London Mayoral Election
The Mayor of London is elected using a supplementary vote system by residents of Greater London. The position was created in 2000, the first directly elected mayor in the UK. Voters have first and second preference votes, with the second preferences of votes for all but the top two candidates being re-allocated after the first round of counting.
Boris Johnson has served as Mayor of London since 2008, having defeated the first holder of the post Ken Livingstone, who had held the position since in 2000. Livingstone had initially ben elected as an Independent, having failed to secure the Labour nomination and gone back on an undertaking not to stand against the official Labour candidate. He was subsequently re-admitted to the Labour party and secured a second term as the official Labour candidate.
Current Mayor: Boris Johnson (Conservative) born 1964, New York, USA. Son of Stanley Johnson, former MEP and Conservative candidate in Teignbridge in 2005. Educated at Eton and Oxford, a contemporary of David Cameron. Author, television presenter and journalist. Worked as a columnist on the Daily Telegraph and as editor of The Spectator. Instantly recognisable by his dishevelled appearance, blond thatch of hair and bumbling public-schoolboy mannerisms, he has become a media celebrity through appearances on Have I Got News For You and tendency to make gaffes. As shadow minister for arts under Michael Howard he survived being made to publically apologise to Liverpool over an editoral in the Spectator that accused them of wallowing in victimhood, but not the revelation (that he had previously described as “an inverted pyramid of piffle”) that he had been conducting an affair with Petronella Wyatt. Appointed shadow minister for higher education in 2005-2007. Mayor of London since 2008. Contested Clywd South in 1997. MP for Henley 2001 to 2008.
Ken Livingstone (Labour) born 1945, Lambeth. Educated at Tulse Hill Comprehensive and then trained as a teacher. Former Lambeth and Camden councillor. GLC member for Norwood from 1973-1977. GLC member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington 1977-1981. GLC member for Paddington 1981-1986. Contested Parliamentary seat in Hampstead 1979. Contested leadership of the Labour group on the GLC in 1980, losing to Andrew McIntosh. The day after Labour’s victory in the GLC elections of 1981 he successfully challenged McIntosh to become the leader of the GLC. Livingstone led a left-wing populist regime in County Hall with a tendency toward symbolic acts of defiance towards the Conservative government it faced across the Thames. Livingstone’s policy of subsidised public transport fayres was struck down as unlawful, he declared London a nuclear free zone and extended an official inviation to Gerry Adams at a time when he was banned from the mainland. Livingstone resigned as leader and from the GLC in 1984 to fight a by-election on the issue of opposing the abolition of the GLC. Livingstone won the by-election, but the GLC was abolished at the end of 1986.
Brian Paddick (Liberal Democrat) born 1958, Balham. Educated at Bec Grammar School , Sutton Manor High School and Oxford University. A former police officer, he served as Police Commander for the borough of Lambeth from 2000-2002 and Deputy Assistant Commissioner from 2003-2007. During his time in charge of policing in Lambeth he persued a softly-softly approach to drug use, not arresting or charging people for cannabis possession, and became known as one of the most senior openly gay police officers.
Gerard Batten (UKIP) born 1954, London. Former British Telecom salesman. Contested Barking by-election 1994, Harlow 1997, West Ham 2001, Dagenham 2005. MEP for the London Region since 2004.
Lindsey German (Left List) born 1951, London. Former editor of Socialist Review. Convenor of the Stop the War Coalition. Contested London Mayoral election 2004 as the Respect candidate. Contested West Ham 2005 for Respect. The Respect party split in late 2007, the party’s nominating officer is loyal to the George Galloway faction, leaving members of the SWP faction like German unable to stand under the Respect banner. Respect candidates from the SWP faction will contest the GLA elections under the name The Left List.
Richard Barnbrook (BNP) born 1961, Catford. Educated at the Royal Academy of Art. Art lecturer and sculptor. Barking and Dagenham councillor and BNP group leader since 2006.
