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London Mayoral Election

(367 Posts)
JessM Mon 11-Apr-16 14:38:55

Doesn't seem to be a thread on this. Most GN members won't have a vote but we all have an interest in how the Capital functions and the Mayor's office has a fair amount of power over things like transport.
In the blue corner we have Zak Goldsmith child of Sir James and Lady Annabel, brother to Jemima Khan. Previous jobs editor of The Ecologist (gift from his uncle) and Tory MP for Richmond.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zac_Goldsmith
And in the red corner Sadiq Khan, son of Amanullah Khan, who worked as a London bus driver for over 25 years; his mother, Sehrun. Human rights lawyer and then a Labour MP Tooting.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadiq_Khan
How will London vote in a few weeks time? And if you have a vote - who do you favour and why?

Jalima Thu 05-May-16 21:25:37

If thousands of voters have not been able to vote because of a hitch, then surely they will have to declare the whole election null and void?

Couldn't make it up, could you? I expect some writer of comedy programmes could grin

durhamjen Thu 05-May-16 21:20:43

"Voters, including the chief rabbi, have been turned away from polling stations in Barnet because of major errors with the electoral register that could affect the result of the London mayoral contest. Barnet council has apologised after it emerged that its 155 polling stations had only been given partial registers, meaning hundreds, if not thousands, of voters were unable to cast their ballot between about 7am and 9am.
Labour’s London assembly candidate for Barnet and Camden, Andrew Dismore, is compiling a dossier on the problems at polling stations in Barnet this morning. He is urging voters who were refused a vote to email him at [email protected]. Please say the time you went to the polling station, what you were told by staff and whether you took your polling card.
Barnet council is offering voters who were turned away this morning an “emergency proxy vote”. But you’ve got to be fast. In its latest statement on the voting shambles the council said: “You will need to complete an application form and return the form by 5pm today.”
Barnet, which has outsourced most of its council services, is facing mounting criticism for the shambles and possible legal action. Labour is threatening a legal challenge if the mayoral or assembly votes are close. The Liberal Democrats have called for a public inquiry. Sophie Walker, the candidate for the Women’s Equality party, who lives in Barnet, said she had already registered a complaint."

Couldn't make it up, could you?
I remember there being a petition to stop Barnet outsourcing its council services.

durhamjen Thu 05-May-16 18:19:54

Wish it could be like that in other areas of the country, Lillie.

Lillie Thu 05-May-16 13:27:16

I've just voted with buggy and GS in tow! They said it has been very quiet and very slow so far in our corner of NE London. There were hardly any residents crossed off te list, but they said they expect a heavy turn out later when people get off the tube on the way home from work. And I kind of agree that those who work in and for the capital should be the ones to decide its future.

Anniebach Thu 05-May-16 10:09:09

I wish Khan good luck , I cannot recall an election campaign where one candidate has been a victim of racism as Khan has been

Jalima Thu 05-May-16 09:59:38

suzied you may find that your plea for anyone entitled to vote in London to get out there and do so is wasted on this thread, because I don't think that most of the posters on here live anywhere near London. As for anyone who does, I am sure they have enough sense to see through all the media hysteria and make up their own minds.
At least the people of Bath and NES had the sense to reject an elected Mayoral system in a referendum - just another political layer of government to cause upset and controversy as can be witnessed in Bristol and other cities.

whitewave Thu 05-May-16 08:46:36

Good luck to the Labour bod! After all the rubbish that has been thrown at him he must feel a bit shell shocked.

Lillie Thu 05-May-16 07:51:11

suzied, in a way you're right, I've decided to finally vote on an issue which is important to DH and me alone - ZG is keeping the freedom pass, which over the next ten years will save us £1000s on our commute. Simples!
It has always been thus for property prices and homes in London, but Londoners are a resourceful lot. Our DD and SiL aren't high earners, but they have their own house close to a tube line and near good schools. Ues, they do work all the hours God sends and Grandma does all the childminding, but hey ho we wouldn't have it any different.

