Matthew d'Ancona described recently how "what might be called ‘referendal' politics" was leaving conventional politics behind. "Direct democracy, plebiscites, e-petitions, the ‘occupy' protests around the world, even the culture of phone voting in television shows: it is here that the impetus and the energy lie, uncoordinated and multidirectional though the phenomenon may be." If you can forgive d'Ancona the ugliness of his neologism, you can see his point. The modern world wants to deliver instant verdicts with a click of a mouse. It values authenticity and raw emotion, and hates artifice, compromise and complication. From their different political traditions, Johnson and Livingstone seem to be the only British politicians who can make us hit the Facebook "like" button. With the endearing plain speaking of a Bertie Wooster, Johnson bumbles out an attractive version of modern Conservatism far removed from the PR stunts of Cameron's spin-doctors. With the irreverence of a Cockney cheeky chappie Livingstone irritates the establishment and tells truth to power.

Or that is the story that millions believe. Two new books show that a vertiginous gulf separates the image from the reality of Britain's celebrity politicians. Sonia Purnell has produced a meticulous and quietly devastating Life of Johnson (Just Boris, Aurum). Meanwhile, in what looks like being the publishing flop of the year, Faber & Faber has presented Ken Livingstone's autobiography to readers. It is so verbose, unselfconscious and petty that I fear I may be the only person to read it from cover to cover — certainly the failure to cut and tighten suggests that the eyelids of Faber's copy editor drooped long before the end. I found it worth the pain, however, because Livingstone unintentionally reveals how he and the worst elements of the British Left have turned rancid and become a negation of their younger and better selves.

Allow me to take on Johnson first, as he is the incumbent and, for the time being at least, presents the larger target. Bertie Wooster's only ambition was to avoid his aunts and marriage to Madeline Bassett. He didn't even scheme to be elected to the committee of the Drones Club. 

I accept that it is not an indictment of Johnson to say that he is more ambitious than he appears — one cannot achieve anything in public life without ambition. Nor will anyone but the naive be surprised to discover that he pre-tousles his hair before appearing in public and rehearses his "off the cuff" quips.