This London Mayor business...

jejv

Il Principe wrote:

Ken's cosying up to dictators, anti-semitic rantings and penchant for cronyism and wastage doesn't really appeal.

But He's got a beautiful dog!



Never got the anti-semitic ranting. NewLab try to appeal to the brown leather vote, but I don't see how Ken thought the ranting would pay off for him.

rick_chasey

Il Principe wrote:

I'm torn. Can't vote for Ken though as his fare cuts promise is just ludicrous. Love or loathe our PT, it needs investment, taking money out of TFL to pay for fare cuts is only going to cause pain in the long-term. Channel 4's Fact Check blog looked into this a while back and their conclusion was damming: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/can-ken-livingstone-deliver-a-fare-deal-for-london Basically Ken is just saying this as a shameless vote winner, it suggests to me that he only cares about winning 4 years of power, and doesn't give a damn about the long-term.

On the whole, I'd rather have a Mayor who stands a chance of winning concessions from the Government than one who'll simply antagonise them. Ken's cosying up to dictators, anti-semitic rantings and penchant for cronyism and wastage doesn't really appeal.

Why/how are you torn? From the rest of what you write it seems quite clear which way you're going!

iPete

How cycle safety has gone up the election agenda in London
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17907614

Who wants to get the first tax/rlj/helmet comment in?

il_principe

Rick Chasey wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

I'm torn. Can't vote for Ken though as his fare cuts promise is just ludicrous. Love or loathe our PT, it needs investment, taking money out of TFL to pay for fare cuts is only going to cause pain in the long-term. Channel 4's Fact Check blog looked into this a while back and their conclusion was damming: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/can-ken-livingstone-deliver-a-fare-deal-for-london Basically Ken is just saying this as a shameless vote winner, it suggests to me that he only cares about winning 4 years of power, and doesn't give a damn about the long-term.

On the whole, I'd rather have a Mayor who stands a chance of winning concessions from the Government than one who'll simply antagonise them. Ken's cosying up to dictators, anti-semitic rantings and penchant for cronyism and wastage doesn't really appeal.

Why/how are you torn? From the rest of what you write it seems quite clear which way you're going!

Well I'm torn because BoJo's stance on traffic p1sses me right off, he's done naff all to bring TFL to heel. Jones appeals from a cycling perspective and from a few others, but she's not got a hope in hell. Paddick, well he doesn't seem to do anything other than bang on about being an ex copper. I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

rick_chasey

Il Principe wrote:

I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

Tend to agree there.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Il Principe wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

I'm torn. Can't vote for Ken though as his fare cuts promise is just ludicrous. Love or loathe our PT, it needs investment, taking money out of TFL to pay for fare cuts is only going to cause pain in the long-term. Channel 4's Fact Check blog looked into this a while back and their conclusion was damming: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/can-ken-livingstone-deliver-a-fare-deal-for-london Basically Ken is just saying this as a shameless vote winner, it suggests to me that he only cares about winning 4 years of power, and doesn't give a damn about the long-term.

On the whole, I'd rather have a Mayor who stands a chance of winning concessions from the Government than one who'll simply antagonise them. Ken's cosying up to dictators, anti-semitic rantings and penchant for cronyism and wastage doesn't really appeal.

Why/how are you torn? From the rest of what you write it seems quite clear which way you're going!

Well I'm torn because BoJo's stance on traffic p1sses me right off, he's done naff all to bring TFL to heel. Jones appeals from a cycling perspective and from a few others, but she's not got a hope in hell. Paddick, well he doesn't seem to do anything other than bang on about being an ex copper. I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

Don't vote for a Green. That's a wasted vote. So is LD in this one. It's a two horse race, and the choice is between someone you can't vote for and someone who merely pisses you off.

Easy choice.

BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO...

That's "Vote for Boris Johnson", just in case you were wondering. Then we can have more videos of him telling the BBC that their news reporter's questions are "fcuking boll0cks". He used the right characters in the right order though, 'cos he is dead well-educated and clever.

veronese68

Il Principe wrote:

I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

This ^

bails87

Greg66 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Well I'm torn because BoJo's stance on traffic p1sses me right off, he's done naff all to bring TFL to heel. Jones appeals from a cycling perspective and from a few others, but she's not got a hope in hell. Paddick, well he doesn't seem to do anything other than bang on about being an ex copper. I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

Don't vote for a Green. That's a wasted vote. So is LD in this one. It's a two horse race, and the choice is between someone you can't vote for and someone who merely pisses you off.

Easy choice.

BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO...

That's "Vote for Boris Johnson", just in case you were wondering. Then we can have more videos of him telling the BBC that their news reporter's questions are "fcuking boll0cks". He used the right characters in the right order though, 'cos he is dead well-educated and clever.

