Could it be Mayor Livingstone again in 2012?
To the Irish Embassy for their annual Christmas bash. Over the excellent canapes and fine stout (as an old-fashioned Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ man I can't name the brand) I had a good chat with Ken Livingstone.
I had heard a year ago that Mr Livingstone was telling friends that he would definitely oppose Boris Johnson for London mayor in 2012, and that if Labour wouldn't have him as their candidate, then he would seek nomination from the Greens.
A semi re-run of 2000 perhaps when Frank Dobson beat Mr Livingstone for the Labour nomination (or rather there was a stitch-up) and so Mr Livingstone ran as an independent instead, and won of course (before returning to Labour in 2004).
And Mr Livingstone and the Greens would probably be pretty comfortable with each other.
So I put the rumour to Mr Livingstone last night. If he couldn't get the Labour nomination in 2012 would he try and become the Green candidate instead?
No attempt at a denial. He just smiled.
I put the question to him again a few minutes later. And he smiled again.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 3rd Dec 2009, GeeDeeSea wrote:Ken or Boris? I don't mind. Both mavericks. They're as good as each other, and as bad each other. Just on different issues. Londoners like their mayors to be different.
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Comment number 2.
At 3rd Dec 2009, tpbeta wrote:Was he smiling on the idea or smiling at the idea?
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Comment number 3.
At 3rd Dec 2009, barry white wrote:They should have a joint seat.
I would pay good money to hear the debate on this!!!!
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Comment number 4.
At 3rd Dec 2009, brian192 wrote:You got in early with the political bias and favouritism this time! Still par for the course from the political editor of Newsnight who does not do balance.
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Comment number 5.
At 3rd Dec 2009, icecubed wrote:Sounds a bit like Russia, for Putin read Livingstone, for Medvedev read Boris, with the latter keeping the seat warm for the former
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Comment number 6.
At 24th Jan 2010, Ralph Howard wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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