THANK heavens for dear old Boris Johnson. In an era when our politicians, particularly those in opposition, are so scared of dropping a clanger they say almost nothing Boris rushes in where angels fear to tread.

During a hugely entertaining rant on Monday, at some hotel in Bournemouth addressing some group or other, the Eton-educated Tory toff was so off message his audience were all ears.

Let's just have a general election tomorrow and get him in to number 10 - he'd make us laugh if nothing else.

In the space of an hour he consigned Jamie Oliver's healthy school dinners, potential Scottish Prime Ministers and even booster seats for older kids to the rubbish bin.

I think he may even have inadvertently backed the labour Government's policy on university top-up fees - no small achievement for the shadow minister for higher education.

But that's the great thing about Boris he is unfettered by the party machine and for that reason alone he is well worth a listen.

He just doesn't talk like a politician. He thanked the Labour party for its "continual orgy of cannibalism" - a risky strategy given his recent views on Papua New Guinea. He said we have a "zombie government visibly decaying". And declared the Government had made "a complete horlicks of immigration".

He is more like a stand-up comedian than the MP for Henley-on-Thames and yet you come away thinking - at least he engages with people, at least he isn't afraid, at least he's worth an hour of your time.

  • We are aiming to catch-up with Boris at Bournemouth University today, so keep your eyes peeled for a video special...