Congratulations to Boris Johnson for successfully overcoming the incumbent Ken Livingstone by 139,772 votes. Boris polled 53% (1,168,738 votes) to Ken’s 47% (1,028,966) of 1^st and 2^nd preference votes.

Boris has been likened to Marmite. You either love him, or hate him. You either see him as a highly intelligent, capable man; or you see him as a bumbling buffoon who makes more gaffes than Gordon Brown. I personally believe him to be the former, and as such admire him greatly. People have always made grand comments such as “Boris for PM”, and “I would vote for the Conservatives if Boris was leading them”. This is now so much closer to being a reality than ever before.

How has this come about then? Boris has been known for years mainly because of appearance on Have I Got News For You (HIGNFY), as well as for the repercussions of many statements made in his articles. Liverpool and piccaninnies ring a bell? But I believe it is his ambition that has driven him on. He gave up his position as editor of The Spectator to take his place on the Shadow Cabinet. This shows the direction he wanted to take his career.

He set about the task of running for Mayor with a seriousness that took a lot of people by surprise; implementing policy idea after policy idea. Now that he is in office he needs to establish himself and consolidate himself in the minds of Londoners as a serious heavyweight in both Local, National and International politics. I have no doubt that he will do this with the animated enthusiasm that he always shows.

Where better an institution to take a group of budding politicians, than the centre of British democracy that are the Houses of Parliament? On February the 13th a dozen members of Bath Conservative Future made the trip to London accompanied by Bath’s next MP (well, we are optimistic) Fabian Richter, to be treated to a guided tour of the Commons and the Lords by former MP and chief whip of the Lords, Lord Cope of Berkeley.

Standing at the dispatch box where David Cameron regularly humiliates Gordon Brown at PMQs, and admiring the ostentatious chair that is host to the Prime Minister’s saviour, Mr Speaker, was a true privilege that shall stay in our memories for some time. Such a building so steeped in tradition and placarded with British military success on the walls and ceilings serves to stir up national pride in even the most liberal of Britons.

Following our guided tour, in typical Bath CF fashion, the society enjoyed a hearty meal and one or three of alcoholic beverages whilst discussing politics, sport, and how much one appreciates Bath after spending the day in the Capital. Slightly ironic was the pub we choose to dine at, the Red Lion in Westminster happened to be the location for the foundation of ‘New’ Labour.

A thoroughly enjoyable trip that was enjoyed by all was the consensus on the journey home, as we eagerly await visits from Liam Fox, and hopefully Boris Johnson and William Hague in the forthcoming few months.

Yesterday, on May 4th 2007 I met one of the few living people whom warrant my veneration, for today Boris Johnson attended a Conservative meeting in Bath.

Several of my peers and aquaintences were sceptical about whether his speech would be of any relevance whatsoever, and even after his appearance some were left with the presiding belief that he was a ‘bumbling idiot’, but to those of us who take Mr Johnson as seriously as his intellect deserves, we were not disappointed.

Whilst talking about more national issues than many expected, baring in mind the council elections were held only a day previously, Mr Johnson produced such fine statements (albeit paraphrased) as “Tony Blair is doing his farewell tour on an open top submarine” and when mentioning Bath Conservative PPC Fabian Ritcher, pronouncing himself as the “president of the Fabian Society”. When talking about the stupidity of regulation on booster seats, Boris claimed that people of his age did not come to any harm without such pointless regulation, accentuating his point that such trivial matters should be at the discretion of parents.

Although clearly in a hurry, Johnson was doubtlessly in fine form; talking to his loyal supporters seemed to flow from his heart as effortlessly as the Latin prose that he spouted to the audience. When shaking his hand I was able to splurt out in the utmost sycophancy: “It’s an honour to meet you sir”, only to hear the response “yes yes, an honour to meet you”.

And so Bath CF left, myself personally feeling slightly bemused but altogether overjoyed after an afternoon that we won’t forget in a long while.