Friday 24 September 2010

I can't believe Ken is going to run for London mayor again!

I've just found out that Ken Livingston has won the nomination to stand for London mayor against Boris Johnson.

What a backward and uninspiring decision this is.

Oona King would have made a much more appealing and interesting candidate to take on Boris in 2012.

By choosing Ken, Labour Party members have chosen to massage his ego by giving him a chance of completing a third term as London Mayor.

I read on the BBC website that his nomination marked his return to the political spotlight. Return to the spotlight? He's never been away from it

Ken should have retired from politics after his defeat to Boris in 2008. But instead he’s been biding his time waiting for the chance to get his old job back.

In 2012 we’re going to see the political equivalent of a heavyweight boxing clash – with Ken the challenger itching to reclaim his former title from Boris.

Labour should have looked beyond Ken's ego and chosen Oona King, who I think would have been a much more forward thinking choice.

Oona was once my local MP in the London borough Tower Hamlets. I voted for her the 2005 elections as I thought she was a really good local MP, but she was kicked out, as a result of another politician with a giant ego – George Galloway.

I can’t see what Ken is going to offer Londoners, that’s going to be new or different from his previous time in office.

I voted for Ken in 2004, rather reluctantly I have to say. There's a certain level of arrogance about him that I don't really like. It's as if he sees London as his own private fiefdom which he was born to run.

What I think will be an interesting issue in two years time is this. Boris will be a Tory mayor at a time where we may have a highly unpopular Tory/Lib Dem government in power.

By 2012 we should be seeing the real affects of the government's spending cuts that we hear so much about. This could be a real disadvantage to Boris.

At this point Labour could be riding high in the polls which might benefit Ken. It’s essentially going to be a role reverse of the 2008 battle.

I can’t say I’m particularly excited by this prospect.

I didn't vote for either Ken or Boris in 2008, and I can't see any reason why I'll be voting for them in 2012

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