I like some of the things that Ken Livingstone has done with regards to London Transport.
I am not that much into politics but i know Ken has said some things that were pretty close to the edge in the past and what he said was probably in bad taste but i never really had him down as a racist or somebody who really had ill intent when he said these things.
I think voting for him could be a case for some of voting for the devil you know rather than the devil that you don't know. I am sure you have all heard of that saying before and i don't mean it in any other context.
I like the fact that the Olympics games is coming to the East End of London in 2012.
I have also been thinking of voting for somebody really random or not at all.
If i did vote for KL i doubt would Labour for anything else though.

Who said to much choice is bad for you (oh yeah my nan)

1.Alan Craig Christian Choice

2.Boris Johnson
Conservatives

3.Brian Paddick
Liberal Democrats

4.Gerard Batten UKIP

5.Ken Livingstone Labour

6.Lindsey German
Left List party

7.Matt O'Connor
English Democrats

8.Richard Barnbrook BNP

9.Sian Berry Greens

10.Winston McKenzie Independent

Ok you have already eliminated two, Labour and Conservatives. I am sure you won't be voting for the BNP So that leaves 7.

Given the Greens are backing Labour, I'm guessing you'd not vote for them. So that means you only have 6 candidates to consider. 4 if you discount the English Democrats and UKIP

Winston McKenzie Independant (sounds like a brother)

Alan Craig Christian Choice

Brian Paddick Lib Dems

Lindsy Germain Left List Party



If none of the mayoral candidates gets more than 50% of votes at the first count, all but the top two candidates are knocked out and their second preference votes shared out.
Their deposits are refunded if they get 5% of first-choice votes. Several candidates are also standing for a seat on the London Assembly, made up of 14 constituency members and 11 on the London-wide "top up" list - elected by proportional representation

Hey the Independant candidate is a brother...from his website seems he is a Mohammed Ali wannabe.

But he does have plans for the C' Charge system. And he claims to be ruthless on Gun Knife Crime issues.

Winston Mckenzie 4 Mayor

Brian Paddick got a face book video on crime in the city...I was just about to write he looks like police and hey! he is ex police.

BrianPaddick.org - Join Us

Alan Craig and the Christian Peoples Alliance...I'm saying nothing
http://www.cpaparty.org.uk

Lindsay German Usual socialist stuff, spending more money on public services, housing ect (enough to scare most people)

Lindsey4London.org - Home

If none of the mayoral candidates gets more than 50% of votes at the first count, all but the top two candidates are knocked out and their second preference votes shared out.
Their deposits are refunded if they get 5% of first-choice votes. Several candidates are also standing for a seat on the London Assembly, made up of 14 constituency members and 11 on the London-wide "top up" list - elected by proportional representation

think i'll be voting for boris. i want ken out

i'll have to have a thorough wash after doing so though but needs must

Still think Ken is the least worst option out of a pretty ropey selection of candidates, but that is hardly good news as I think he has run out of steam and the next four years would be one term of office too many. He is showing signs of defaulting to his 1980s GLC mode, though his (and Labour's) problem is that there is no obvious successor, much less someone else who actually wants the job and could have a decent stab at it. Ken still has those things in his favour.

He has consistently played the 'London as global city' card, and so has spent more time cultivating the City rather than the grass roots over the last eight years. Sometimes he's been good at it, and he stood out in the aftermath of 7/7, but not any more. I'd expect a grand departure at the 2012 Olympics if he gets in this time, and that is not certain by any means.

Personally I'd hope that any Africans with political ambitions get their act together at borough level, at least for as long as boroughs continue to exist in their present form. For the most part we are too dispersed to get together any real clout, save for a couple of boroughs like Lambeth or Croydon.

SoulRebel...excuse me if i state that because Ken is the least worse of a 'bad bunch' that is no reason to vote for the man.... I think Londoners and Black people have for too long accepted this second best arguement and in effect sold our votes too cheaply..its time to make these jokers earn OUR collective vote... Hell i'd even vote Green..and I hate the green party just to make these jokers wake up to reality...

Well, I'm shocked by some of the responses here. We would rather vote for someone that hates our very being than a guy who has proven himself capable of running this city and has continuously shown his support for multi culturalism and equal opportunities. Think about the Evening Standard campaign, they were playing the race card on behalf of Boris Johnston and the Conservative party by villyfying a black guy whom they found an easy target and whom they did not want occupying such a close position to one of the most influential politicians in this country. Whatever your personal opinion of Lee Jasper there is no denying he was targeted because he is black. I'm not saying Ken has got evrything right,which politician ever does.? But as far as they go, Ken is one of those I would trust the most. Which policitcian does not have cronies? I find it incomprehensible that so many people cannot see the importance of this election and keeping Boris Johnston out, why can't we see the future and the consequence of our actions now. This is only a 2horse race. The green party or likes of Winston Mackenzie does not stand a chance. Winston Mackenzie is a chancer, he was with Labour, then moved to Conservative and now is an Independent. He clearly blows with the wind. By giving your votes to any of these people, or refusing to vote you are clearly allowing Boris Johnston in the front door.
Another thing, I strongly feel Boris Johnston got pushed into this position and was not really interested but right-winged politics and media has forced it this far. What kind of Mayor will we have that by his track record of foolish and pathetic behaviour is clearly not fit for the job.

I plan to ruin my ballot paper by adding a box at the bottom labelled "None of the Above" or change my name to Montgomery Brewster decide to blow a million and run myself.

Paws: to be honest I'm shocked that you're 'shocked' I'm glad if you trust Ken..however I have seen nothing witness nothing that is trust worthy about the man.. if we are going to measure the Candidates on trust worthyness..then I state categorically now..KEN is proven on record to be the least TRUST WORTHY candidate bar none...

