Lessons that the Tories could take from Boris The elections taking place across Britain next week are likely to result in bad news for the Conservatives: the polls suggest that many of the gains that were made in the last equivalent set of local elections will be lost, and that voters will express their disappointment with the Government by not voting Tory - or possibly by not voting at all. One race where the party is likely to do well, however, is the election for London's mayor. The polls suggest that Boris Johnson stands a good chance of being re-elected. The Tory high command may well be wondering what Mr Johnson's secret is: how has he managed to counteract the slump in Tory support that prevails in the rest of the nation? Part of the explanation is simply that he is not Prime Minister. His power is limited, not only in being confined to London, but even in its scope over the capital: he cannot alter rates of income or sales tax, or vary exemptions, or change the rates at which benefits are paid. He does not have to cut Britain's deficit, and he is not - as the Prime Minister and the Chancellor are - held responsible for the state of the British economy as a whole. But the limitations of the Mayor's power are not the whole reason for Mr Johnson's continuing popularity. He has managed to convey a sincerity, a feeling of authenticity that has somehow eluded many leading Conservatives. Despite having a background nearly identical to Mr Cameron's, he has persuaded voters to trust him. It may be because Mr Johnson is not ashamed to declare his commitment to core Tory values. In the interview we publish today, he stresses his commitment to reducing tax levels, and his determination to do everything he can to help small businessmen. This, no doubt, helps to explain why he has gained a following among voters who belong to ethnic minorities, many of whom are entrepreneurs. He is also unapologetic about taking a hard line on crime, an approach that also appeals to this constituency. As our report today on Lord Ashcroft's analysis of voting intentions shows, ethnic minorities are a key group that David Cameron has been unable to persuade to vote Tory in large numbers. Perhaps what Mr Johnson does not say is as important as what he does. He does not spend his time trumpeting the virtues of wind farms, or increasing overseas aid, or promoting single-sex marriage. Of course, these are not issues which the Mayor of London can do much about (although that has never stopped Ken Livingstone from proselytising about them). Whatever Mr Johnson thinks about such things, he hasn't chosen to make them part of his political platform. Limiting his pronouncements to matters within his control, he is seen as someone who can be relied upon to do what he says, and not to make windy promises he cannot keep. Mr Cameron, of course, leads a Coalition. He has to contend with all kinds of constraints which Mr Johnson does not. All the same, there are surely lessons for the Conservative leadership to draw from the Mayor's popular appeal. One is that they should stick to their fundamental values, and not be diverted by fashionable issues, remote from most people's daily concerns. The Tories face a daunting challenge in these elections, at a time of worrying popular disillusionment with politics. We hope our readers will be among those who make sure it is not their disaffection, but their voice that is heard.