Alea Thu 05-May-16 07:32:36

"Buy to let "is another significant factor in pushing prices up especially at the lower end of the market, both by developers who will "do up " a property after, for instance buying at auction or as cash buyers, but also people "like us" (or younger) who have perhaps paid off their own mortgage or inherited a parent's property and are "investing" to provide a pension for themselves.
Not guilty myself but many people I know are in that position and an estate agent told me recently that whereas buyers used to make an offer below the asking price, it is not at all unusual for offers to exceed the asking price and where these are from "cash" buyers, young couples seeking a mortgage simply don't stand a chance. "Open days" will also frequently effect a sale within the first couple of hours.

suzied Thu 05-May-16 07:31:21

Anyone who is entitled to vote in London please get out there and vote! It's important to us Londoners.

whitewave Thu 05-May-16 07:21:13

No problem, there is plenty of room in shop doorways.

JessM Thu 05-May-16 07:19:36

Yes social housing is urgently needed. London is so successful and creating so many jobs that 100,000 extra people are moving there every year and home-building is lagging a long way behind the need. The mayor needs a strategy to provide accommodation for the huge numbers that are working in relatively low-paid jobs - they are needed to keep the city running.

whitewave Wed 04-May-16 21:00:05

Prices are high because of property speculation. Nothing to do with homes.

rosesarered Wed 04-May-16 20:57:27

The other problem is that there is so little room for building there.

rosesarered Wed 04-May-16 20:55:40

Even those of us who live outside London are aware of the property prices there, but you simply cannot blame this particular property developer for rising prices.
prices are through the roof because of such high demand to live there.
I imagine Khan will get in easily, but that doesn't mean he will be able to control house prices there.

durhamjen Wed 04-May-16 20:47:37

Thanks, Riverwalk.

Riverwalk Wed 04-May-16 20:43:24

Durham yes those of us who live and vote in London are well aware of the goings-on with property development.

That's why Sadiq Khan will tomorrow be voted-in as the next Mayor of London.

durhamjen Wed 04-May-16 20:35:55

So you are not concerned about people paying their taxes, roses?
Explains a lot.

durhamjen Wed 04-May-16 20:33:56

"The scheme was contested in part because it envisaged more expensive accommodation in a city with the second-highest house prices in the world. Lambeth council opposed the scheme pointing out that there was no affordable housing provision, and city planners had suggested that a £57m “financial contribution in mitigation is an appropriate alternative”.

However, in one of its last acts before this Thursday’s election, the mayor’s office accepted the “maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing in this instance is zero”, did not request any compensation and gave the go-ahead for the scheme.
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Sadiq Khan has said that half of any new housing development will have to be “affordable”. A spokesman for Labour’s mayoral candidate described the Reubens’ scheme as “unacceptable … there’s no affordable homes at all in this scheme and Zac Goldsmith in City Hall would only mean more of the same”."

This is what should matter to those who live in London.

granjura Wed 04-May-16 20:32:36

An awful lot of people do seem to think that it is a big problem that many Muslim schools are run by filthy rich people from Saudi (I do btw).

durhamjen Wed 04-May-16 20:32:09

www.andywightman.com/archives/105

The Millbank building is the one they have got planning permission for to turn into flats, without any being affordable.
Does nobody care about those who cannot afford to live in London any more because of rich people like these who buy lots of property up and price out those who have to live and work in London?

This thread is about the Mayor of London, who is being voted for tomorrow.
Has anybody read about this in any other newspaper?

whitewave Wed 04-May-16 20:30:15

Whoa shock

rosesarered Wed 04-May-16 20:30:10

'Found out about them being Jewish Iraqis and also running Jewish schools which hide their profits off shore' ......
Dear oh dear.

Riverwalk Wed 04-May-16 20:28:03

It's anti-Semitic to keep referring to the fekkers as Jews! And talk of mixed blood!

And Cliff fuckin' Richard and Joanna 'effin Lumley were born in India - what's that got to do with the price of fish?

rosesarered Wed 04-May-16 20:27:16

It was hardly an important bit djen.Not in the great scheme of things.