A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left. Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

A serious candidate for a serious job

... was actually Nick Raynsford's slogan during the 24 hours at Labour Party Conference 1999 when he was running for Mayor of London.

But it would serve equally well for the contrast between Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson.

On the core issues that the Mayor actually has power over, Ken has a command of the policy detail and the way to actually make change happen and run a huge city that Boris hasn't even realised he needs, let alone started to acquire.

Evidence was yesterday's transport policy launch in Stratford. Dave Hill reports on what the Mayor had to say here: http://davehill.typepad.com/london3ms/2008/03/livingstones-tr.html

Out here at the grassroots the slumbering giant that is the London Labour Party is stirring into life - last night my constituency had a packed telephone voter ID session, tomorrow we hold an all-member mobilisation meeting, and this weekend we hope to deliver over 20,000 leaflets. It's all getting quite exciting.

9 Comments:

Blogger aredbridgeblue said...

It certainly ks getting exciting!
Excitement at unseating the bloated kletocracy in City Hall.
Excitement at the prospect of democratic London Government not tarnished by special interests. Excitemtn at moves towards a strike free TFL. If Lee Jasper has lent you money (unlikey I know!) get it back now, because he won't be there in June!

1:43 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is rubbish!

Ken has stolen half of Boris' manifesto and used it as his own, then had the nerve to attack Boris for not having any original ideas.

I hate to break it to you, KL is the one without a clue.

The reign of the reds will hopefully be up soon.

Vote 1 Boris Johnson

1:59 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reluctant though I am to use the pants on fire form of argument, I just can't help it!

Where does Ken get off accusing Boris of raising bus fares? Oh Oh Pinnochio, Boris has never ever said he would do that!

The only thing I do give Ken credit for is that he really does know how bright Boris is and that is why he jeers, but nicks all his ideas. It didn't work for Gordon Brown and it won't work this time.

The Veterans Card? Nicked off Boris.

Automated congestion charging? Nicked off Boris. He FOLLOWS BORIS'S LEAD over his cycle hire scheme (but offers less) he offers less on live bus tracking....TIMID AND UNADVENTUROUS.

Ken's manifesto is uncosted - SNEAKY. It is only 14 pages. LAZY He makes big pledges (extra carriages, new trains, new stations) without saying hwo he will pay for them.... DISHONEST.

NOT VERY PROMISING, is it Ken? The one thing he is going to copy from Boris that really will be a disaster, is dying his hair. IT JUST WON'T SUIT HIM. He will look bleached out and all his lines will show. Only young men look good with fair hair, anyway, look what going darker did for Brittany, It was the first sign of her career going down the pan poor baby!

5:03 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Blogger Merseymike said...

I really don't think that Ken needs to borrow anything from Boris. The man is a buffoon.

5:17 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Merseymike, but it is self-evident that he does need to.

5:22 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Blogger Merseymike said...

Well, no doubt you have all your 'proof' from your desk at Tory HQ. I can think of little worse for London than Boris - who is bright, no doubt, but simply not suited to run a major multicultural city. Stick to Henley.

5:28 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's all this fantasy about Ken keeping bus fares at 90p..?
I have to pay £2.00 just to go down one hill because I am on the outskirts of London at the end of the bus line. Another example of Ken being totally out of touch with Greater London. I have to pay the same amount that some people pay for a journey across the whole borough.

Also, next time Ken decides to send double-decker night buses to Greater London every half an hour throughout the early hours, could he actually make sure people will use them and maybe consult local residents first to see if they're wanted. All they do is keep us awake. No-one is on them. TfL's reply was that it would cost too much money to split the route up. I have that in writing too. Well thanks TfL.

The tiny lanes not fit to carry the day buses every 8minutes and night buses every half an hour are having to be repaired from our council tax.

And yet Ken banned lorries reversing down his road because of their annoying reverse alarms..

Kens reign is over..

6:40 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ken is a complete loon and there's no doubt about it. But having looked at the latest poll I'm sorry to say we'll be having another 4 years of him at least.

Maybe when London is literally void of business because no one wants to drive there you might just get another Mayor.

London is unique in that it is responsible for something like 80% of the countries GDP. A lot of this comes from the financial sector which is currently downsizing. Kens way of running London is fine while the bulk of the cash is coming via the financial institutions but what happens if that halves as predicted. Cafes,shops, tourism, industry relies on the ability of people being able to access london, make deliveries, and run reps down their.CHEAPLY.

I can name a few hundred London companies that have chosen to move out of London because of Ken. It's just too expensive to rep the London area these days and shopping can be done easier, quicker and cheaper out of the city.

10:30 pm, March 11, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Luke - your loyalty to the party is great - but you must know that if Livingstone wins the election - it will probably be his last term - and as such i suspect that those ultra left wingers around hime will be demanding, and getting, through absurd policies which will damage labour nationally. There are plenty of Labour party members who do not support him.

8:46 pm, March 15, 2008

 

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