Why I’m supporting Ken Livingstone

By Mary Honeyball MEP

Ballot papers to select Labour’s candidate for London Mayor will be dispatched next week. Ken or Oona: our previous, successful Mayor or the lively, personable former MP?

It’s a hard choice, but one Labour Party members have to make. I have come to my decision. It quite simply has to be Ken.

As a feminist and a longstanding campaigner for more women in public life, I would dearly like to support a female candidate, this would be my natural choice and what people would expect me to do. I find it a real shame that there is no woman standing as Labour Mayoral candidate who has the right experience.

However, I have decided to support Ken as he is the candidate with a proven track record in running London with the ability to deliver in the future.

Yet I would never claim that Ken has no warts. But I am supporting him ‘warts and all.’

I first came across Ken Livingstone in the 1970s when he was a new Member of the GLC and I was an employee. I later worked on the campaign to save the GLC from abolition by Margaret Thatcher. During the last 10 years as a Labour MEP I have, of course, had dealings with the Labour Mayor of London.

I did not always find it easy dealing with City Hall when Ken was in charge. Since his staff were not from the same political wing of the Labour Party as me, co-operation was not always forthcoming and I was, on occasion, obviously omitted from women’s events where I, as Labour Spokesperson on Women’s Rights in the European Parliament, would have been an obvious choice.

It must be said, both Ken and Oona are experienced politicians who both have considerable experience of political campaigns. However, the selection we as members make must be based on the person who has the highest level of experience, who can deliver for Londoners and who will be the strongest opponent that Boris can face. That candidate is Ken Livingstone.

Livingstone had a truly daunting task as the first elected Mayor of London and he rose to the challenge. When he left office he left many accolades: the congestion charge, the opening up of Trafalgar Square, the improvements at Vauxhall Cross, the London low emission zone – the list goes on. As the one-time Leader of the Greater London Council who introduced “Fares Fair” on the Underground, Ken understood how to get things done.

Ken has done it once and will do it again.

Although he is the candidate better suited to run London this by no means detracts from Oona King. Oona is intelligent and hardworking, and she was an excellent MP for Bethnal Green and Bow. I remember canvassing with her during the 2005 general election campaign when her popularity was evident and her knowledge of her constituents second to none. I would like to see Oona back in the House of Commons where I am sure she would carve out a successful career.

Politically I am closer to Oona King than left- wing ‘Red Ken’. But I believe it would be a mistake to elect the Mayoral candidate on the basis of political philosophy alone. Too often in the Labour Party we choose our representatives and leaders for what they say rather than what they can actually do.

As a London representative, I understand that what a challenge running London is and how important it is to deliver for the people of our city.

I am aware that Ken is not perfect. He is, however, our only realistic choice.