Ken 2012

lambethlife Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 11:48:15 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

According to the paper today Ken Livingstone is all set to run again as Mayor in 2012 - http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jul/18/livingstone.london



This would, I think, be good news for London and for the Labour Party and would knock on the head the idea that seems to have developed in recent years (among the Tories mainly) that if you lose once you are finished politically - eg Major, Hague, Duncan (didnt really get started), Howard - whereas before it was accepted that it was possible to come back from a loss.

I look forward to the Ken 2012 campaign.


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Ken 2012 | 16 comments (16 topical)

Re: Ken 2012 (#1)

by swatantra on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 12:05:39 PM GMT

Give it a rest Ken; London's not your fiefdom and there'll be other desrving candidates from the Labour Left.


Re: Ken 2012 (#3)

by otware on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 04:03:25 PM GMT

Presumably there will be a selection process in due course...years away. It's not stitched up, and if London Labour choose Ken again then that's that.


[ Parent ]

Re: Ken 2012 (#2)

by choffi on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 02:56:38 PM GMT

I think it would be great to see Ken up against Boris again in 2012.

Also, in your list of comments, you list Hague amongst the list of failures who were then finished politically. But he is shadow foreign secretary and if the polls are to be believed in a couple of years time could hold one of the most important offices of state. That is hardly "finished politically".

 


Re: Ken 2012 (#6)

by NB on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 10:01:23 PM GMT

Hague has the highest positive rating of any politician in the country. Not finished yet, by any means!


[ Parent ]

Re: Ken 2012 (#4)

by Redflag85 on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 06:50:16 PM GMT

"not stitched up"

 We'll see - http://newerlabour.blogspot.com/2008/07/dark-rumours-from-inner-party.html


Re: Ken 2012 (#5)

by fluffymike on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 08:51:15 PM GMT

Ken for Mayor 2012 - as we first predicted here on LabourHome a few weeks ago!


Re: Ken 2012 (#7)

by SW on Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 10:13:39 AM GMT

Dear Mr Livingstone

Thank you very much for expressing interest in being selected to be Labour's candidate for the 2012 London Mayor elections. Unfortunately we have not opened calls for nominations yet. You will be given the opportunity to put your name forward for selection when the time is appropriate. The decision, of course, will be made by London members democratically.

In the meantime, we thank you for your continued support for the Labour Party. Please let us know if you would be willing to do a leaflet delivery round in your area.


Re: Ken 2012 (#8)

by Free Radical on Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 06:18:39 PM GMT

By and large I thought Ken was pretty good (and with his successor we will see just how good Ken was I think). However elected mayors are so powerful that I believe they should all be strictly limited to two terms.

The Labour party is currently considering the rules on directly elected mayors, with a commission that includes... wait for it... prominent directly elected mayors... So don't be surprised if they don't want to be limited to two terms any more.


Re: Ken 2012 (#9)

by NorthernMonkey on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 01:40:02 AM GMT

However elected mayors are so powerful that I believe they should all be strictly limited to two terms.

Don't you think it's undemocratic to deny people the right to vote for someone just because they've been in power for two terms?

Usually after two terms, there's a 'natural limit' anyway as people get bored of the person in question. If a politician wins a third term they certainly must be doing something right, so it's a bit anti-democratic to stop people voting for someone who has represented them successfully.


[ Parent ]

Re: Ken 2012 (#10)

by Free Radical on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 11:48:35 AM GMT

I follow your argument of course, but elected mayors can have unprecedented executive powers. This is the reason the current Labour Party rules recommend limiting to two terms except under exceptional circumstances - absolutely rightly in my view. I don't think London is covered by the same rules. But I have to say that even Ken, who I have a lot of respect for, was beginning to look as though two terms were enough. (Despite that he polled better than Labour in general though).

For similar reasons (after Nixon and Watergate if I recall rightly) the US Presidency is restricted to two terms.

It's a very different situation with Prime Ministers because, in theory at least, executive powers are not concentrated in that manner in their hands and parliament has the power to hold them to account (even if it does not use it very much because of the system of whipping and party patronage).

So, there are conflicting democratic interests here - the right to vote for whomsoever you like and the unhealthiness of excessive concentration of executive powers, and those powers held for too long. (Limits to terms also present some check on potential for abuse of power and potential corruption of course).

In my opinion the elected mayoral system is unhealthy for democracy and if used it should have better checks and balances built into the legislation than currently apply.

Perhaps this ought to be a separate thread...


[ Parent ]

Re: Ken 2012 (#11)

by HHemmelig on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 02:33:49 AM GMT

I am a Tory voter more often than not, but have a lot of respect for Ken and voted for him this year in preference to that clown Boris who I suspected would not be up to the job (and it seems like I am being proved right).

Nevertheless, Ken is acting like a sore loser and he should bow out gracefully and enjoy his retirement.  A comeback attempt would be bad for himself and for Labour; I suspect it would be unsuccessful.


[ Parent ]

Re: Ken 2012 (#12)

by Croslander on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:29:20 AM GMT

The selection may be a few years away, but any would be rivals to Ken should think about profiling now.

What do people think about this list of runners and riders I have hastily cobbled together?

-Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP
-Jon Cruddas MP
-Karen Buck MP
-Alan Sugar
-Meg Hillier MP
-Andy Slaughter MP
-David Lammy MP
-Mayor Robin Wales (Newham)
-Mayor Jules Pipe (Hackney)


Re: Ken 2012 (#13)

by SW on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 04:25:47 PM GMT

None of the above. It needs a maverick, without a strong party association, funny on television, a poliitcal outsider.

Did anyone see Brian Blessed on Have I Got News for You? That was wot won it for Boris......


[ Parent ]

Re: Ken 2012 (#15)

by Free Radical on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:49:18 PM GMT

Number 4 or number 8 would be a nightmayor!

Cruddas is an interesting thought.


[ Parent ]

Re: Ken 2012 (#14)

by AnInfantileDisorder on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 04:35:02 PM GMT

I don't think that Ken would be seen as a brilliant candidate, it's hard to see how he's generate the enthusiasm amongst the electorate for another bid.

 Of the list supplied they are all decent Labour politicians, (apart from Alan Sugar - who has blown it with his remarks on employing women), but without the profile to cut it as a mayoral candidate.

 What about Ross Kemp ?

http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/Ross-Kemp-Shines-At-State-of-London-Debate-article_id-1692.html 

Good name recognition - showing and interest in, and understanding of, issues related to gangs 


Re: Ken 2012 (#16)

by lastword on Sat Jul 26, 2008 at 12:21:52 PM GMT

Brilliant Ken's coming back!


Ken 2012 | 16 comments (16 topical)