When Oona King decided to challenge Ken Livingstone for Labour’s 2012 Mayoral candidacy it opened up the prospect that Team Ken, having been committed to helping their man take back City Hall ever since he lost to Boris Johnson in 2008, would have a genuine fight on their hands to secure the nomination.
A vision for less consultation and perpetual financial dependence
Did you notice that yesterday’s statement on Boris Johnson’s vision for new Mayoral powers and greater devolution failed to mention any public engagement or consultation in what those new powers should be? Apparently the Mayor’s vision to gain “a greater say over the issues that are important to Londoners” is to be delivered without reference […]
Mayor’s Question Time: A+ for effort
There was a refreshingly different approach to Mayor’s Question Time this month with the usual slanging matches replaced by a consensual, reasoned approach which saw the Mayor and Assembly Members coming together to speak up for Londoners – especially those affected by the potential sale of their homes by the Crown Estate. Now, I’m normally […]
Jenny Jones: Bringing affordable ownership home
To mark the publication of her latest personal report into London’s housing market, Green party London Assembly Member Jenny Jones has recorded this video explaining the problem of Londoners being priced out home ownership and why she believes Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s policies won’t solve the problem.
Livingstone’s 2012 bid has to be more than a 2008 re-tread
Unlike a council or Parliamentary election there are no shades of winning or losing the job of Mayor of London and in 2008 Livingstone unambiguously lost. Voters rejected not only the policies he offered for a third term but also those he’d already implemented during his 8 years in office which they no longer found attractive.
