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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 Sat 07-May-16 14:39:59

I don't agree Alea, but you do get slapped down by some right wing grans for replying to a question not relating to the topic, or for posting links
confused just a bit annie
Surely keeping to the topic isn't just the preserve of people who some others perceive to be right wing?

All threads meander whoever is contributing, and all kinds of posters try to bring them back on track.
Meandering isn't confined to left wing people surely?

durhamjen Sat 07-May-16 14:39:14

voxpoliticalonline.com/2016/05/07/i-wish-i-could-sue-the-prime-minister-says-london-cleric-suliman-gani/

I wish he could, too. However, I am sure others repeated it outside the house.
Andrew Neil, for one.

suzied Sat 07-May-16 14:37:45

I agree with the constant Muslim label, but hopefully it will eventually become unnecessary and he can just be referred to as "London's Mayor". ( A bit like Obama being referred to as African American at first) I read the tax research blog - no mention of Corbyn? They all say what a nice guy Khan is, which was my point . I am not going to repeat it again in case I get accused of being a closet Tory. I like Corbyn BTW. He's a change from all the Blairite suits, I just don't believe Khan was elected because of Corbyn's popularity. I voted for Khan because I thought he would be better for London and was better than the alternative. Anyway, we'll all find out come the next GE.

Jalima Sat 07-May-16 14:34:46

May I suggest you ask London grans to give you the info you want?
I am sorry anniebach, I thought I just did, and in the appropriate place, seeing that this thread is headed "London Mayoral Election"

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

My post from earlier in the thread, and I apologise if I joined in with the meandering of the thread into the hills and valleys of Wales

And it is the people of London who voted but there don't seem to be many on this thread unfortunately.
I used to live there in KL's Leader of the GLC days and have never really trusted him since.

I do hope that Khan does not find this is a poisoned chalice - personally I hope he will do a great job and I am sure he will do his best for the people of London.

durhamjen Sat 07-May-16 14:34:37

He's stepped down as MP for Tooting, saying that the job of mayor is going to be a full time job. Good for London.

brenh34 Sat 07-May-16 14:18:30

What annoys me is the way media are calling Khan 'the first Muslim Mayor of London. Why do they have to define him by his religion? Nobody called BoJo a Christian Mayor and with a name like Goldsmith I feel (but do not know) that there may have been Jewish ancestry) but to call him a Jewish candidate would have been seen as inflammatory.

durhamjen Sat 07-May-16 13:55:26

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/london-mayor-defence-secretary-michael-fallon-sadiq-khan-safe-security-a7018096.html

So Michael Fallon is another lying Tory, then. He now says London will be safe under Khan, having said the opposite for ages.

durhamjen Sat 07-May-16 13:25:33

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/05/07/a-quiet-moment-of-pride/

Richard Murphy and Sadiq Khan.

All the posters linked Khan and Corbyn, so how anyone can say Corbyn had nothing to do with the election is beyond me. That was the intention of the Tory campaign; Corbyn is not electable, so do not elect Khan.

Anniebach Sat 07-May-16 13:11:22

Thank you for your answer Alea,

Alea Sat 07-May-16 13:02:46

Is Wales in a different time zone ab or something?
I have twice now given my opinion on the "dirty tricks" aspersions cast by ZG in his discredited campaign - that is to say in words of one syllable the burned out bus. Do I need to elaborate, ?
And being more interested in the topic f the thread in question is not necessarily the preserve of Rigtht wing GN members whoever they may be.

Anniebach Sat 07-May-16 12:36:51

I don't agree Alea, but you do get slapped down by some right wing grans for replying to a question not relating to the topic, or for posting links

Now about that blown up London bus used in the London Mayor campaign, acceptable or not , in your opinion ?

Alea Sat 07-May-16 12:35:23

My opinions on the London Mayoral Election, * anniebach*?
I think they were clear enough in my post of 8.45-ish this morning.
But as I neither lve nor work in London, I am more interested in what those directly involved feel about the campaign and the issues involved. The anti-Muslim smears were beneath contempt and predictably counter-productive , that goes without saying.

nigglynellie Sat 07-May-16 12:33:01

That's why lots of grans don't join in any of these political tbreads anymore!!!!!

