The London Mayoral Elections

There was much excitement around the offices of GBC last week, as both Boris Johnson and David Cameroon visited Richmond Upon Thames to promote the former’s Mayoral Election Candidacy.

To political novices who only know Mr. Johnson for his hilarious turns hosting panel shows, his candidacy might have come as something of a surprise. Instead, alongside his primary challengers Ken Livingstone and Brian Paddick, Boris has played his part in a tight and up until this point, difficult to predict, contest.

One of the areas Ken Livingstone’s tenure will be remembered for centres on the environment – in particular his introduction of the congestion charge. Should he win again on May 1st, he pledges to improve the environment further by introducing a £25 charge on the worst vehicles in the central London congestion charging zone, and a zero charge for the least polluting cars. In response, Boris pledges to scrap the proposed £25 charge and make the current system ‘fairer and more flexible’.

It is areas such as this, which are crucial to the everyday life of Londoners, where the election will be won and lost. Bookmakers recently have had Ken at 4-7, Boris and 5-4, and interestingly Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrats candidate, at 16-1. It is Mr. Paddick, now considered a long-shot by most observers, who might surprise come the end of April – his background, experience, and the aversion of the electorate to either Ken or Boris may all come to count at the crucial hour.