Charming rogue runs for mayor
The week's news at a glance.
London
Outspoken Tory politician Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, known as Boris, announced this week that he is running for mayor of London. Three years ago, Johnson, a journalist/novelist/member of Parliament/lecturer/man about town, was fired from a Conservative Party position for lying about an affair. Since then, he has been a fixture on television and radio talk shows and has written a weekly column in the Daily Telegraph. Some of his more memorable bons mots were aimed at former Prime Minister Tony Blair, whom he described as “a mixture of Harry Houdini and a greased piglet.” He once said, “Nailing Blair is like trying to pin jelly to a wall.” Johnson is given good odds to beat the current mayor, socialist Ken Livingstone, known as “Red Ken.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘It’s not normal for parents to raise their children in isolation’
instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Is a market crash around the corner?
Talking Points Observers see echoes of 1929
-
Frankenstein is alive, the Alabama prison system is exposed and Rose Byrne goes full Crazy Mom in October movies
the week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘The Alabama Solution’ and ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’