Livingstone rides again

Good news. Ken Livingstone has been selected by Labour as their new Mayoral candidate for London with over two thirds of the vote.


The results, announced earlier today, give Londoners the best chance of ridding themselves of Boris Johnson in 2012 - should they choose to do so.

The election was conducted on the basis of two votes - those of Labour members in London and those from the trade unions. Livingstone won 66% of the members vote and 71% of the trade union vote, making his victory pretty decisive.

One disadvantage of the system Labour use in these elections is that it constantly creates the possibility of electing someone against the wishes of the members. Anyone who remembers the first London Mayoral election will remember how Livingstone lost the Labour selection despite winning the overwhelming backing of the members, creating massive problems for Labour, if not Ken himself.

If we look at the case of the current Labour leadership vote which is using three blocks: MPs, unions and members - creating the very real possibility of David Miliband becoming the next leader without any kind of endorsement from the members.

That's their lookout of course, but it seems strange to design a system where members vote for one candidate and someone else can be elected.

NB Green Assembly Member Jenny Jones shares her thoughts on this with Mayor Watch.