London Mayor
Here's a quick breakdown of each of the main candidates for London Mayor and what they're about:
Ken Livingstone (Labour)
Ken is the Labour candidate and current Mayor. He was voted the first Mayor of London in 2000 and was re-elected in 2004. He is famous for many things, creating the Oyster Card system and introducing the Congestion Charge Zone. He's been controversial to say the least, he angered many car owners first by introducing a congestion charge zone, he then pushed them even further by increasing the price to enter for normal cars from £5 to £8 and now he wants to make it £25 for high carbon emitting vehicles.
He wants to help young people by extending the student travel discount to Oyster One Day Travel cards and keep free travel for young people under 18 on buses. Along with this he has said he will set up a £79m project to set up youth centres and improve youth services across the London.
His other polices include introducing Low Emission Zones, pledging to increase the police force on the beat and on public transport, he also wants to make 50% of new housing in London affordable housing.
His campaign has not just focused on policy though he just like Boris Johnson have been going at each other and trying to put voters off. Ken has also formed an alliance of sorts with Sian Berry they have both said it would be a disaster for London if Boris was voted Mayor and have told people to put each other as their second vote to make sure Boris doesn't get in!
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
Boris is the Conservative candidate for Mayor. Known for his frequent appearances on Have I Got News For You and much publicised “gaffes” that have led to him apologising to the people of Liverpool and Papa New Guinea, but he's tried to turn his image around since running for Mayor.
Boris believes that people have become distrustful of the Mayor because of the way Ken Livingstone has run City Hall and pledges to turn this all around by giving Londoners; more of a say, ending croynism in City Hall and restoring trust in how taxes payers money is spent.
His policies are wide ranging from wanting to give extra money and support to local community projects so young people have something to do and become more valued members of society to a zero-tolerance policy towards littering and graffiti.
The other things he wants to do as Mayor include phasing out the bendy buses in favour of 21st century Route Masters which will all have conductors aboard, Help first time buyers get onto the property ladder with the 'FirstSteps Housing Scheme' and build 50,000 affordable homes by 2011
With all these new policies you would think the days of 'Bumbling Boris' are over, or is still there underneath the surface?
Brian Paddick (Lib Dem)
Brian is the Lib Dem choice and an ex policeman, he is openly gay and resides in Vauxhall. He is championed for his work on equality and diversity and he is heavy on fighting crime having spent 30 years in service. He promises to cut crime by 5% every year and if this does not happen he will hold himself accountable.
His policies focus on housing, transport and the environment. On transport, he intends to procure the 90p journey on the bus for up to an hour and a half and a very exciting sounding cross-river tram project linking south and north London which will be supplemented by a light rail tramway from Oxford Street to Stratford and one from Waterloo to Deptford. And he intends to give Students free public travel!
In other policy areas Brian intends to reduce emissions by planting trees to restore character to our London and increased / better recycling facilities. He says he will take turn London's 83,580 empty properties into sustainable homes at affordable rents. He insists London's green spaces will not be built on but instead to certify the release of surplus public sector land to form new community land trusts. Which means that he would provide long term and low rent housing for Londoners. If Brian wins perhaps he can rejuvenate the image of the Lib Dems and contribute to a more powerful, electable party. If he does win, it will be exciting to see if this does make a difference.
Sian Berry (Green)
Sian Berry is the candidate for the Green Party in this race. Her self styled image is geeky cool even some have put it as 'environmental Viagra' and at 33 she is the youngest contender in the race. Her polices intend to make London a more affordable place to live. The Greens' key policies for the race are free insulation for all London homes to reduce carbon emission and cut down on bills and give free loans for people that want to make use of clean technology. She wants to stop all airport expansion too which is a Green national policy.
Sian, if elected, intends to reduce all bus and train fares in London. She says, 'will cut the cost of travel and reduce all bus and off-peak tube fares by 20p. I'lI also extend the student discount on buses from travelcards, to Oyster pay-as-you-go.
Well this seems pretty good and she has some other schemes tucked up her sleeve too like modeling London on a system in Paris where people travel around on free bikes.
One the policies that will probably have the most nods is her plan to increase the minimum wage to £7.20, this is a huge leap. Is it viable? It certainly should be, as we know, London is one the most expensive places in the world.
Let's face it, Sian probably won't win but she does have some good arguments. Essentially she wants a more humane and efficient society. Give it a few more years and maybe she will have a bit more of a fighting chance as politics becomes more issue-based and fragmented.
Gerard Batten (UKIP)
Mr Batten is UKIP's choice for London Mayor. He wants to abolish the GLA and instead have a Greater London Council GLC consisting of the original councillors. I am not sure I catch his drift here. He wants to hold much more referenda giving Londoners the choice on things like congestion charge and you guessed it… the Lisbon Treaty!! If he was mayor he says he will oppose all legislation from the EU to the 'utmost of his powers.' He says on his manifesto,
'I will put an end to minority politics and multiculturalism. There will be only one class of Londoner: those who live, work and pay taxes in London. And only one official language: English. As Mayor I will serve all Londoners equally without reference to their race or religion.'
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