Sian Berry (Green) born 1974, Cheltenham. Educated at Pate’s Grammar School and Trinity College, Oxford. Former medical copywriter, now a website manager. Principle Speaker of the Green party since 2007. Contested Hampstead and Highgate 2005. Also running for the London assembly.
Alan Craig (Christian People’s Alliance) Educated at Newcastle University. Former businessman and warden in a young offender institution. Newham councillor. Leader of the Christian People’s Alliance. Also standing for the London assembly.
Matt O’Connor (English Democrats) born 1967. Former marketing executive. Founder of Fathers 4 Justice. Announced he would stop campaigning and withdraw from the race on the 25th April having fallen out with the party leadership.
Winston Mckenzie (Independent) born 1953, Jamacia. Former amateur boxer and hairdresser. Formerly ran a bar and gym in Thornton Heath, now establishing himself as a oil negotiator. Serial party member, having been a member of the Labour party, the Liberal Democrats, Veritas and the Conservatives. Contested Brent East by-election 2003 as an Independent, Croydon North for Veritas in 2005. Resigned from Veritas before rejoining to unsucessfully contest the party leadership. Unsucessfully auditioned for the X Factor in 2005. Unsuccessfully sought Conservative mayoral nomination in 2007 before leaving to stand as an independent.
Steve Norris (Conservative) born 1945, Liverpool. Educated at Liverpool Institute for Boys and Oxford University. Former Volkswagen salesman, later Chairman of construction firm Jarvis plc. Elected to Berkshire county council 1977. MP for Oxford East 1983-1987. MP for Epping Forest 1988-1997. Junior transport minister 1992-1994, Minister of State for Transport 1994-1997. Contested London Mayoral election 2000, 2004. During the media frenzy of exposing Conservative MPs misbehaviour in the 1990s it was revealed that Norris had, over the years, had no fewer than five mistresses, leading to the nickname “Shagger” Norris.
Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat) born 1951, Cheshire. Educated at Llandaff Cathedral School and Cambridge University. Barrister. The second longest serving Liberal Democrat MP, Hughes was first elected to Parliament in the notorious 1983 Bermondsey by-election. Environment spokesman 1983-1988, education spokesman 1988-1992, environment spokesman 1992-1994, health spokesman 1994-1997, home affairs spokesman 1997-2003. He contested the London Mayoral election in 2004. President of the Liberal Democrats since 2004. Contested the Liberal Democrat leadership elections of 1999 and 2006, during which he was outed by the Sun newspaper.
Frank Maloney (UKIP) born Peckham. Boxing manager and promoter, managed Lennox Lewis 1989-2001. Subsequently resigned from UKIP.
Julian Leppert (BNP) postal worker. Subsequently contested Epping Forest 2005 and was elected as a Redbridge councillor in 2006.
Darren Johnson (Green) born 1966 Educated at Goldsmiths College. Principle speaker for the Green party 2002. Contested London mayoral election 2000, 2004. List London Assembly member since 2000. Lewisham councillor since 2002 and leader of the Green group on Lewisham council. Will contest Lewisham Deptford at next election.
Ram Gidoomal (Christian People’s Alliance) born 1950, Kenya. Came to Britain as a refugee in 1967. Educated at Aga Khan School, Mombassa, Christopher Wren Comprehensive, Shepherd’s Bush and Imperical College. Banker and businessman. Awarded the CBE for services to business in 1998. Leader of the CPA 2000-2004.
Lorna Reid (Independent Working Class Association) Advice worker.
Tammy Nagalingam (Independent) born Sri Lanka. Doctor.
