Eleanor T said:

Oh, sweet heavenly jey-sus. Did that really happen!? I've recently immigrated to the USA so I'm not up to date with British news as much, but I have to say I'm gobsmacked and devastated for London. My home city must be weeping right now...

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 4:22 AM

Cockney Hitcher said:

Very, very, very disappointing.

Boris isn't simply a 'buffoon' or a 'clown' - he's a bigot.

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 10:31 AM

Anna said:

BNP got a seat, too.. sad times.

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 12:40 PM

Redheadinred said:

Uh, I'm unfamiliar with Boris, don't know much about him. I don't know anything about his sexism and racism and homophobia. What, exactly, has he said/done which makes him these things?

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 3:08 PM

Maria Dixon said:

Er... How on earth does joining a Facebook group make a blind bit of difference? Surely there are more effective ways to encourage political activism (or at least reduce apathy) next time around?

Next time around, campaign on behalf of the better candidates, speak to all your friends / relatives about the importance of voting (low turnout in the inner-city areas was one possible reason for Boris's win), spread information about the candidate's policies and what they mean for the city, but don't start a Facebook group FFS!

"Let the world know that you had no part in this terrible day for equality..."

Since when is Facebook "the world"?

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 4:08 PM

Vanessa said:

Why do you assume that to be a feminist you have to be anti-tory... and by the way, for 'some' read 1.7 million. I used to be a very committed feminist but am really hurt by how left wings feminist mock anyone who disagree with their views ... feminism should be about the wider picture of equality not persecution of those who may not share your beliefs... by consistently criticising feminists who do not vote labour you increasingly alienate others from our movement

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 6:42 PM

Betsy said:

Facebook actually has a lot of impact, think of all those stories based on the group '50 reasons why a girl should call it a night', it was a series of huge news stories, basis for studies, and a couple of months of trashy newspaper arguments.

Registering your opinions on Facebook is as valid way as any, and where else can you access 69 million other people?

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 8:29 PM

Nina said:

I'm absolutely horrified but if that's what most of London wants than that's what it gets. The rest of us will have to batten down the hatches and wait it out. Let's hope the moron doesn't incite any riots, he's capable of it.

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 9:01 PM

Liz said:

Crap. I'm in York studying but have to go home to London in September (why oh why didn't I decide to do a PhD straightaway..). I can't believe other Londoners voted in Boris...they can't all be tories!!?? Change takes time, and Livingstone did make some really good changes and moved things forward as well as putting thing in motion. I'm quite apprehensive about the kind of things that Johnson may do. Oh well...more protests and lobbying for us feminists, then (and environmentalists, and gay rights activists, and anti-racist campaigners...).

Posted on 03 May 2008 at 9:46 PM

Rob Levy said:

As a bloke,i'm outraged as to how Johnny Vegas,used his celebrity as a cover for sexual molestation.This is nasty,this is bullying.You can never, ever pretend that because this was under the disguise of comedy,that somehow it makes it okey...or that those who don't laugh ,merely lack a sense of humour...Lets take it one step further..would a comedy rape have been funny?what about a comedy murder?
Vegas,you are out of order,and need to take a good look at your seedy self,and your seedy act.

Posted on 04 May 2008 at 12:13 AM

Maria Dixon said:

Betsy - but how many of those 69 million are Londoners?

And how many people will your 'register of disapproval' reach? Your friends (who probably have similar political views to you)? The people who deliberately search out that particular group (who probably agree with the group's message anyway)? What about people who aren't part of the internet social networking generation or who don't have home computers? What about the politically apathetic, who couldn't give a monkey's about political Facebook groups?

The impact of Facebook isn't actually that great - no matter how much the media might like to use it for lazy journalism. If you feel strongly about something political, sure you can use Facebook to publicise it, but that shouldn't be your only method. If it is, you're just not going to reach enough people or the right kind of people.

Posted on 04 May 2008 at 12:34 PM

Betsy said:

Maria Dixon-

Isn't saying you have to be a Londoner to disapprove of Boris like saying you have to be a woman to be a feminist?

Posted on 04 May 2008 at 8:18 PM

Shea said:

Vanessa I'll assume you were having a laugh when you mentioned "left wing" and voting Labour.

Nu Lab have for a long time been right of centre and completely forgotten all the little people who put them in power. I want to say this was the kick up the arse they needed, but I think Ken was the shinning beacon of hope among a party full of corrupt and indifferent corporate brownnosers.

That said most people are sick of Nu Lab for their infatuation with the private sector and failure to ameliorate the condition of millions in this country who still live below the poverty line, so they vote......Tory ?!?!? Oh Christ on a bike, people, don't you realise what the Conservatives really stand for ? They are not green, not progressive, not friendly to the poor or the public sector, or feminism, gay rights, multiculturalism or anyone who isn't rich, white and male. Don't be deceived.

Its time for a radical, radical change in this country, not Labour, not the CONservatives, Not the Lib dems, we need something different, a real left wing socialist party (Greens?). But then pigs might fly.

Posted on 04 May 2008 at 8:24 PM

Maria Dixon said:

Betsy - That's not what I was saying. (I'm not a Londoner, after all!)

What I meant was that in order for a local political message like this one to be effective, you have to target the people in the right area. If I want to convince people that they shouldn't vote for Boris next time around, I shouldn't do it where I live (north Leeds), or in random other areas across the globe - I should go to London instead.

My point wasn't that people (whether non-Londoners or Londoners) shouldn't disapprove of Boris, or that they shouldn't voice their disapproval on Facebook, but that there are lots of far more effective ways of getting a political message across. I think that starting a Fcaebook group is one of the weakest forms of protest I can think of.

Posted on 04 May 2008 at 8:59 PM

Maria Dixon said:

Shea - agree totally!

Posted on 04 May 2008 at 9:01 PM

NorthernJess said:

Facebook might not be the greatest form of political protest ever, but it does open your ideas to a far larger audience, as if you join a group, your friends see the group you have joined, and may learn something new. That is good. Also, it got you lot talking. And what is an ideal form of political protest? Blocking trucks from entering a depot and getting arrested? Dressing up as Spiderman and climbing the Blackpool tower? Writing a letter to you MP? They all work (even if their aim is just to bring attention to an issue) and if someone is thinking about the issue, surely that itself is something to be commended, rather than the self-impossed blindness to the rest of the world that the ones in power encourage.

Posted on 14 May 2008 at 4:28 PM