Isn't this where the AV (or whatever it is) system comes into it's own? IP can give JJ vote 1 (if he wants) because that sounds like his preferred candidate. And then vote 2 can go to Boris because IP would rather Boris than Ken (a poke in the eye rather than a kick in the balls).

Not telling IP how to vote, just thinking that the AV means excluding people on the basis of "they won't get many votes" isn't necessary.

bails87

Veronese68 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

This ^

Same goes for the Tories

rjsterry

Greg66 wrote:

Don't vote for a Green. That's a wasted vote. So is LD in this one. It's a two horse race, and the choice is between someone you can't vote for and someone who merely pisses you off.

Ah, the Chirac Position; clothes pegs at the ready, whichever side of that choice you sit on.

BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO,
BO-JO, BO-JO...

Concise, and erm... no we'll go with concise.

veronese68

bails87 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

This ^

Same goes for the Tories

True, but you can understand letting the winner have another go. But, why let someone that failed last time around bugger it up again?
There was an independent that DDD linked to a while back that looked more sensible than this lot. Even less chance than the Greens though.

SimonAH

Are some of you seriously considering voting for the newt fancier? Good grief but memories are short!

Even if he were a million times better for cyclists than any of his opposition he is also as sane as Gaddafi in the final months....for the greater picture you might as well elect the love child of Stalin and Screaming Lord Sutch.

At least Boris only pretends to be bonkers.

greg66_tri_v2.0

SimonAH wrote:

Are some of you seriously considering voting for the newt fancier? Good grief but memories are short!

Couldn't. Agree. More.

His so-called cycling manifesto has a load of stuff about reducing the speed limit to 20 mph. If he spent some time riding around London, he might find that a lot of cyclists (to whom a revised speed limit wouldn't apply outside a Royal Parks-style bye-law) go a fair bit faster than 20mph, and it is pretty unusual for traffic to be sufficiently light (at least outside bedtime hours) for cars to go faster than 20 mph.

I'm afraid that, perhaps cynically (moi?) I see Ken's apparent love of cycling to be little more than a weapon he has realised that the can use in his war against motorised vehicles that aren't buses.

bigmat

Rick Chasey wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

I'm a tad annoyed that Labour/Lib Dems couldn't come up with anyone new, wheeling out the same people as last time? FFs.

Tend to agree there.

+1

clarkey cat

all of the Hoorays that were campaigning for Bozzer last time around are conspicuous by their absence now... they've probably all moved out to the Home Counties by now.

veronese68

SimonAH wrote:

Are some of you seriously considering voting for the newt fancier? Good grief but memories are short!

No, I think he's a lunatic. Power went to his head and he seems to think being London's supreme being is some sort of divine rite he has. I will end up effectively wasting my vote with regards to the two horse race. But, I will go and vote all the same. In doing so I will register my dislike for the main candidates.

davmaggs

The SW in using the survey to see which candidate suits you, is that Ken simply won't stick to his policies. Love him or hate him, his track record is of doing what he wants.

rick_chasey

Anyone got any ideas as to why it's the same candidates as last time?

Borris is obvious - and he loves combo of distance from the cabinet and the high profile nature of it - gives him a platform to outshine Cameron without getting his ears clipped.

Same with Ken - he can do his own version of Labour and there's not much they can do about it.

Paddick - his background and rhetoric basically means he's got London stamped through him like a stick of rock.

I wonder if the others feel it doesn't get them where they want to go, esp. if you have your heart set on policy.

It's particularly heavy on personality, and that can be tricky for a lot of politicians - since most are probably quite dull. Perhaps they see the downside - offering to move away from potential cabinet roles to local politics and getting trounced anyway, the heavy focus on personality, limited scope for actual change, distance from the HoC, as bigger than the upsides for most of them?

I thinking out loud a bit. I just don't see many other politicians jumping at the chance to run for mayor...

bails87

Rick Chasey wrote:

I thinking out loud a bit. I just don't see many other politicians jumping at the chance to run for mayor...

What power does the mayor actually have? Some leverage over TfL and.....?

rick_chasey

bails87 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I thinking out loud a bit. I just don't see many other politicians jumping at the chance to run for mayor...

What power does the mayor actually have? Some leverage over TfL and.....?

As of Thursday the head of the met too.

That's the point really. It's a really high profile local politics role. Hence the heavy on the personality, light on everything else.

Presumably that's why we're getting reasonably extreme candidates from the big two.

Edit: and I guess also the extreme candidates reflect the pretty extreme groups in London.

bails87

I was just wondering how much of a 'show' role it was. Being a face for the city, rather than being in 'proper' government and having a proper department, and a clearly defined role. And how much that might explain the lack of competition for the chance to be a candidate.

rick_chasey

bails87 wrote:

I was just wondering how much of a 'show' role it was. Being a face for the city, rather than being in 'proper' government and having a proper department, and a clearly defined role. And how much that might explain the lack of competition for the chance to be a candidate.