Frank Dobson (Labour) born 1940, York. Educated at Archbishop Holgate’s Grammar School and the LSE. Worked for the Electricty board prior to his election. Camden councillor 1971-75, council leader 1973-1975. First elected as MP for Holborn and St Pancras South in 1979. Spokesman on various issues throughout the 1980s, he was appointed Secretary of State for health on Labour’s election victory in 1997. He remained in post for only two years before being pursuaded to stand for London Mayor. He won the Labour nomination against Ken Livingstone, but was decisively beaten in the actual election. Since then he has been a regular critic of the government and opponant of the war in Iraq
Susan Kramer (Lib Dem) born 1950, London. Educated at St Paul’s and Oxford University. Former Vice-President of Citibank and Director of International Capital Partners, a company advising on infrastructure in Eastern Europe. Stood for London Mayor in 2000. Contested London in 1999 European elections. Contested Dulwich and West Norwood 1997. First elected as MP for Richmond Park in 2005. Liberal Democrat trade and industry spokesman 2006-7, transport 2007-
Michael Newland (BNP) Former building contractor. Treasurer and national press officer of the BNP. Subsequently resigned from the BNP in 2000 after raising questions over the use of party funds and joined the Freedom Party.
Damian Hockney (UKIP) Magazine publisher, plastic surgery affectionado and former Eurovision song contest entrant. A former member of the Conservative party, contested Pendle for the Referendum party in 1997. Contested Kesington and Chelsea for UKIP in the 1999 by-election and 2001 election. Contested London majoral election in 2000. Subsequently elected as a UKIP Londonwide member of the London assembly in 2004, he defected to Robert Kilroy Silk’s Veritas party in 2005 and served as deputy leader until Kilroy’s resignation in 2005. He subsequently founded the One London party in 2005.
Geoffrey Ben-Nathan (Pro-motorist and Small Shop)
Ashwin Tanna (Independent) Pharmacist. Subsequently contested Brent East for UKIP in 2001.
Geoffrey Clements (Natural Law Party) Educated at the University of Sussex. Leader of the Natural Law party. Contested London in 1999 European elections. Contested Southport 1992, Buckingham 1997.
The scheme is intended and priced to be used only for short, quick journeys and the British Museum is quite a major destination so there are likely to be bikes ending their trips there as well as begining. Most stands I pass (there are loads and loads) seem to have a good supply and there are also trucks that move bikes from overstretched stands to empty ones. Another interesting thing is that, at many smaller stands you can see sections of pavement where space has clearly been left for further docks to be fitted if required.
There have been some teething troubles but ultimately I think the biggest complaints will end up being from people in the Zone 2-3 “Bike Belt” which the scheme does not yet cover. I foresee a clamour of people calling for Cycle Hire to be extended to areas like Camden, Islington and Battersea.
The bike scheme is a well meaning idea, but I do worry about the safety implications of encouraging tourists to cycle around a city they don’t know well, where the roads are pretty dangerous, without helmets.
As a Lib Dem, I ought to be applauding it. But we certainly shouldn’t rule out the possibility that the benefits (in terms of convenience as well as environmentally) don’t necessarily outweigh the safety concerns. I hope I’m wrong on this though.
I’ve been using it and it’s excellent.
But they do need to deal with pinch points,
it can be difficult to dock your bike at Waterloo station even if you try 5 or 6 different stations.
But I think it can be done quite easily by going round in the lorry collecting surplus bikes (and then putting them back at night).
We have to have some patience with it as it’s very difficult do judge demand at the start, but they need to deal with this issue as it would truly be a victim of it’s success as people fear they can’t return their bikes.
I’m sure all this data is being monitored though.
If it really takes off further, then I guess they’ll add more stands and bikes.
It’s rather like being on a scooter without a motor.
SIr Norfolk – I think we need to trust it,
the roads will get safer as more people claim the streets with it,
Perhaps we should warn people – even more strongly – in no uncertain terms that they should wear a helmet.
In central London the roads are usually at a standstill anyway so there’s minimal danger of getting hit other than by a pedestrian.
Certainly though for various safety, environmental and health reasons we should be looking at a lot more bike/pedestrian zones in central London and excluding cars where possible. I am not anti-car, although I feel it enslaves as much as it frees us, but the more I see of congestion, noise and the genuinely dangerous air quality in Zone 1, the more I think that cars have just become inappropriate. In any other British town or city a car-free central area would not be even slightly controversial, in fact allowing motor vehicles through the main shopping street would
often seem like a trip to the 1970s.