Boris Johnson: Electoral Liability?

The Mayor joined David Cameron on the campaign trail this morning, visiting the Chelsea Pensioners out west London way. Yet in his first appearance with the Tory leader since the election was called, Boris quickly demonstrated why the party honchos might want to keep him tethered. Probed about Cameron's much-touted idea for a voluntary youth service scheme, the blond blustered into action, and immediately stumbled off-message by declaring that it "should be compulsory", quite the opposite of the Conservative plan; cue a brief correction by Cameron that the scheme would, indeed, be a voluntary one. Floating voters who enjoy Boris Johnson 'cause he's off the telly might have second thoughts at the ballot box when they think of young Tarquin being packed off to do his National Service.