Fresh from being rebuffed by the LibDems and former BBC Director-General Greg Dyke the Conservatives have unveiled their revised timetable for selecting a Mayoral candidate for the 2008 contest.
The party is to shortlist applicants who will then be voted for by all Londoners on the electoral roll. The eventual winner is to be announced at the Tory conference in September, 13 months after the party first delayed their selection.
Yesterday it was revealed David Cameron had approached the Liberal Democrats about jointly backing a Independent bid by Mr Dyke.
Under the revised timetable the deadline for applications is 16 July, with a short list drawn up by 3 August. Votes for the final candidate will close on 26 September.
Conservative Party Chairman Francis Maude claimed the timetable marked “the beginning of the end of Ken Livingstone’s London reign” however the party has so far failed to attract any high profile candidates.
A September selection will allow the final victor only 6 months to increase their profile and plan for the Mayoral elections which will take place next May.
Current Mayor Ken Livingstone said “It will be pure hypocrisy when the Tory leadership declares they have
full confidence in their candidate because their leader has actually
spent months trying to find an alternative and clearly has no
confidence in them at all.”
