Utterly, utterly shameful. This is disgusting, corruption, bribery and deceit. The Mayor of London should be thoroughly ashamed.
Throwing this sort of offer around is obviously a bribe. Anyone can see that. But what I don't understand is what Boris is doing consulting with FIFA anyway. It was an ENGLAND bid, not a LONDON one.
Boris, stop dragging London's name through the dirt. We deserve better than that.
[cite]Posted By: ShootersHillGuru[/cite]Boris is a witty clever man who no doubt is good company. His politics or lack of them makes him a really crap mayor. Would have Ken over Boris as mayor anytime.
[cite]Posted By: Valley_floyd_red[/cite]Boris Johnson is a desperate prick. An incompetent, verbally flatulent over privileged village idiot. He will do anything to curry favour, to deflect attention away from his failure. This is utter bollocks.
Get off the fence. What do you really think of him?
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]he has got great hair
If Boris's actions, and the FA's cancelling the friendly with Thailand, are backed up with a sustained attempt to force FIFA to reform then all well and good.
The danger is that if it's just a token gesture, it gives FIFA execs another reason not to vote for us when we go begging for the World Cup in ten years time....
PS: Johnson the least party liner Mayor we've had? We've only had two and Livingstone stuck two fingers up at Labour and was elected Mayor as an independent. You can't get much less party liner than that :-)
[cite]Posted By: Stig[/cite]So we tried to bribe them with free hotel rooms. They didn't go for it, so we've re-called our favours. Absolutely pathetic.
Trying to keep away from politics of Brois v Ken,but addressing the point. Why were FIFA offered free Dorchester accomodation in the first place, blatant bribery which we are now unhappy that we have lost the vote due to.
One another but related point. Was listening to SSN and it was mentioned that FIFA, based in Switzeland, have an exemption from Switzelands corruption laws. You have to admire them, how many companies in business can claim to have this.
So Boris the token old-Etonian village idiot is so upset and incensed at bribery and coruption at Fifa that he's withdrawn the bribeand the cheap attempt at corruption that he was offering to Fifa...
Or am I missing something here?
Boris was elected because the sub-Standard ran a hate campaign against Ken Livingstone and was quite happy to oppose the London Olympics because of the part played by Livingstone in London winning them, now they are enthusiastic supporters of the London Olympics.
So FIFA don't stay at the Dorchester, but at another Park Lane hotel instead, tough break for them (All IOC/International Federations hotels are on Park Lane)
[cite]Posted By: SaoPauloAddick[/cite]PS: Johnson the least party liner Mayor we've had? We've only had two and Livingstone stuck two fingers up at Labour and was elected Mayor as an independent. You can't get much less party liner than that :-)
I suggest the events of 2004 make him more poodle than Boris, but of course its all in how you look at it. I like him despite the fact he only achieved one major result as Mayor.
[cite]Posted By: Stig[/cite]
Well, I've gone back and read it again, and I wouldn't alter one word of my original post. Please tell me what you think I haven't grasped, I'd love to know.
The IOC paid for the hotel rooms. Not Boris. Nothing to do with the city budget. The IOC paid for them after the Olympic bid was run and won.
If. when you say, 'we' you think London the IOC and the WC bid team are all the same people then I accept you have grasped the article.
[cite]Posted By: Valley_floyd_red[/cite]He has wasted millions of pounds on one crap idea after another.
In the absence of any facts to back up another sweeping statement, perhaps this may spark reasoned debate?
A few financial savings you clearly are not aware of.
Frozen the Council Tax precept for two years running. After allowing for inflation this means a cut in real terms. Over the eight years as Mayor, Ken Livingstone increased his take of council tax by 153 per cent.
The various GLA bodies now employ 13 fewer press officers than under Ken Livingstone.
Scrapped the post of Women's adviser, which was held by Anni Marjoram, and removed four more of "Ken's Wimmin" - the total salary bill was over £400,000. Those who have gone include Ken Livingstone's partner Emma Beale, who was paid £96,000 to be the Mayor's "Administration Manager" and Socialist Action member Jude Woodward who had been the Cultural Commissar.
Closing down of GLA office in Venezuela and scaling down of other overseas offices saving: £100,000.
A successful visit to New York (paying his own fare) was held to boost tourism. Huge media coverage in the Big Apple. The ‘Only in London’ tourism campaign has boosted the capital's coffers by £50million.
Scrapping The Londoner newspaper - saving £3 million a year.
Foreign travel costs for the Mayor’s office were reduced from £107,000 in 2007-08 to £30,000 in 2008-09, while the rest of the GLA reduced its costs from £102,000 to £28,000. A saving of £151,000.
Ten delegates attended party conferences in 2008-09, at a total cost (including attendance, advertising, stands, etc.) of £9,000, compared with 19 delegates in 2007-08 at a cost of £43,000. Saving £34,000.
