How Boris won London by not being Boris
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- Date published:
9:44 am, May 6th, 2008 - 13 comments
Categories: election 2008, International, john key -
Tags: International, spin
Tory candidate Boris Johnson has triumphed in the mayoral race for London in a campaign masterminded by the Australian political tactician Lynton Crosby.
The Sydney Morning Herald has the story:
Brought in at the end of last year, the mysterious Crosby – “you know I don’t do interviews”, he responded to an email from the Herald – … targeted [money] carefully and strategically, while two highly experienced public relations specialists were drafted to vet Johnson’s interviews and to keep him on message.
One insider noted in a Sunday newspaper: “Lynton stopped Boris being Boris and it worked.”
Crosby’s fingerprints are all over the National and Key’s reinvention of themselves here in New Zealand – from McGehan Close to the more recent broadband announcement.
As a Tory insider stated to the SMH commenting on the huge swing achieved by Johnson, “the key had been strategy, and attention to what people were saying on the streets: “People are really feeling the pinch here,” he wrote. “We’re not quite as affluent as people think.”
Crosby kept Boris on a tight leash and targeted ‘cost of living’ issues.
Sound familiar?
The strategy and tactics are there for the world to see. Labour and Clark must know what’s coming, they’d do well to give a counter-strategy some thought.
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The real problem in the public sector is ongoing job losses and cuts to the front line. ...2 weeks ago
- Government undermines public service with WFH crackdown
The Green Party says the Government’s retrograde move to tighten up on Work from Home arrangements is the latest in a series of blows to the Public Service. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Ministers oblivious to cuts’ effect on families
The National Government is oblivious to the impact cuts to services will have on New Zealanders who are doing the hard yards caring for mentally ill family members. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Public service set up to fail under National
Nicola Willis has set up the public service to fail to pay for reckless tax cuts for landlords and the tobacco industry. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Coalition cooking up costly RMA replacement
National continues to dismantle environmental protections in the interests of rushing through unsustainable development that will ultimately cost communities. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National red-faced as benefit numbers skyrocket
The economy has stagnated and the National Government is having to face the consequences of its atrocious lawmaking, as beneficiary numbers skyrocket past even Treasury’s predictions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National allocating police officers not hired yet
There are 104 fewer police officers now than there were when National came into Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Economic decline further cause for tax transformation
Today’s GDP figures combined with the injustice of our tax system will mean more pain for our lowest-income households while those at the top remain relatively unscathed. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: No growth under National, just cuts
The National Government’s decisions have hindered, not helped the economy. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt must act to avoid the worst of NIWA’s climate projections
New climate projections from NIWA underscore how urgently climate action is needed. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: More job losses as Government fails on manufacturing
The Government is failing the manufacturing sector with no plan for its future. ...3 weeks ago
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Kia uru kahikatea te tū. Projects referred for Fast-Track approval will help supercharge the Māori economy and realise the huge potential of Iwi and Māori assets, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. Following robust and independent review, the Government has today announced 149 projects that have significant regional or national ...6 hours ago - Fast-track to boost renewable electricity
The Fast-track Approvals Bill will list 22 renewable electricity projects with a combined capacity of 3 Gigawatts, which will help secure a clean, reliable and affordable supply of electricity across New Zealand, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government has a goal of doubling New Zealand’s renewable electricity generation. The 22 ...6 hours ago
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The Government has enabled fast-track consenting for 29 critical road, rail, and port projects across New Zealand to deliver these priority projects faster and boost economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand has an infrastructure deficit, and our Government is working to fix it. Delivering the transport infrastructure Kiwis ...6 hours ago
- Fast-track projects released
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- Ruakākā recreation centre opened
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- Extra Government support for farmers and growers in Southland and parts of Otago
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson announced up to $50,000 in additional Government support for farmers and growers across Southland and parts of Otago as challenging spring weather conditions have been classified a medium-scale adverse event. “The relentless wet weather has been tough on farmers and ...2 days ago
- Government welcomes move to delay EU Deforestation Regulation