Lets detail this shall we..He became the leader of the old GLC..by effectively commiting a coup, on the the leader we voted in literally days after the Labour GLC was elected... As an OLD tenant of the GLC.. i have to say i wasn't impressed that he let my estate run itself into the floor whilst spending stupid money on every other friging group that begged him for money... There is no point talking equality when I have walk into urine smelling lift day after day with my child .with NF dawbed all over the lift and the n word plaster in plain sight...when i had to run the gauntlet of NF attacks routinely...I don't want to hear we are the world i want bloody action..

Lets move on..shall we...because i could talk all day about the GLC ...Lets talk about the same KEN we agreed..to abide by the election rule before he became mayor of London.. the back tracked when he was soundly beaten and ran against the man who beat him...

This is also the same Ken who said i would only run for TWO terms and is now running for a third....

The same TrustWORTHY ken who defended the shoot dead of an innocent man no less than seven times in the head..in what had to be by the kestone cops.. But Blair is the best man for the job... another serial liar and joker if ever there was one!!!

The same Ken who said he would not get rid of the routemaster bus..then got rid of them in double quick when he came into office...in favour of what BENDY buses wow!!!

The same Ken who said he would not increase the C charge then increased it when he got back in on his second term of office... then made it bigger against the will of the people...

The same Ken who tried and failed to make the case for a street party to be held in a park.. then went about sabotaging the event year on year to get his own way..and because it wasn't happening quick enough for his liking..then set his lapdog Lee I've nothing to hide jasper to attack the commitees competency and its commitee live on radio numerous times...

The same Ken who decided to have an event for Black people but then 'dis invitended' our for most scholar on the say so of the Jewish lobby.. The man didn't get a chance to make a case...

the same Trust worthy KEN who won the Olympic for LONDON hurrah...then put £20 on my council tax...and I already know that this £20 levy is way too low, and the budget for the Olympic unrealistic..so I'm waiting for TRUST WORTHY ken to tell us the truth that they are going to increase the Olympic levy on us to pay for their horlick...I lie then mark my words...and wait!!!

The same Ken who year on year has co hosted the Educating the Black child conference with fellow hypcrite and royal piss take..Diane my son's too good for you Abbot..and what has come out of these annual events except promises..talk and bullshit... youth on youth killing up.. youth on youth crime out of control... and number target with a bullet young BLACK males...

What pray tell has Jasper..or Trust worthy KEN done to deserve either our support or our vote.....you're SHOCKED!!! you need to wake up and remove your head from Ken arse..then you won't be 'shocked' when BLACK opinion smacks you in the face!!!

I dislike boris..i have nothing in common with the middle class twat.. but how is he going to be WORSE than the same TRUST worthy KEN who has effectively stood by and said nothing in the face of the delunge of racist legislation proposed by the equally racist Labour party....GTFOH wid your SHOCKED!!!

Joker...

I got that.....though we all know that alienation from the political process is a big issue.....and I'm of the belief that passing up on your right to vote is not something to boast about......but the fact that so many do means that we get what we get to some degree. Part of me doesn't care who wins so long as there's a decent turnout, cos that's what would make them begin to listen......

Plus Ken, for all his faults, is far and away the most adept politician in the whole field.....the fact that he's still in with a shout is testament to that......love him or loathe him he has his fans, and you know what he stands for....ain't too many politicians you can say that about these days. As much as I could criticise him, part of me rates him too if I'm honest....

Soulrebel..I'm just not buying that at all...on two fronts..

1. If anyone should be ashamed it should be the politicians like the liared Blair..who virtually single handed destroyed so called democacry in the uk....if there is a greater apapthy towards elections and willing unwilling to vote then Blair and to some extend Ken must take the blame... you cannot so publically undermine the process the way they did..and expect people to keep wanting to vote...

2. sorry but i'm just buying KEN the man of the people bit..sorry but no way!! he is a proven serial liar FACT!! it is a mistake to vote for him as the preferred candidate.. he is dishonest and an opportunist, he has DONE nothing to earn our vote.. and I'm damned sure if it wasn't such a close context he wouldn't be demanding our vote now...

The one thing that the Jasper debarcle has highlighted if NOTHING else is just what a gravey train this GLA malackey has been, if you're in the KNOW... but if you're not one of the favoured N.....Rs then you get jack and you get dis inivited to key events...and i have to say the SELL OUT simon wooley a cohort of his..is NOT an advert to vote Ken.. Lee i just got the boot Jasper an even bigger disinsentive... and the other jokers mentioned in this jasper debarcle i haven't even heard of....so what are they doing for US?

Forum...here's my point honestly we should not be voting for Labour because we fear what the Tories might do.. We should not be voting labour because traditionally it was once the home of the black vote.. and we should definately NOT be voting Ken or labour when they have not even attempted to court our vote.....

Surely people should have learnt the lessons of 1997 by now..we voted in Blair in the mistaken belief that he would be BETTER than Major and Thatcher before him... and the facts are he was FAR WORSE...and that was with numerous BLACK MPs in parliment and in the LABOUR cabinet....

We even had a BLACK Home office minister stand shoulder to shoulder with MET police Condon and plead for the man in light of the Lawrence debarcle.. let me repeat that a BLACK HOME OFFICE minister DEFENDING blatant racism and police ineptitude..... If we didn't learn from that seminal moment we are collectively stupid!!!

So i ask again what has LABOUR or KEN done to EARN our vote? Do not VOTE labour in the mistaken belief that somehow they are 'better' than the BNP or the Tories... anyone doing so really deserves a kick and everything they get from another four years of KEN...

Ken has to go... and we have to smarten up and STOP voting on the past and vote on the present....Ken does not deserve our vote..Labour does not deserve our support..and it time to STOP giving them both cheaply...