100 days, 100 percent

It’s just 100 days to the London Mayoral elections.

Ken Livingstone’s recent poll surge is good news but it would be foolish to be complacent about thinking this means certain victory.

Ken’s challenge to Boris Johnson on fares has certainly made an impact. And Boris’s rather pathetic response of “he would promise that wouldn’t he, but he’ll not be able to deliver it” does not wash. Ken will deliver it. His track record on low fares goes back to when Boris was still in short trousers.

And I write as one who in my time has criticised Ken when necessary. I was a member of the London Assembly and my job was to hold him to account, and I used the opportunity. So take it from me Boris – when Ken promises on this he will deliver.

There remain three big challenges for Labour.

Ken needs to resonate more in outer London where train fares more than bus or tube fares are the issue. He needs to be loud and clear about his plans for tackling crime and he has to make sure that the Labour vote turns out.

In 2008 Ken won more votes in inner London and among black and minority ethnic voters than the current Mayor. Boris won the majority in outer London seats. This divide was stark and I believe needs to be broken down if we are to have a really effective Mayoralty. We need to actively woo the outer London voter.

Across London we are picking up concerns about crime on the doorstep. Concern about police numbers is making an impact. And there are real rises in street crime in many areas.

When outer London mothers of men in their 30s start ringing to check their son’s got home it’s bad news. When women are frightened to go on late night transport this is the real concern.

Ken needs to address these concerns. The Mayor on drug raids with armed police does not address the worries that cause Londoners to change their day to day behaviour. Gimmicks are not reassuring. Londoners can see through the PR.

Here too Ken has a track record of delivery. This was largely through increases in police numbers in his first term in office to 2004. But Ken also pioneered the introduction of police community support officers. These replaced a myriad of differently uniformed neighbourhood wardens with similar but different roles. Ken saw through this and simplified it.

Now money is tighter so Ken needs to be clear and simple in explaining that he understands these fears and that he has a plan to keep Londoners safe.

The Tory electoral strategy in 2008 was simple. In every polling district which the Tories had won in 2004 the aim was to identify and turn out enough extra Tory voters to win. Simple enough to motivate activists to deliver and know they could make a difference. And they delivered the Mayoralty to the Conservatives for the first time.

So the electoral strategy for Labour in 2012 is not rocket science. The number of activists out every weekend in my own area of Hackney underlines the understanding that Labour votes here can counteract Conservative votes in strongholds such as Westminster.

But we cannot look at the polls and ease off. We need to turn out our vote. We need to win London. Media manufactured debates about party leadership are an intellectual exercise that belies the reality of the next 100 days.

So for those who are armchair critics of Labour: don’t turn in on ourselves. Speculation about leadership is an indulgence that we cannot afford. We need now more than ever to focus on what really matters. My constituents need a Labour Mayor so I shall be giving the next 100 days 100 percent.

Meg Hillier is MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch