Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

* WINNER of the week: Boris Johnson (PM)

Politician and former media personality Boris Johnson capped off a weekend of good news for the British Conservative Party, taking the London Mayoralty from red-till-I'm-dead incumbent Ken Livingstone.

Boris ousted the die-hard Socialist who had held control of the City of London since 2000. Livingstone was initially elected as Mayor of London as an Independent, before coming back to the Labour fold in 2004

Gordon Brown's Labour Party were decimated in the local body elections across Great Britain. The party slumped to a 40-year low, losing 331 seats and gaining just 24% share of the vote. That put Labour in third place, behind the Liberal Democrats who picked up 25%, with the Conservatives winning 44% of the vote and adding 256 seats.

* Hat tips: Blair Mullholland and Clint Heine

* LOSER of the week: Judith Tizard (MP)

Judith Tizard meanwhile is widely regarded as one of the worst politicians currently occupying the Beehive... an impression she backed up last week at the launch of New Zealand Music Month in her position of "Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage".
Tixard's attempts to duet with musician Chris Knox fell flat when she didn't seem to know the words to his song. She then struggled to answer a multi-choice quiz about Kiwi Music put to her by the Dominion Post.

When told she'd got only 4/10 correct, Tizard's reponse was a dismissive, "I don't know the details, honey; I just write the policy and ask for the money." Charming.

Tizard was previously the "Minister for Auckland Issues", a job she was so bad at that her mate Hillin Cluck abolished the position altogether last October! This election she will face a feisty young challenger from the National Party - Nikki Kaye - for the Auckland Central seat she has warmed since 1996.

* Hat tips - Clint Heine and David Farrar

* Stuff: Music month kicks off on bum note
* NZ Herald: Battle looming in Auckland Central