Reduction in expenditure on GLA consultants - reducing from £4.7m in 2007-08 to £2.8m in 2008-09. Saving £1.9m
Income from the hire of London’s Living Room at City Hall has increased from £145,000 in 2007-08 to £167,000 in 2008-09 as a result of stopping the policy of allowing preferred groups and organisations to use it for free. Saving £20,000
Savings of £100,000 a year in the cost of the London Assembly.
Well, someone should bloody say something and I notice that all of the other "faces" are suspisioucly quiet, so empty ot futile gesture or not - well played Boris.
And please, cut out the deliberate antagonism, eh chaps?
[cite]Posted By: Valley_floyd_red[/cite]Quickly adding all of that up doesn't come anywhere near to the amount of money he's spent on the development of a bus.
Well said - an incredibly expensive folly, introduced with the sole purpose of gaining a few votes.
He's an idiot who is quite happy to take the credit for the bike hire scheme, which was started before he took office - I know, I worked for Transport for London at the time.
With any luck he won't be Mayor when the Olympics take place as there will be an opportunity for us to dump him before then.
[cite]Posted By: Valley_floyd_red[/cite]Boris Johnson is a desperate prick. An incompetent, verbally flatulent over privileged village idiot. He will do anything to curry favour, to deflect attention away from his failure. This is utter bollocks.
[cite]Posted By: Valley_floyd_red[/cite]Quickly adding all of that up doesn't come anywhere near to the amount of money he's spent on the development of a bus.
I thought you'd left already.
Are you referring to this bus Boris cancelled from Kens master plan at the last Olympics, VFR? Its so difficult to know without any details.
from The Guardian
It sounded like a capital idea: a lavish hospitality venue at this year's Olympics, to attract celebrities, top businessmen and "international opinion-formers" to London and its own games in 2012.
But the London House is now homeless after the Chinese authorities informed organisers that they could no longer use Ritan Park, a picturesque landmark in the heart of Beijing, as planned.
It is thought the authorities plan to station security forces in the park as part of a drive to ensure that the games take place undisturbed by violence or protests.
Boris Johnson has already cut £1.2m from the £4.6m budget for the London House and last month said he had considered axing it altogether.
The news follows the London mayor's cancellation of the Bus to Beijing - the £450,000 plan to drive a Routemaster from London to the Chinese capital.
Flloyd, do you not live in London? VFR is not talking about the bus to Beijing, but the project to design a new Routemaster bus. There was a lot of publicity about it.
How about the zero interest that Boris showed in London when he was an MP? I seem to remember he missed votes and debates on things like the Crossrail legislation.
Strange how his interest in London changed when he ran for mayor...
Oh right.
Thats the one that so far hasnt caught fire, increased accidents and been withdrawn early? (yet ;-)
Its expensive if only a few are built, and most of the excessive cost is in R and D
If loads are made, then prices fall closer to the 200K a regualr bus costs.
And they are 15% more fuel efficient than even current hybrids, so over time they will of course, as fuel rises inexorably, shave more off the initial development costs.
But hey, lets ignore the other inconvenient successes.
By summer the new generation of the Countdown system will increase bus customers’ access to real-time information for all of the 19,000 bus stops and 700 routes in London via mobile phones and the internet. New Countdown signs will be installed at around 2,500 key bus stops.
On the Docklands Light Railway a total of 55 new carriages have been ordered, expanding trains from two to three cars and giving a 50 per cent capacity increase
Londoners on Job Seeker’s Allowance and the new Employment and Support Allowance now benefit from half price travel on the buses. This is to help people who have recently lost their jobs bounce back quickly, by being able to travel cheaply to interviews, and access libraries and job centres.
Overall crime on the Tube and DLR is down by 8%. Robbery is down by 29.2%, violent crime is down 2.6% and public disorder offences are down by 4.5%.
Knife crime is down by 30%. This reflects the success of Operation Blunt II - an intitiave by the police at the mayor's instigation to search for knoves which resulted in 27,000 searches and more than 500 knives being seized.
Oh pack it in will you. Stop trying to be so obtuse for the sake of it. Here's a reminder for gods sake.
Read the first paragraph, then read the aim to put several hundred on the road then you reduce the cost to close on a normal hybrid.
But yes, cricket is here and I will pack it in as you command
>>Londoners on Job Seeker’s Allowance and the new Employment and Support Allowance now benefit from half price travel on the buses. This is to help people who have recently lost their jobs bounce back quickly, by being able to travel cheaply to interviews, and access libraries and job centres.<<
Just on this point, the reduced travel on the buses does not come in to play until after six months,better than not coming in to play at all, but it is not going to help recently lost jobs and most people do find employment before the six month period.