Exactly.

rjsterry

clarkey cat wrote:

all of the Hoorays that were campaigning for Bozzer last time around are conspicuous by their absence now... they've probably all moved out to the Home Counties by now.

Seem to remember Mrs RJS reporting a herd of them getting their feet dirty on Sutton High Street at the general election. I think the general impression was that they seemed like they had been parachuted in with very limited briefing. They did not blend in.

DonDaddyD

I'm voting for the independent Siobhan Benita.

Can't make up my mind who else I should vote for...

bobinski

iPete wrote:

I commute from too far out of London to vote but given that I doubt Jenny could win, I'd vote Ken seeing as he'd appoint Jenny as his Transport thingamabobwhatsit but I've not read enough about any of them to make an informed vote..

+1 just on understanding he appoints Jenny.

sketchley

To me the decision is easy, anyone but ken, can't stand the self serving hypocrite. As boris is the only one with a realistic option of beating him, that's where my vote is going regardless of any policy or party allegiance I may or may not have.

Punters on befair have him at 1.24 compared to ken who is 5.3, I tend to trust people who put money on things over polls. So looks like Boris has it by some margin.

Initialised

Your mayor is...

60% Jenny Jones
20% Ken Livingstone
20% Brian Paddick

Not that I live in London any more, but I'd be voting green if I did.

Anonymous

You CANNOT cut fares. Short of rebuilding the entire network, it needs the fare money just to pay for the renovations. Let alone the drivers (let's not go there).

In all honesty, there is no REAL need (any more) for London to be so car friendly, which obviously is bias, and, as discussed on every commuter, protest and we hate taxi thread means the following:

More bikes (yay)
No parking issues, so shops don't feel that the 'traffic' is stopping their business
More use of the underground, more revenue there - money to invest in better trains (I believe they are rolling the ones like there is in Barcelona - fully open plan).
Faster taxi/bus journeys above ground

But what we need to look at, which is probably the most important thing here, is the legacy of these plans and our future + offspring. I mean every investment initiative is so bloody short sighted its a wonder its not over before it begins.
The fact is, (or is it?) if politicians decided to cosy up to the electorate, they wouldn't need their pockets lined by big businesses, because their policies would stand alone.
If they could look at the olympics and say : heck it, lets blow the budget by 4x, not just 3, but lets make it LAST for the WHOLE of London, maybe even outside the M25, I mean, everyone has to pay for it. Lets at least try and not piss EVERYONE off.
I mean East london is gonna be kick ass in a few years, which is lovely, but the new kings road will still buckle my rear wheel every time I cycle home, and the 2->1 traffic lanes will still happen just past battersea bridge.

I was in barcelona last weekend and looked at the Olympic park and it is stunning, truly. Sh!ts all over ours (I did the national lottery run, so I've seen it). And its abandoned. Immaculate but totally empty. Think 28 days later. Pretty eerie really. That's all I can see of our London in 5 years time. Which is why I perhaps misguidedly like Boris' ideas. Cycleathon using the olympic route once a year. (Does he have any other ideas?) Imagine the signup rates. I'd sure as hell pay.
Why not rent out the stadiums to schools? 1 or 2 a weekend from Easter to Autumn for sports days, for a nominal fee for the weekend? £1000? £500? £100? Who cares. I'd rather see my money go towards and some happy kid running round a stadium for a loss then watch it decay along with an empty park.


Anyway, RC - we had the lib dem guy at my house and he didn't even mention a word about what the policies were. He's on your turf, too if you are H+F flyer man.

Agent57

I don't live in London (although my sister lives in Hackney, so I have some interest), but:

60% Jenny Jones
20% Ken Livingstone
10% Boris Johnson
10% Brian Paddick

I'm not a vegetarian.

MaxwellBygraves

I'm not gonna wade into a debate over who to vote for, but I just wanted to point something out thats getting overlooked.

The vote for London Mayor uses the single transferable vote system which is a form of proportional representation. This means that unless a single candidate polls a majority (of 50% I think) then the votes of the top two candidates (so Boris and Ken) are topped up with the second preferences votes of those who put someone else as their first preference.

What this means in practice is that you can vote both with your heart and your head. Obviously if you want to vote Boris or Ken then that's fine and the end of the matter. But if your heart says, say, Jenny Jones you can vote for her as first preference and then still influence the outcome of the election by putting Boris or Ken as your second preference.

So for everyone saying that they would like to vote for the Greens, Lib Dems, independents or whoever, please do. Just make sure you put either Ken or Boris depending on your preference as your second choice and you still have a say.

Unfortunately, we don't yet have a more proportional voting system in a general election as we still use the draconian first past the post system. But yeah anyway. Vote wisely!