It looks increasingly like the election for London Mayor may come down to who ever can get their voters out on the day as a new poll indicates that Boris Johnson has overtaken Ken Livingstone again.
Taking in to account second preferences, Johnson is on 51% and Ken is on 49%.
Obviously there is a small margin of error to take in to account, but you would have to imagine that the Tories have an advantage over Labour in having motivated activists and motivated voters who will come and and vote in greater numbers than Labour. There is already a lot of chatter on the internet about Labour finding it difficult to find candidates nationwide, and you'd have to expect this apathy to apply in London too.
So my money is on the Tories to win, although I cannot believe for one moment that Boris Johnson would make a good mayor.
8 comments:
"I cannot believe for one moment that Boris Johnson would make a good mayor."
On what grounds Nich?
I know that the membership of the Liberal Democrats would hate Boris to win, but with the current mayor that London has it would be good to have a new London mayor that can provide clear fresh thinking and strong leadership that London so desperately needs.
In a way, I can imagine it might be a good thing longer term if Boris won, as it would show, in time for the next general election, that there is really only one Real Alternative.
Although, as far as candidates go, I don't think a single one of them truly represents their national party... well, maybe Boris does. Ken's no New Labour guy, and Brian's suicidal to go against successful party policy by eliminating all aspects of emissions charges. The congestion charge is a great opportunity to apply emissions-based road user charging. He is absolutely right to insist that buying a 'green' car, like the eco-disaster Prius, should not exempt people from the charge.
Because despite his CV, I doubt hewould pass a test in common sdense or have a clue what people outside Kensington actually do.
I remember a comedian on the radio saying of Boris Johnson something along the lines of "For all his jolly Billy Bunter floppy haired frolics, you just know that given the opportunity he'd love to line up working class people and have them shot."
What evidence do you have that Boris would not make a good mayor. I could understand if you said he was an unknown quantity, but here you are again Tory bashing as you are in a class war against them.
I have always wondered about Boris and now he may have a chance to prove to people what he can do.
Nothing can be worse than Livingstone.
Neale, your argument that Boris might show the Tories up has some value to it.
Ken Livingstone is a refreshingly honest politician.
Asking us to judge him on his record after eight years in power, he says: "With me, everyone knows what they're getting. It's on the tin."
After all in his period in charge of London he has:
• Failed to prevent a rise in domestic violence as he pledged to do
• Failed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on public transport – instead it has gone up
• Failed to protect green parks and open spaces as gardens the size of 22 Hyde Parks have disappeared
• Failed to meet his own recycling targets – London has the worst household recycling rate in the country
• Failed to meet his election promise over housing targets. He is on track to miss his target by 50%.
• Failed to deliver on a 2004 Manifesto promise to bring late night tube trains on Fridays and Saturdays
• Failed to deliver on 2004 Manifesto pledge to increase the number of female bus drivers. The number has actually fallen.
• Failed to keep his promise made in 2003 (8 months before the last Mayoral election) on congestion charging to keep it to £5 per day. He raised it soon after re-election to £8 per day. The Mayor also U-turned on his 2004 Manifesto promise to retain the existing congestion charge residents’ discount.
• Failed to deliver on school travel plans. By 2009 he promised every school would have one. Currently only 53% of schools participate.
Furthermore after his re-election in 2004, the Mayor:
• Raised single bus journey costs by 20% Raised single tube fares by 50%. In total, this is a 100% increase in fare charges since May 2004 on the tubes and buses.
• Failed a commitment on the environment to expand the London schools environment programme to secondary schools. This expansion has not happened.
• Failed to stand up against controversial figures preaching hate. He invited Muslim Cleric Yusuf Al-Qaradawi to London – a man who supports the death penalty for homosexuals.
• Failed to promote a tolerant and cosmopolitan London by making anti-Semitic remarks more than once – firstly towards the Ruben Brothers and secondly to an Evening Standard journalist. The court case that followed cost the taxpayer £200,000.
• Failed to deliver on a key election pledge of introducing a ‘Culture Card’ in the Capital. This was promised at the last two election campaigns and has not materialised.
• Failed to protect taxpayers’ money – he spent nearly £50m on plans which have been shelved for the West London Crossing and Cross River Trams.
• Failed to protect taxpayers’ money – The Mayor promised to launch a campaign to with major private sector employees to give a second chance to Londoners who have been excluded from the Labour Market. This turned into a scheme called ‘Diversity Works’. It cost £9.8m to the London taxpayer and is currently under investigation by the police as part of the LDA financial mismanagement case.
Despite all of this failure it is, according to the poll alluded to here, still a very close contest.
So it is vital that every Boris supporter turns out to vote on 1 May.
To get the message out that we cannot afford to be complacent please pass this message along to all your friends and family!
I agree with every word of Roger's post. I was in the doctor's surgery today, so spent my waiting time drumming up votes for BJ. One lady said "I hate Ken, I was so disappointed he got in last time." I said !"Did you vote last time" and she replied "NO".
Why do people have this attitude? In Zimbabwe, some people walked for miles to make their vote. We are so lucky here because we have the freedom to vote and the certainty of seeing a fair result.
WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE THINK THEIR VOTES DON'T COUNT?
By the time I had finished mouthing off, everyone in that surgery at least was convinced of the important of voting, and quite a few of them PROMISED to get to the polls. This is how terrible things happen like the BNP sneaking in. I just pray the turnout is higher than the pathetic turnout last London Mayor's election.
Do people realise that the second vote doesn't make any difference unless it is for Ken or Boris? Also you have the right not to make a second choice?
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