Chalice of serpents

Boris nightmares
Tough luck, Ken. You did get twice the % vote of Labour nationally. But life is still full of interest. It will be fascinating to see how Boris stumbles over London’s nightmares.

On transport, he is manic. His Jeremy Clarkson-type backing for polluting Chelsea Tractors is foolish and a cowardly surrender to the bullies. Bringing back bus conductors will double staff costs for no purpose. What will they do? As a regular traveller on London buses, I have not seen anyone paying money for a fare for months. Almost everyone has an Oyster Card or a Freedom Pass. It's a highly efficient system And what's wrong with Bendy-buses?

The Olympics, Crossrail and the East London Line extension are all guaranteed headaches that will silence Boris’s jokes. The almost certain cost over-runs on any of these will have severe repercussions for London taxpayers and hideous retribution on the mayoral head.

Delivering more homes in the Thames Gateway requires concreting over the countryside and undermining any green credentials of the new regime.

Ken Livingstone enjoyed a period of burgeoning investment with a strong economy. Boris will be harried by a collapse of financial confidence that threatens the City of London's core role in the city’s economy.

Crime is the prime worry of Londoners. The situation had remained static but the press has cranked up the perception of crisis. The Evening Standard will give Boris an extended honeymoon. But is will be impossible to airbrush out of the picture the guaranteed Boris  disappointments and foul-ups.

Ken Livingstone will take  some consolation. While his diary is empty he has passed a chalice of serpents over to Boris. Which one will strike first?

Feisty 80

Today was a wonderful day. I attended a fabulous birthday party of the widow of my brother Terry who died 22 years ago.

Lilian is 80. Forget any stereotype of the frail elderly. At the age of 77, Lilian decided she wanted to put some more zip in her life. She left Cardiff and set up home in a beautiful village in the south of France.

All her loved ones warned against such a drastic move. Of course it has been a brilliant success. She is part of village life in Roquecor and loves the intimate neighbourly life. Best of all is relaxing on her terasse in the evening sun watching the changing light on the valley below.

The party was a lively exchange of fond memories and hopes for the future for her sons and grandchildren.

I can remember the time when those who had lived four score years were old.

Comments

[Tony]

Producer Prices Index - PPI Output Mar 08 14 Apr 08 - 6.2%
Producer Prices Index - PPI Input prices (materials and fuel) Mar 08 14 Apr 08 147.7 2.9 - 20.6%

These figures are off the ONS site today - these are leading indicators of where inflation may go, so if GB is to 'get his head down' and deliver policies this might be worth looking at ..

[Paul Flynn]

Whow Tony! That's interesting. Thanks for the up-to-date information.