Alea Sat 07-May-16 12:30:28

Goodness you don't half get your head bitten off on this thread if you are not one of the select group officially accredited political tub thumpers pundits. hmm

Alea Sat 07-May-16 12:26:42

May I suggest you ask London grans to give you the info you want?

I am sorry anniebach, I thought I just did, and in the appropriate place, seeing that this thread is headed "London Mayoral Election" confused

Anniebach Sat 07-May-16 11:32:05

Alea, what is your opinion on the London Mayor campaign, was it right to use the blown up London bus ? and if so what was the connection ?

Anniebach Sat 07-May-16 11:16:19

Alea, we have one wanna be moderator, we don't need two

May I suggest you ask London grans to give you the info you want ?

whitewave Sat 07-May-16 11:05:32

The Tories nasty image has had a real polishing over the past few weeks culminating in Cameron at QT this weeks. He is totally abrogating his responsibility asPM when he is required to answer questions put to him by the leader of the opposition representing the majority of the voting population - remember the Tories only represent about 31% of the vote- I don't think he answered a single question , he merely spent the entire time spewing racist propaganda - it really was utterly appalling.

Gracesgran Sat 07-May-16 10:53:03

Zac Goldsmith’s ‘Outrageous’ Anti-Sadiq Khan Campaign Slammed By Senior London Tory Andrew Boff

Hope I am not repeating this but at least one (I am sure there will be more now hmm) conservative stood out against this pernicious campaign.

suzied Sat 07-May-16 10:48:33

Why would I say Khan was a closet Tory? Seems a bit of twisted logic- and a bit of a smear thanks! I just said Khan won on his merits and London-centric policies first and foremost plus the smear tactics used by the opposition , not because of the Labour leader whoever he or she might be and that has always been the case in London mayoral elections. I know all about Ken Livingstone's political history , thanks, but again he was voted in because he was a charismatic figure, devoted to London and the opposition was weak. Boris won by force of his personality (like it or loathe it) not because the majority of Londoners were enamoured of the Conservatives. The London Mayoral election is much more of a personality-driven election than local council elections, most people won't have a clue who their councillors are, but most people in London will know who the Mayor is.

Gracesgran Sat 07-May-16 10:41:38

Jen I was just going to put that on. I agree with every word. Both ZG and the Conservative party - let's not forget the awful outburst from the PM in PMQs - should be made to suffer for their campaign so that this is discouraged in the future.

The Conservatives cling fast to nannying with all the "forcing" they have decided to do (and, having realised how childish they are actually being, had to U turn). An old fashioned nanny would have washed some of their mouths out with soap - they have been appalling.

Alea Sat 07-May-16 10:34:48

Off topic, anniebach , I would very much like to hear reactions from London grans to both the campaigns and the result. And without compromising privacy, what their motivating factors were in how they and their neighbours might have voted.

durhamjen Sat 07-May-16 10:30:03

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/07/zac-goldsmith-racist-campaign-london

This is an interesting article by Owen Jones.
A new phrase in the language, "doing a Zac" should become an insult that most politicians want to avoid.

Anniebach Sat 07-May-16 10:26:12

suzied, how can Corbyn make more of the mess the Tories are making? Cameron refuses to answer questions in PMQ, the majority of the press are Tory . After every PMQ Norman thingy gives his opinion on which scored the most put downs and insults, Corbyn isn't going to come top on insults , he isn't arrogant .

What sickens me at PMQ is the mocking by the Tories when Corbyn asks a question put by a member of the public , this shows the contempt the Tories have for voters - untill there's an election

Alea Sat 07-May-16 10:24:30

suzied Livingstone was suspended from the Labour party in 2000 after standing as an independent against the official Labour candidate, Frank Dobson in the first Mayoral elections.
After his readmission, as I said in my post of 9.11, , he became the official candidate in 2004.