Krieg Barrie’s image of the Mayor of London in this illustration sees him as a multi-armed Hindustani god pointing in as many directions as he can at the same time.
He certainly has Indian connections: shortly after our Boris Rally last year, he visited the country and was snapped steering a wobbling bicycle across a Delhi square.
But the image fits what he’s able to do after another Bozza-rific, Boris-tastic year for London – and this politician of Protean talent, energy and ambition.
Come this evening and hear him speak at a ConservativeHome rally on the theme: “Destination signs from Manchester – how London drives the UK economy.”
The rally will take place in the Exchange Auditorium, Manchester Central, inside the secure zone from 18.00 until 18.45.
Those multiple arms in our picture could be pointing to the achievements that the Mayor trumpets in our video for the event: 62,000 more affordable homes, for a start.
Then there’s a £1 billion investment in cycling. A £4 billion investment legacy from the Olympics. Tourism in London up by four per cent.
Plans to recruit 5000 more police constables. £220 million to support high streets. And in a ConservativeHome conference interview, Boris spoke about his future plans for housing.
“Tories have won in the past hugely when we’ve built enough homes for hard-working and aspiring people,” he told Andrew Gimson.
“The massive success of Macmillan, the massive success in the 1930s, those were the great days when the Conservatives won huge majorities.”
“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t do the same again, he said. “And we should also be the party that champions employment.”
The Mayor’s stress on homes and jobs is thus very much in line with ConHome’s new campaign for future Toy majorities – Homes, Jobs and
Savings For All.
“The best answer to poverty and inequality in London, which is unquestionably severe, is to get people apprenticeships and then into work, that should be the Tory recipe for success.”
Boris also declared himself to be focused on the next election. “My job is to serve the people of London, and to defeat Balls and Miliband at the next election,” he said.
When asked by Gimson whether he was “very much in loyalty mode”, Boris replied: “When have I ever been in anything else?”
“The fact is, genuinely, I do not want another Labour government while I’m mayor or indeed for the forseeable future.”
“I think they would take us in completely the wrong direction… It’s the pointless negativity that I dislike about Labour.”