London: Mayor & More

Reconfirmed: Ken Livingstone Will Seek Mayoralty In 2012

He's hinted broadly at it several times, but now it's been twice confirmed. After telling me last night that reports that he'd declared his mayoral ambitions in speech he gave in Ruislip last weekend were accurate, he's now issued a statement to the Guardian to the same effect. The Guardian could quote only part of it but I have the full statement below:

"I am not going to take any definitive decision until Labour opens the nomination process after the 2010 general election. But I am in politics to get things done. As Mayor from 2000-2008 I pursued an integrated policy - economic, social, cultural and environmental - based on making London the most international and diverse city in the world.

That greatly expanded the range of choice available to Londoners and allowed not only economic success but ground breaking policies of free and subsidised travel for poorer Londoners, an almost 60 per cent decrease in racist attacks when they were rising in the rest of the country, and some of the most advanced environmental policies in the world. The fact that Labour on 1 May 2008 was 20 per cent behind nationally, its worst result for 40 years, and in London I was only 6 per cent behind, with my vote going up by over 200,000, strengthens my belief in these policies.

Obviously everyone respects the decision of the electorate. But it is already clear that Boris Johnson's Tory regime is one of decline of London - economic decline, social decline, cultural decline, and environmental decline. This is the real root of the incompetence it has shown in its first two months in office. I believe this will become increasingly obvious and therefore I will use the normal methods of democratic debate to convince electors that the previous policies were successful and the new ones will fail.

My priority at present is to prevent the disaster for Britain, in particular for the less well off, of a Tory government in 2010. But if a Mayoral election were held tomorrow I would put my name forward for it and if nothing changes I will put my name forward to run in 2012. Meanwhile I will continue to point out the decline of London under Boris Johnson."

Is Livingstone challenging a good idea? Cif is running a poll.

At Guardian Politics: Livingstone's LBC Debut

My account of Ken Livingstone's LBC debut yesterday inspired this comment from a reader called Kennite:

"Dave Hill's famously unbiased reporting has unfortunately omitted to mention the several callers who suggested that Ken was 'bitter,' that he should stop 'slagging off Boris Johnson' and that his mayoralty had 'lost its way.' As for Ken's claim that Gilligan is obsessed with him, I counted about fifteen mentions of Gilligan. Who, exactly, is the obsessive one here?"

Fair enough, but you can only squeeze so much in to a piece you managed to file within half an hour of the programme ending despite having listened to the last thirty minutes on a transistor clamped to your ear while you fetched the kids from school and receiving a grocery order from Sainsbury's on your return. My ice cream was melted, I'll have you know. Anyhow, you can listen to it again for yourself for a small fee and make up your own mind. Here's my unbiased report in full:

"Ken Livingstone's refusal to fade away after his defeat by Boris Johnson has drawn scorn from his enemies and triggered speculation that he plans to run again in 2012 - just in time to re-take City Hall before the Olympics. He hasn't ruled it out and the conjecture has been fuelled by his appearances in the gallery at Mayor's Question Time and on the Today programme, where he upbraided his successor for doubting the existence of a crucial document about Olympic funding. Today, his regeneration went through another stage with his debut as a radio phone-in show presenter for London station LBC."

No Sugar, Thanks

The Standard's business columnist Chris Blackhurst has two big reasons for damning the idea of Alan Sugar running for City Hall. The first is that he can't stop swearing, and...

"The second point about 'Sugar for Mayor' is a bigger problem: business leaders in this country very rarely successfully translate into politics - or any form of public service, come to think of it. They're wanted because they're seen as high achievers, 'can do' people who will get things done. But this hardly ever proves to be the case."

Something for Tim Parker to ponder. Mind you, he displayed a sure command of politicians' answers and evasions during this morning's Confirmation Hearing. Cards close to chest, or what? More on that to come.

Labour In 2012

It's absurd to be speculating about who will run for Labour in 2012. Yet Ken Livingstone's all-but declaration that he's a contender - he's again declined to rule it out - coupled with Mayor Johnson's obvious vulnerabilities are making it hard to resist. Significantly, two commentators who backed Livingstone in May are now looking elsewhere: Tristram Hunt has urged him to abandon thoughts of a comeback; Johann Hari thinks Oona King would be a better candidate. Tony Travers has written of Tessa Jowell, Trevor Phillips and Nick Raynsford as plausible runners, though I can't see any of those beating Johnson, assuming he'd be the Tory opponent (and that could be quite a large assumption). Jon Cruddas has been spoken of too. He'd have a lot to offer, but does he want the job? Does King? The latest name in the frame is Sir Alan Sugar. I can't see him winning either: he'd lose the Labour core vote instantly. Which brings us back to Ken. I had doubts about his running this year, and I'd have bigger ones about him running in 2012, especially if he's unwilling to address the reasons why he lost two months ago. But can Labour come up with anyone better?

Ken To Run In 2012?

Martin Bright:

"I have now heard from two sources that Ken Livingstone is telling anyone who will listen that he intends to run for London mayor again in 2012."

Well, he hasn't told me and I've asked. On the other hand, he seems to have as good as told Time Out.