TODAY, the Labour Party announced that Ken Livingstone is to be their candidate for the London mayoral elections in 2012.
Livingstone, who served two terms in office between 2000 and 2008 won 68.8% of the votes, defeating his rival, the former MP Oona King. It seems that Labour and London cannot shake off Mr Livingstone, having served as the first Mayor and previously as leader of the Greater London Council in the eighties he just keeps coming back.
So expect a rematch of the 2008 elections as Ken and Boris fight for City Hall, again. In his acceptance speech Ken stated; "everywhere you look Boris has broken promises and taken his axe to services Londoners rely on". Livingstone attacked Johnson for the cuts that are to hit Londoners in the year ahead. Mr Johnson did not comment on the event but a deputy said; “choosing to exhume Ken Livingstone is a very odd decision”. Unfortunately, we probably have two years of this tit for tat and Livingstone’s criticisms of Boris to look forward to, even if he does promises an ideological rather then personality contest.
Tomorrow is an even bigger day for the Labour Party, as they announce the results of their leadership contest. Rumours suggest that Ed Miliband will beat his older brother (and front runner for most of the campaign) David. Whoever wins, the party hopes to heal the deep wounds left by Gordon Brown’s defeat at the elections as they try and form a credible opposition to the coalition government.
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