It has certainly chnged the way I travel around london
Jesus christ. i only looked at this post to see what mad boris has been up to (as i've not had a chance to catch up with the news). So much bitching going on here. This is gonna end with a handbag duel on blackheath common at dawn. I can see it now. ;-)
Going back to the topic, I can't see why we offered free accomodation to these pricks in the first place, other than a "sweetener". Shouldn't be a problem though. The russians will probably buy them a london hotel for their conveniance.
And as for Boris...........Well, he just makes me laugh. Over the years i've always found him highly entertaining but never thought the tories would actually be mad enough to give him any real power. I'm just glad i don't live in london. :-o
[cite]Posted By: Stig[/cite]
Well, I've gone back and read it again, and I wouldn't alter one word of my original post. Please tell me what you think I haven't grasped, I'd love to know.
The IOC paid for the hotel rooms. Not Boris. Nothing to do with the city budget. The IOC paid for them after the Olympic bid was run and won.
If. when you say, 'we' you think London the IOC and the WC bid team are all the same people then I accept you have grasped the article.
How remarkable that you accuse me of not grasping the article and then go on to cite that the IOC paid for rooms, when the article doesn't say that at all. If when you say "the IOC and the WC bid team are all the same people" you recognise that you actually mean Locog and not the IOC, and if you realise that the article doesn't actually mention who paid for the rooms, merely who they are "handed out by", then I accept you have grasped the article.
Comments
Throwing this sort of offer around is obviously a bribe. Anyone can see that. But what I don't understand is what Boris is doing consulting with FIFA anyway. It was an ENGLAND bid, not a LONDON one.
Boris, stop dragging London's name through the dirt. We deserve better than that.
This.
But I'm glad he's stuck 2 fingers up at Splatter.
I quite like Boris, although I don't share his politics, but he really should be above this sort of nonsense.
I bet Blatter and co are really worried that they won't be able to afford hotels in London for their stay during the Olympics.
FIFA are so strapped for cash, aren't they?
Get off the fence. What do you really think of him?
Agree
The danger is that if it's just a token gesture, it gives FIFA execs another reason not to vote for us when we go begging for the World Cup in ten years time....
PS: Johnson the least party liner Mayor we've had? We've only had two and Livingstone stuck two fingers up at Labour and was elected Mayor as an independent. You can't get much less party liner than that :-)
Trying to keep away from politics of Brois v Ken,but addressing the point. Why were FIFA offered free Dorchester accomodation in the first place, blatant bribery which we are now unhappy that we have lost the vote due to.
One another but related point. Was listening to SSN and it was mentioned that FIFA, based in Switzeland, have an exemption from Switzelands corruption laws. You have to admire them, how many companies in business can claim to have this.
Or am I missing something here?
Boris was elected because the sub-Standard ran a hate campaign against Ken Livingstone and was quite happy to oppose the London Olympics because of the part played by Livingstone in London winning them, now they are enthusiastic supporters of the London Olympics.
I also remember the "let them die" headline.
The IOC paid for the hotel rooms. Not Boris. Nothing to do with the city budget. The IOC paid for them after the Olympic bid was run and won.
If. when you say, 'we' you think London the IOC and the WC bid team are all the same people then I accept you have grasped the article.
In the absence of any facts to back up another sweeping statement, perhaps this may spark reasoned debate?
A few financial savings you clearly are not aware of.
Frozen the Council Tax precept for two years running. After allowing for inflation this means a cut in real terms. Over the eight years as Mayor, Ken Livingstone increased his take of council tax by 153 per cent.
The various GLA bodies now employ 13 fewer press officers than under Ken Livingstone.
Scrapped the post of Women's adviser, which was held by Anni Marjoram, and removed four more of "Ken's Wimmin" - the total salary bill was over £400,000. Those who have gone include Ken Livingstone's partner Emma Beale, who was paid £96,000 to be the Mayor's "Administration Manager" and Socialist Action member Jude Woodward who had been the Cultural Commissar.
Closing down of GLA office in Venezuela and scaling down of other overseas offices saving: £100,000.
A successful visit to New York (paying his own fare) was held to boost tourism. Huge media coverage in the Big Apple. The ‘Only in London’ tourism campaign has boosted the capital's coffers by £50million.
Scrapping The Londoner newspaper - saving £3 million a year.
Foreign travel costs for the Mayor’s office were reduced from £107,000 in 2007-08 to £30,000 in 2008-09, while the rest of the GLA reduced its costs from £102,000 to £28,000. A saving of £151,000.
Ten delegates attended party conferences in 2008-09, at a total cost (including attendance, advertising, stands, etc.) of £9,000, compared with 19 delegates in 2007-08 at a cost of £43,000. Saving £34,000.
