Why the rush? Well, if the party was savvy it would pick a candidate by next year to effectively run as a 'Shadow Mayor' to Boris, scrutinising and commenting on his policies and building up his or her profile within the capital and country as a whole. This would allow it to choose a relatively unknown candidate rather than one solely based on celebrity.

A few runners and riders have already been mentioned including Ken's campaign manager, Tessa Jowell, who would have the national profile and strong experience on London issues and the Olympics and Oona King, who again would carry a weight of personality and has been a London MP. A wildcard choice might be Dave Rowntree, a PPC in London and perhaps better known as a member of Blur.

What is clear is that Labour will need someone who can appeal to the outer suburbs and the core vote, bridging together the successful coalition than Ken managed in 2000 and 2004. For my two cents I would suggest Steve Reed, the current leader of Lambeth Council. Steve might not be a household name but he has a proven record of winning for Labour (Lambeth was the only Labour gain the last time London councils went to the polls) and has made a significant impact in cutting crime in the area. Crucially, Steve also comes across as approachable and positive and would be able to relate to a wide section of the community.