Fightback for 2012
3 May, 2008
2012 is only four years away and I have been thinking about who would be good as Labour’s candidate. Points to remember
1) in 2012 we may not be in government which I think makes a big difference
2) Being a winning candidate for Mayor of London isn’t like being promoted from being a back bencher to Parliamentary under sec in the ministry of paperclips. If you look at Labour members of parliament in London very few of them would be a good mayoral candidate that’s not because they’re bad it just a different ball game that is being played here.
We need someone that can connect with the whole London electorate, not just one section and name recognition,”personality” and media presence will be vital.
Ken Livingstone
Advantages - Name recognition in spades. Can do the job really well.
Disadvantages - Was to much a zone 1 mayor, thought he was David Miliband and started to run his own foreign policy, not getting any younger.
Harriet Harman
Advantages- Decent name recognition, shouldn’t be to scary to zone 6 people, won the deputy leadership against the odds. Senior Pol. Good record on equality “harperson” which could be used to bash Boris if he goes down that avenue.
Disadvantages - Got fired early in the first term, What she may win from the middle class will she lose from the working class? Is she going to be the voice of London as opposed to the voice of the party?
Jon Cruddas
Advantages - Most innovative thinker out of the lot of them , can run an insurgent campaign, can appeal to the working class in ways that some Labour politicians can’t any more yet no be scary to the middle. Dagenham and Rainham is his constituency so not a Zone 1 luvvie. Could be a really authentic voice for London and not the establishment
Disadvantages - Needs to secure his seat after boundary changes, not in the premier league of name recognition, needs to go on HIGNFU
Tessa Jowell
Advantages - decent name recognition, like Hillary has been through the political washer, the Olympics, like Harman isn’t going to scare the tory burbs to much
disadvantages - to much the voice for new labour when the voice of london is needed. Olympic costs could well be an issue
Dawn Butler
Advantages - “Boris needs a Butler to sort the mess he made of London” I can hear it now. A real authentic Londoner. Not you average politico.
Disadvantages - Marginal seat that needs work. Just about a name in her own household but not at the Ken vs Boris level at the mo, perhaps should be on the longer term bet list.
Tony Blair
Advantages - name recognition beyond compare, as Jowell said “the best in the business”, Labour’s most electorally successful politician
Disadvantages- the iraq war, probably can’t afford it,
Piers Morgan/other random celeb
Advantages - Everybody knows who he is
Disadvantage - Makes some people want to get to a sick bag fast, see Headcases on ITV but hell it didn’t stop Boris, are we sure he’s not a tory?
Nicky Gavron
Advantages - Safe pair of hands, Ken’s former deputy
Disadvantages - Perhaps not a big enough personality. Her middle name is not excitement.
Longer term bets
Chuka Umunna and Alon Or Bach - Alon4London you heard it here first.
Feel free to suggest other names after all we need all the help we can get.
3 May, 2008 at 3:04 pm
You have missed out:
Michael Portillo
Diane Abbott (possibly as a job-share)
and most import
Lee Jasper
Of your list Cruddas has some potential but Blair would perhaps have the best chance of all these.
Hilary Benn?
And here’s one for a laugh: Margaret Barking
3 May, 2008 at 3:04 pm
PS Lammy?
3 May, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I was thinking Cruddas too if he can start to raise his profile now. Why? He has maximum respect from party members and activists, which anyone running for tthis kind of office needs. He’s Irish (so appeals to London’s immigrant population), catholic (ditto with the faith community), is white working class (so can appeal to white working class in inner and outer Lonson), educated and cosmopolitan (so appeals to those urban intellectuals who we’ve lost to the Lib Dems in inner London), solid, good track record of working with the unions (appeals to London’s public sector and low paid workers). Cruddas for London Mayor!
3 May, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Hi Chris,
I like Benn junior to but a leeds MP isn’t going to work. Thought about Lammy needs to raise his profile but a possibility. It amuses me greatly that your turning into a Blairite in your old age
Caroline
I supported Cruddas during the deputy leadership election I can see the appeal. If he goes for it wholeheartedly he stands a very good chance indeed.
3 May, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Frank Dobson take 2
4 May, 2008 at 6:13 am
val shawcross would and well be excellent and could start now by being ekected as leader of gla members and start the battle now
4 May, 2008 at 10:34 am
The problem with assembly members is they they have a pretty low profile in general still she has some time.
7 May, 2008 at 10:18 pm
I am liking your thinking with Harriet Harman. She is a very pretty photogenic lady, still only in her 40s, good association with London and of course she is much posher than Boris Johnson. She too went to expensive public school and on top of which she is the niece of an earl! We will see your posh toff and we will raise you ours who is much posher!
8 May, 2008 at 8:38 am
Cruddas is credible as a possible contender, but I’m not sure he has the appeal we need in the suburbs.
Harman may fancy it (along with a host of other parliamentarians) if we are indeed out of office at the time of the selection.
Dawn Butler is an intersting suggestion and not one that should be ignored - but she does need to raise her profile, and in this climate how does one do that without being a Government rebel?
Agree that no one on the Assembly has what it takes to run for Mayor but that might not stop one or two thinking they do! And if that’s not clear enough: ABSOLUTELY NOT NICKY GAVRON!
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