Politicians are a joke that we need to take seriously.

Among the many lessons of the last year, I think we’ve all learned the importance of good leadership. Many seek political office because they want to be the decision makers, they want to have power. Some just want to win, seeing politics as giant popularity contest.

Then along comes a crisis.

So many politicians these days have the perpetual look of a deer caught in the headlights. Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in 2019, thus achieving the ambition of his life. He rode to power on a wave of bluster, as Brexit was a issue of argument and negotiation, and god knows, he can talk. Then the pandemic happened. It was a crisis that you could not negotiate with, you couldn’t bluster at, you couldn’t spin. It was a crisis that required decisive leadership. I’ll be charitable and say he struggled. This is not what he signed up for.

Which is why I’m taking the upcoming London Mayoral and council elections very seriously. So I’m automatically ruling out my usual 2nd choices, the Monster Raving Loony party, and the Cannabis is Safer then Alcohol party. I’m going to consider each candidate seriously.

I am automatically ruling out people from a Business background. They always try to run government like a business. Businesses are motivated by profit, maximising profit is the goal and that’s fine. Governments are there to serve the people, the citizens. Often, government is needed to protect people from the rampant profiteering of the business community. So Business people are out.

I am also ruling out the Anti-Lockdown, ‘pandemic is a hoax, covid is no worse than flu, we should just let it run it’s course’ people. They clearly choose to ignore facts they don’t like. Actually, they overlap a lot of the business people.

There is one candidate running as ‘The Last Mayor of London.’ She wants to ‘establish civic assemblies to hand policy making back to the people.’ I disagree for 3 reasons. First, I’m busy, we’re all busy, we don’t have time to study and form an opinion on all the massive and complex issues involved in running a city as massive and complex as London. Second, I am downright scared of the uninformed decisions people would make, either because they don’t care, don’t see the importance or think it would be a laugh. Third, no good ever came of relying on the common sense of the British public. We are talking about the people who voted to name a ship designed for exploration and scientific research “Boaty McBoatface.”

Candidates who want to “bring back London’s former glory” and ‘No New Normal” ….. OUT. London needs to embrace change and move with the times, not wish for a past that’s not returning.

So I still have four candidates to choose from (No, I’m not telling who). More research will be required. I need to see if they have plans, or merely slogans. I need to see if their plans are achievable or if they’re happy sounding pipe dreams.

Dammit. Now I have homework.