I still think he needs a bunch of fresh ideas, but Ken Livingstone's post-Clement critique of his blond nemesis in New Statesman is probably his most convincing yet:
Conservative policy for London is fundamentally a vacuum. Most of the things likely to be delivered – if they are not bungled – were initiated before Johnson came to power: the 2012 Olympics, for example, or transport upgrades such as air-conditioning on some new Tube trains. But now the larder is looking pretty empty....An administration that fails to invest, fails to connect up properly with the global economy and looks backward is both right-wing and dull.
For me, these lines capture Boris's greatest weakness. Apart from anything else, small London government risks meaning unmemorable London government. When Boris's novelty wears off - and the expenses rows suggest this might be starting - what will he have of real substance to boast about? With a mid-term Tory government to weigh him down as well, the New Routemaster could start resembling a lifebelt. And buses don't float. Now read on.