Reduction in expenditure on GLA consultants - reducing from £4.7m in 2007-08 to £2.8m in 2008-09. Saving £1.9m
Income from the hire of London’s Living Room at City Hall has increased from £145,000 in 2007-08 to £167,000 in 2008-09 as a result of stopping the policy of allowing preferred groups and organisations to use it for free. Saving £20,000
Savings of £100,000 a year in the cost of the London Assembly.
I thought you'd left already.
And please, cut out the deliberate antagonism, eh chaps?
Well said - an incredibly expensive folly, introduced with the sole purpose of gaining a few votes.
He's an idiot who is quite happy to take the credit for the bike hire scheme, which was started before he took office - I know, I worked for Transport for London at the time.
With any luck he won't be Mayor when the Olympics take place as there will be an opportunity for us to dump him before then.
and you are ?
prick......verbally flatulent......idiot......utter bollocks......
Tell you what, don't vote for him when it comes to the time - assuming you live close enough to get a shout in the London Mayor elections anyway.
Are you referring to this bus Boris cancelled from Kens master plan at the last Olympics, VFR? Its so difficult to know without any details.
from The Guardian
It sounded like a capital idea: a lavish hospitality venue at this year's Olympics, to attract celebrities, top businessmen and "international opinion-formers" to London and its own games in 2012.
But the London House is now homeless after the Chinese authorities informed organisers that they could no longer use Ritan Park, a picturesque landmark in the heart of Beijing, as planned.
It is thought the authorities plan to station security forces in the park as part of a drive to ensure that the games take place undisturbed by violence or protests.
Boris Johnson has already cut £1.2m from the £4.6m budget for the London House and last month said he had considered axing it altogether.
The news follows the London mayor's cancellation of the Bus to Beijing - the £450,000 plan to drive a Routemaster from London to the Chinese capital.
Strange how his interest in London changed when he ran for mayor...
Boris's bus
Thats the one that so far hasnt caught fire, increased accidents and been withdrawn early? (yet ;-)
Its expensive if only a few are built, and most of the excessive cost is in R and D
If loads are made, then prices fall closer to the 200K a regualr bus costs.
And they are 15% more fuel efficient than even current hybrids, so over time they will of course, as fuel rises inexorably, shave more off the initial development costs.
But hey, lets ignore the other inconvenient successes.
By summer the new generation of the Countdown system will increase bus customers’ access to real-time information for all of the 19,000 bus stops and 700 routes in London via mobile phones and the internet. New Countdown signs will be installed at around 2,500 key bus stops.
On the Docklands Light Railway a total of 55 new carriages have been ordered, expanding trains from two to three cars and giving a 50 per cent capacity increase
Londoners on Job Seeker’s Allowance and the new Employment and Support Allowance now benefit from half price travel on the buses. This is to help people who have recently lost their jobs bounce back quickly, by being able to travel cheaply to interviews, and access libraries and job centres.
Overall crime on the Tube and DLR is down by 8%. Robbery is down by 29.2%, violent crime is down 2.6% and public disorder offences are down by 4.5%.
Knife crime is down by 30%. This reflects the success of Operation Blunt II - an intitiave by the police at the mayor's instigation to search for knoves which resulted in 27,000 searches and more than 500 knives being seized.
Read the first paragraph, then read the aim to put several hundred on the road then you reduce the cost to close on a normal hybrid.
But yes, cricket is here and I will pack it in as you command
Just on this point, the reduced travel on the buses does not come in to play until after six months,better than not coming in to play at all, but it is not going to help recently lost jobs and most people do find employment before the six month period.
It has certainly chnged the way I travel around london
Going back to the topic, I can't see why we offered free accomodation to these pricks in the first place, other than a "sweetener". Shouldn't be a problem though. The russians will probably buy them a london hotel for their conveniance.
And as for Boris...........Well, he just makes me laugh. Over the years i've always found him highly entertaining but never thought the tories would actually be mad enough to give him any real power. I'm just glad i don't live in london. :-o
I should know, as I am going to benefit!
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14306.aspx
Going back to the topic, I can't see why we offered free accomodation to these pricks in the first place, other than a "sweetener".[/quote]
Exactly what Boris must havve said when he found out what those corrupt so and so's had arranged in our city
The locals wouldnt take kindly to calling it a common.
Its not common land, but there is a Blackheath Common in Surrey
but your idea of a mass brawl amongst people who all love Charlton would be interesting entertainment!
Apologies you are right, didn't realise i had had it for so long, how frigging depressing!! Have to renew in January
How remarkable that you accuse me of not grasping the article and then go on to cite that the IOC paid for rooms, when the article doesn't say that at all. If when you say "the IOC and the WC bid team are all the same people" you recognise that you actually mean Locog and not the IOC, and if you realise that the article doesn't actually mention who paid for the rooms, merely who they are "handed out by", then I accept you have grasped the article.