Winning London for Labour by Ken Livingstone MP

Winning London for Labour
By Ken Livingstone MP

On 16 January the individual members’ ballot opens to select Labour’s candidate for London mayor and it must be said that the prospect of the return of democratic government has already done much to re-invigorate political life in the capital. Of course, the party would have been better off without the farcical proceedings around the short-listing process, without the bending and breaking of rules to assist one particular candidate and without the heavy-handed national interventions against my candidacy. I am delighted that both public opinion polls and those ballots of party and trade union members which have taken place indicate that the dirty tricks seem to have been counter-productive.

What interests Londoners and Labour Party members are the policy issues — and the selection contest has brought some of the key issues out into the open. Who would have thought six months ago that we would be able to stimulate a vigorous and well-informed public debate about how to fund the vital investment in the London Underground? In the process of this discussion, instinctive public opposition to the government plan to break up and partially privatise the tube, has crystallised around a clear alternative — raising funds for investment by issuing bonds — which is cheaper, safer and retains democratic control.

The debate has also moved on in terms of how we deal with other aspects of the transport chaos which blights the life of every Londoner. At present Londoners pay some of the highest public transport fares in the world for what are often chaotic services. Inevitably many take to their cars — increasing the congestion and pollution which decrease everyone’s quality of life.

The Institute for Public Policy Research, for example, have just published a paper suggesting an updated version of the GLC’s strategy of cutting fares to increase the use of public transport. They suggest a flat rate 70p bus fare throughout London, arguing that this could produce an 18 per cent increase in bus use, with commensurate reductions in the use of cars. This is exactly the kind of radical policy innovation which will be expected from London’s first Labour mayor.

While transport is the most obvious problem of the capital’s public services it is far from unique. London is one of Britain’s, and indeed Europe’s, richest cities. It is home to one of the world’s foremost financial centres and to hundreds of its most powerful corporations. Yet, at the same time, in a great arc of poverty which encircles the affluent business centre, we have 11 of the 20 parliamentary constituencies with the highest unemployment rates in England and some of the highest levels of infant mortality in western Europe.

Schools and hospitals are starved of skilled staff. There is a city-wide shortage of affordable housing. We have more museums, art galleries, theatres and cinemas than any other city in Britain, but many cannot afford to visit them.

London’s cultural dynamism is a reflection of the diversity of its communities — with one in four Londoners from ethnic minorities. As mayor I would seek to ensure that this diversity was reflected in the highest levels of our public services and private companies and in the opportunities provided to our children.

The mayor must have the policies to tackle these problems and, to win the confidence of Londoners, our commitment to devolution must be seen to be genuine. The government should have the confidence to allow Londoners to elect whoever they wish as mayor and to make their own decisions about how to solve the problems of public transport in their city.

The election in May will be our last major electoral test before the general election. A big victory for Labour in London will unbalance the Tories and set the scene for a resounding success in the general election.