The Guardian newspaper published an online commentary by Andrew Gilligan praising Tory Boris Johnson as he launched his bid to be Mayor of London.  Steve fired off the following letter to the Guardian, trashing Gilligan's claims that the Eton-educated Tory is "liberal". 

Andrew Gilligan thinks he can see through Boris Johnson's right-wing ravings and finds him "fairly liberal" underneath  (Comment is Free, 3 September).  What on earth is "fairly liberal" about a man who believes in selection in education, the privatisation of healthcare, is anti-Europe, makes offensive comments about foreigners, and abuses the inhabitants of cities including Liverpool and Portsmouth for being 'victims' or poor? 
 
Johnson has no understanding of the problems facing London .  Like his boss Cameron and half the Tory shadow cabinet, Johnson went to Eton .  He's MP for a wealthy town in the home counties.  He's never actually run anything.  By contrast, Ken Livingstone is leading the debate on tackling climate change, improving public transport and making Londoners safer with local police teams across the capital.  It looks like the choice we'll have over who runs London will be between Ken Livingstone, a Londoner with over 30 years experience delivering positive change for our city, and Boris Johnson, a clownish Tory toff  with a penchant for abusing those less fortunate, wealthy and white than himself.  I know who I'll be voting for, and it's not Boris.
 
Councillor Steve Reed
Leader of Lambeth Council