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today welcomed a move by the European Commission to delay the implementation of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months, describing the proposal as a pragmatic step that will provide much-needed certainty for New Zealand exporters and ensure over $200 million in ...2 days ago
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The Government has announced a new support programme for the residential construction market while the economy recovers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “We know the residential development sector is vulnerable to economic downturns. The lead time for building houses is typically 18 ...2 days ago
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Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has confirmed the final appointee to the refreshed Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board. “I am pleased to welcome Brett O’Riley to the EPA board,” Ms Simmonds says. “Brett is a seasoned business advisor with a long and distinguished career across the technology, tourism, and sustainable business ...3 days ago
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- Doubling road rehabilitation this summer to prevent potholes
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- FamilyBoost payments make ECE more affordable
Parents and caregivers are now able to claim for FamilyBoost, which provides low-to-middle-income families with young children payments to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we are supporting families with young children who are struggling with the cost of living, by helping ...3 days ago
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Health Minister Dr Shane Reti today opened the refurbished Children’s Unit at Rotorua Hospital, which will provide young patients and their families in the Lakes District with a safe, comfortable and private space to receive care. “The opening of this unit is a significant milestone in our commitment to improving ...5 days ago
- Minor variations no longer major problem
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- New diplomatic appointments
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Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...6 days ago
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Foreign Minister Winston Peters today wrapped up a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia. “Our visit to New York was about demonstrating New Zealand’s unwavering support for an international system based on rules and respect for the UN Charter, as ...6 days ago
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The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “My Government has been working at pace to get the country back on ...6 days ago
- Four new laws to tackle crime passed in Q3
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- Cost-benefit analysis for potential third medical school completed
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Surely you see the start of implementation of a counter strategy in the Government’s decision to delay bringing the transport sector into its emissions trading scheme until 2011 and veto regional councils using the regional fuel tax policy tool its currently introducing?
So let me make sure I have this right. Addressing cost of living issues when the electorate is struggling to make ends meet is a bad thing?
Obviously we should just concentrate on Nationalising stuff.
Joker, they’re not really addressing cost of living issues, they’re just trying to create dissatisfaction. As you know, it’s not like Boris or Key actually have solutions.
Maybe the people of London didnt think it was appropriate for their mayor and city to be preoccupied with close relations with South American despots like Chavez? or is that a good thing?
Sam
“they’re not really addressing cost of living issues”
Do tell me what dear corrupt leader is doing to address the cost of living issues then.
bruv, I’m guessing you’ve seen the latest Labour Cost Index figures?
http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=1844
Not as high as I’d like, but our wages are rising faster than the cost of living.
Addressing cost of living issues when the electorate is struggling to make ends meet is a bad thing?
Ask Ruth Richardson.
I’m glad the tories are shifting to the centre and abandoning the dogmatic, faith based, supply side nonsense that they’ve been running with in the recent past.
I’m not convinced about their sincerity though. They need some more mea culpa’s about what was wrong with their old policies and why they’ve changed their minds. The simple fact is that there are the same old faces, all singing a new tune. If they have all had a chnage of heart, I’d like them to explain it more because the uniformity of that change in so many individuals makes me think it’s just a political ploy.
That, Joker, is the subtext I got from AYB’s post.
Yes, it must be that Boris has subverted democracy!
His victory couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the widspread disatisfaction with ‘Red Ken’, and the fact he hasn’t done a single useful thing to solve one of Londons biggest problems; innner city traffic congestion
“Even his opponents admitted that Livingstone, who had served two four-year terms as mayor, ran a strong campaign, and he is credited with making some gutsy decisions such as introducing a congestion tax in central London. Only a few months ago, he was seen as nigh on unbeatable.”
John Maynard Keynes’ greatest crime was to let the plebs know that an economy can operate at any equilibrium and the tories know that and like to have a grovelling class to kiss their bums but they want to hide that fact by pretending that they care…
I suspect you could count on one hand the number of London drivers who can honestly say they think traffic has improved since the introduction of the congestion tax.
First, I’m not sure I’d agree that it was all just about “traffic”. Second, my understanding is that Boris campaigned on what was effectively tinkering with the scheme.