constituency is 205 miles away."
That may indeed be an issue with local party activists in Montgomeryshire, but Opik is clearly undeterred after positive comments from an aide to party leader Sir Menzies Campbell.
Sir Menzies can expect a call. "I think I might go and have a chat with the boss to see what's going on. The momentum seems to be developing a life of its own."
Is London ready for a fight between Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Lembit Opik?
"Me, Boris and Ken would be a splendid contest. It would get a lot of interest and get the public voting as well."
It's a toss-up who will be more delighted by the news - Tory Montgomeryshire candidate Glyn Davies or would-be Welsh Lib Dem leader Eleanor Burnham AM.
The creation of directly-elected mayors has certainly led to a more presidential politics although this three-way fight could perhaps be less of an election campaign and more of a reality TV series.
The leader of the Welsh Lib Dems says the speculation linking him with the job is "ever so flattering".
"If I was a London MP I would stand like a shot. The only issue is my constituency is 205 miles away."
That may indeed be an issue with local party activists in Montgomeryshire, but Opik is clearly undeterred after positive comments from an aide to party leader Sir Menzies Campbell.
Sir Menzies can expect a call. "I think I might go and have a chat with the boss to see what's going on. The momentum seems to be developing a life of its own."
Is London ready for a fight between Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Lembit Opik?
"Me, Boris and Ken would be a splendid contest. It would get a lot of interest and get the public voting as well."
It's a toss-up who will be more delighted by the news - Tory Montgomeryshire candidate Glyn Davies or would-be Welsh Lib Dem leader Eleanor Burnham AM.
The creation of directly-elected mayors has certainly led to a more presidential politics although this three-way fight could perhaps be less of an election campaign and more of a reality TV series.
Opik's connections with London may not be as strong as those of his rivals - judging by the photograph above he appears a little confused about the concept of a Chelsea tractor.
Still, I can't wait for the Hello! election pull-out.
Monday, 16 July 2007
Welsh reject hopes for London job
One of my favourite headlines appeared in the Bristol Evening Post two years ago. No, please do read on.
The Post marked the announcement of the Prince of Wales's wedding plans with the memorable, if tongue-in-cheek: "Tetbury man to wed".
All news is local, and every story has a local angle - see the Welsh angle in the paragraph you've just read!
So how do we in the Welsh media cover the news that Boris Johnson is putting his name forward as a Tory candidate for mayor of London?
Well, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, as he isn't known, did stand in Clwyd South in 1997, coming within 13,810 votes of unseating the Labour MP Martyn Jones.
Not a strong enough Welsh angle for you? Newspapers have commissioned columns on the basis of flimsier Welsh links.
Still not convinced? Ok. Johnson's biographer Andrew Gimson records how the Henley MP was once related by marriage (through his first wife Allegra Mostyn-Owen) to Owain Glyndwr.
Not a lot of people known that.
p.s. the headline on this post was tongue-in-cheek.
The Post marked the announcement of the Prince of Wales's wedding plans with the memorable, if tongue-in-cheek: "Tetbury man to wed".
All news is local, and every story has a local angle - see the Welsh angle in the paragraph you've just read!
So how do we in the Welsh media cover the news that Boris Johnson is putting his name forward as a Tory candidate for mayor of London?
Well, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, as he isn't known, did stand in Clwyd South in 1997, coming within 13,810 votes of unseating the Labour MP Martyn Jones.
Not a strong enough Welsh angle for you? Newspapers have commissioned columns on the basis of flimsier Welsh links.
Still not convinced? Ok. Johnson's biographer Andrew Gimson records how the Henley MP was once related by marriage (through his first wife Allegra Mostyn-Owen) to Owain Glyndwr.
Not a lot of people known that.
p.s. the headline on this post was tongue-in-cheek.
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