Margaret Hodge endorses Sadiq Khan to be Labour’s London mayor candidate

Until she announced she wouldn’t be running, many thought Margaret Hodge had a chance of being Labour’s next London Mayoral Candidate. When she declared that she wouldn’t enter the race, she said that she would like the next mayor to be a person from a minority ethnic background. There was a brief moment when it seemed David Lammy was her choice, but now she has revealed exactly who she thinks is the best person for the job.

In an interview with the Evening Standard she said:

“It’s been quite a journey in thinking this through. In the end, I feel that Sadiq’s story reflects modern London. His dad moved here, lived in a council house and moved into a house of his own. All that reflects the aspirations of contemporary London.

“And it would be a really important symbol of modern Britain to have somebody of an Asian background representing London. He is a grafter. We have had a Mayor who has pranced around and made good headlines and the time has come where we need someone who will get a grip on things and deliver.

Hodge told the paper why she had ruled out the other candidates; she explained that although she liked David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, the fact that“he momentarily thought he could also be leader of the Labour Party” put her off backing him. Lammy had said he would think about it if is colleagues wanted him to stand.

The MP for Barking went on to say that Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington came from a different “political stable” to her, that Christian Wolmar was just a “commentator” and that Gareth Thomas was “not a strong enough leader”.

On Tessa Jowell she said that she “think it’s time for a new generation. We need to represent modern, contemporary London.”

She went on to make the case for Khan, explaining “I also think Sadiq’s got a better record of delivery. He does not think being flamboyant for the cameras will make London’s problems go away. I don’t think he’s boring. He’s not flamboyant, but he is passionate. He can rabble-rouse a crowd.”