Plug for Ken

Progressive London brings together a cross-party, multi-community, coalition involving politicians, artists, trade unionists, bloggers, community and campaign activists and individuals to stand up for social progress in London. Join the debate. OVER 20 SESSIONS INCLUDING: The Age of Change Progressive Policies for a Progressive London The Global Economic Crisis Blogging London — The new media and London politics London Homes — Cracking the Crisis Lessons of the London elections 7 million Londoners, 1 London Respect in the City Transport for a Progressive London What we should learn from the election of Barak Obama London in the Ecological age   Media Partner Comment is Free   PROGRESSIVE LONDON CONFERENCE Saturday 24 January 09 Registration from 9am Conference: 10am-5.30pm Congress House Great Russell St London WC1 (nearest tube Tottenham Court Road) Speakers include: Ken Livingstone; Harriet Harman MP; Jon Cruddas MP; Bonnie Greer; Tessa Jowell MP; Professor Eric Hobsbawm; David Lammy MP; Polly Toynbee; Steve Hart, Regional Secretary of Unite;Linda Perks, Regional Secretary of UNISON; Billy Hayes, General Secretary of Communication Workers’ Union; Martin Gould — President of SERTUC; John Harris; Baroness Helena Kennedy; Dawn Butler MP; Val Shawcross; Jenny Jones, Green Party; Darren Johnson, Green Party; Len Duvall, Labour Leader on the Assembly; Mike Tuffrey; Karen Buck MP; Susan Kramer MP; Nicky Gavron; Professor Doreen Massey; Kevin Maguire; George Galloway MP; Kate Hudson, Chair of CND; Claude Moraes MEP; Jeremy Corbyn MP; Jean Lambert MEP; Neal Lawson, Chair of Compass; Anas Altikriti; Emma-Jane Cross, Chief Executive of the Beat Bullying Campaign; Martin Hoscik, editor, MayorWatch website; Adam Bienkov, ToryTroll blog; Tom Barry, Boriswatch.co.uk; Navin Shah; Chris McLaughlin, Editor, Tribune; Professor Ivor Gaber; Christine Blower, Interim General Secretary of NUT; Mick Shaw, President of FBU; Bell Ribeiro-Addy, NUS Black Students Officer; Adam Sampson, Director of Shelter; John Haylett, Editor of the Morning Star; Bruce Kent; Dr Abdul Bari, MCB; Tony Juniper; Bob Worcester — Founder of MORI. Register in advance by contacting: events@progressivelondon.org.uk or send a cheque made payable to Progressive London including your name and contact details to: Progressive London, 20 Hanson St, London, W1W 6UF Tickets £20 organisations, £10 waged, £6 unwaged For up to date details on the Progressive London conference and to register on-line visit: www.progressivelondon.org.uk

I have no idea why they are calling it Progressive London Conference when quite clearly it’s Kenfest. The former London Mayor has been on TV so much recently only QVC 3:50am-4:20am is relatively safe from his attentions combine this with the 24th January event and I think it’s pretty safe to assume that he wants to run again in 2012. After 4 years of Boris I think he stands as good a chance as anyone to regain the Mayoralty for Labour.

It’s a rather elegant political move to invite all the other possible candidates for the Labour nomination to be his understudies. I think Ken will face competition in the Labour primary but he is the cannyist of canny political dogs and Labour’s young (OK alright early middle aged) guns will have to wait at least another cycle to get a go.