2/19/2007

Well Ken Livingstone can never be accused of being all talk


Brave or stupid ? Just a year before the London mayoral elections, Ken Livingstone has probably done his chances of re-election no good at all by extending the congestion charge zone to the west.

I'm not arguing about the rights and wrongs of the decision, as someone who avoid London if at all possible, it is not something I am going to have to worry about. However, it does highlight the fact that when Ken Livingstone thinks something is right and proper, he does it, irrespective of whether it is always popular or not.

Like him or loathe him, he is a conviction politician, and we the world of politics would be poorer without him, although you might argue that the people of London wouldn't be, in fact, probably quite the reverse.

5 comments:

James Graham (Quaequam Blog!) said...

I'm a Londoner and I can honestly say that the congestion charge has not cost me a penny. Or do my views not count because I don't have a car?

Nich Starling said...

James, I never said your views don't count. Don't put words in to my mouth. In fact I put forward quite the opposite view when I made clear that as a non Londoner, perhaps my views count less.

Anonymous said...

Livingstone has just helped to massively increase the turnout in those boroughs at the next election. And it won't do him any favours...

If we can get a decent candidate and do a deal with the Lib Dems (advise Lib Dem voters to give their second preference vote to us and vice-versa) then we can get rid of this monster once and for all.

Anonymous said...

Were people in those areas ever foing to vote for him anyway ?

Who says Lib Dems want some rabid Tory. Most of the people you have put forward are far worse than Ken !

Tristan said...

Worse that 'capitalism killed more than the Nazis' Ken? Or 'spending Londoner's money on totalitarian regimes' Ken?
That's difficult.

I don't even give Livingstone the benefit of the doubt that he thinks he's doing the right thing here, I think he wants more money so will increase the area - an increase which will lead to greater congestion in London since there will be far more people in the congestion charge zone...

I have problems with voting Tory, but its almost worth it to get Ken out...

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