This time the catalyst is an interview in The House magazine where he says he “thought about” running for the nomination in 2010, decided against it but refuses to rule out standing next time.
Pushers of a Johnson candidacy insist he has a compelling backstory and anyway, it’s all fine because he was born in London.
Personally I find a man who opted not to run for party leader, was rejected as deputy leader and who decided not to run for Mayor when there was a vacancy less than compelling.
And while Johnson was born in London, it’s Hull that he’s been serving in Parliament all these years. I’m not aware of any speech he’s given on London-specific issues. If he has some grand and deeply felt vision for the capital then I confess to being in the dark about it.
So why the possible interest in the 2016 Mayoral race?
The Hull and East Riding gazette suggests he could stand “if he loses his seat at the next general election in 2015, or if he fails to secure a seat after the boundary changes.”
This is known as the Lembit Opik approach to the Mayoralty – when your own party and/or the voters who know you decide to say ‘no thanks’ you pop a couple of hundred miles down the motorway and offer yourself to a new set of voters who know nothing about you.
I can’t be the only London voter who’d like Labour to try a little harder than that when it comes to selecting a candidate?
The next race isn’t going to feature Ken Livingstone and is unlikely to include Boris Johnson.
If Alan Johnson really wants to stand he should decide before the General Election, not seek re-election to Westminster, and spend some time telling Londoners why he’s the man for them.
Londoners deserve better than for parties and politicians to see their Mayoralty as a consolation prize for the rejected, the never-weres and the has-beens.
They already have the House of Lords for that.
Update 17.19: On Liberal Conspiracy Sunny sets out why he thinks Johnson won’t be selected.
Robin says
May 18, 2012 at 5:38 pmthe ”Westminster ” bubble gets worse..Time for ”New Political parties”
Kris Witherington says
May 18, 2012 at 5:43 pmIt would be nice if we got some candidates from all the parties with experience of either local government in London or the Assembly. Val Shawcross, Robin Wales or Steve Bullock for Labour, Kit Malthouse, Ravi Govindia or Merrick Cockell for the Tories. It would also be nice not to have 3 white blokes again but that might be hoping for too much.
Damian Hockney says
May 18, 2012 at 6:33 pmKris and Robin, you both have points and the piece itself is absolutely right…in spite of the fact that Alan Johnson has been on Have I got News For You (it is I think now a requirement to have already been on it to be allowed to stand for London Mayor for Labour or the Tories) he is not right for the role…but unfortunately who is? The people you mention, Kris, are barely known politicians who would not achieve a recognition factor in polling right now (the opposite of what parties are looking for for this type of role) – the parties really want people who are well known already, but ideally with a little political involvement as a peg to hang the candidacy on (like the current Mayor, better known for giggling and jesting on telly than for being MP for Henley which of course is not in London).
asif arif says
May 18, 2012 at 8:10 pmAgree. A cockney accent and knowledge of the A-Z doesn’t make him a potential Mayor.
Max says
May 23, 2012 at 9:34 pmIs that the Alan Johnson that accepted the post of Shadow Chancellor despite not knowing one thing about economics or is that the Alan Johnson that when Home Secretary sacked the adviser on drugs because his scientific advise was not in line with his populist position?
Compelling story my arse.