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| Boris Johnson and the political gaffe: six of the best | Boris Johnson and the political gaffe: six of the best |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The smart politician knows that it's best to stay close to home; close to the places that are familiar, close to subjects they know something about. Central London is good, for those whose natural habitat is the Commons or the Lords. The next most comfortable place to be is the constituency. After that, it can all get dark and ominous. | The smart politician knows that it's best to stay close to home; close to the places that are familiar, close to subjects they know something about. Central London is good, for those whose natural habitat is the Commons or the Lords. The next most comfortable place to be is the constituency. After that, it can all get dark and ominous. |
| Boris Johnson abandoned the safety and sanctity of London's City Hall to go to Bristol. He hoped to spread a little stardust on both the Tory candidate for mayor, Geoff Gollop, and Ken Maddock, the Conservative candidate for police commissioner. But it didn't go terribly well. Followed by hecklers calling him "Tory scum" Boris was forced into retaliation. "Lefty tossers!" barked the mayor. | Boris Johnson abandoned the safety and sanctity of London's City Hall to go to Bristol. He hoped to spread a little stardust on both the Tory candidate for mayor, Geoff Gollop, and Ken Maddock, the Conservative candidate for police commissioner. But it didn't go terribly well. Followed by hecklers calling him "Tory scum" Boris was forced into retaliation. "Lefty tossers!" barked the mayor. |
| He should have known better than to stray, but politicians will wander outside that comfort zone. By the time they realise the danger, it is usually too late. Boris take note, here are six lessons from the past: | He should have known better than to stray, but politicians will wander outside that comfort zone. By the time they realise the danger, it is usually too late. Boris take note, here are six lessons from the past: |
| 1. Should have listened | 1. Should have listened |
| The sensible politician, away from his natural habitat, listens to advice. But Boris is not always sensible. So on his visit to Victoria Park this summer, when those who operate the mid-air zipwire advised him to be weighed, allowing them to calibrate his journey, Boris refused. He got stuck in mid air. He looked ridiculous. More than usual. | The sensible politician, away from his natural habitat, listens to advice. But Boris is not always sensible. So on his visit to Victoria Park this summer, when those who operate the mid-air zipwire advised him to be weighed, allowing them to calibrate his journey, Boris refused. He got stuck in mid air. He looked ridiculous. More than usual. |
| 2. Should have turned | 2. Should have turned |
| Margaret Thatcher ruled the roost at No 10 and was unassailable at the dispatch box. But she ventured into a BBC studio in 1983 to face the public, and ran into the pugnacious Diana Gould demanding answers about the sinking of the General Belgrano. Broadcasting history was made as the Iron Lady is handbagged on primetime TV. | Margaret Thatcher ruled the roost at No 10 and was unassailable at the dispatch box. But she ventured into a BBC studio in 1983 to face the public, and ran into the pugnacious Diana Gould demanding answers about the sinking of the General Belgrano. Broadcasting history was made as the Iron Lady is handbagged on primetime TV. |
| 3. Should have used the back door | 3. Should have used the back door |
| Though dubbed the Prince of Darkness, Lord Mandelson presented a visible enough target for Climate Change protester Leila Deen. She threw green custard at the then business secretary in 2009 as he arrived for a London conference. A nation grieved. | Though dubbed the Prince of Darkness, Lord Mandelson presented a visible enough target for Climate Change protester Leila Deen. She threw green custard at the then business secretary in 2009 as he arrived for a London conference. A nation grieved. |
| 4. Should have worn a doctor's coat | 4. Should have worn a doctor's coat |
| To the Midlands went Tony Blair in search of an election race photo-op at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Edgbaston on 16 May, 2001. Unfortunately, Sharon Storer, the girlfriend of a cancer sufferer headed there too with nothing to lose and points to raise about the Labour-run NHS. Irresistible force; Immovable object | To the Midlands went Tony Blair in search of an election race photo-op at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Edgbaston on 16 May, 2001. Unfortunately, Sharon Storer, the girlfriend of a cancer sufferer headed there too with nothing to lose and points to raise about the Labour-run NHS. Irresistible force; Immovable object |
| 5. Should have ducked | 5. Should have ducked |
| That was some day, 16 May 2001. For just a few hours after Tony Blair's photo-op unravelled at Queen Elizabeth hospital, Edgbaston (see 4), John Prescott gave us the masterpiece of the genre. One egg, one punch, one unseemly scuffle. In every sense a classic. The political awayday would never be the same again. | That was some day, 16 May 2001. For just a few hours after Tony Blair's photo-op unravelled at Queen Elizabeth hospital, Edgbaston (see 4), John Prescott gave us the masterpiece of the genre. One egg, one punch, one unseemly scuffle. In every sense a classic. The political awayday would never be the same again. |
| 6. Should have just been nice | |
| He knew how to save the banks, but as he ventured campaigning in Rochdale in 2010, Gordon Brown was less of a whizz on the subject of transmitter microphones. That "bigoted woman", he called Gillian Duffy, still wearing the mic Sky News had given him. Soon he was back at her place apologising. And no doubt feeling very far from home. | He knew how to save the banks, but as he ventured campaigning in Rochdale in 2010, Gordon Brown was less of a whizz on the subject of transmitter microphones. That "bigoted woman", he called Gillian Duffy, still wearing the mic Sky News had given him. Soon he was back at her place apologising. And no doubt feeling very far from home. |