London mayor candidates: the main policy pledges ahead of London 2012

[richard]

Boris Johnson & Ken Livingstone – and not forgetting Brian Paddick – will be fighting it out over a number of key issues for re-election ahead of the London 2012 Olympics

Key issues for Londoners include

Transport

Boris Johnson's 2008 transport manifesto was either a reactionary populist muddle or proof of his excellent listening skills, according to taste. He has honoured prominent pledges to abolish Ken Livingstone's extension of the capital's congestion charging zone, purge articulated "bendy" buses, introduce a bespoke new London bus and install a cycle hire scheme (below). However his attempts to "smooth traffic flow" have displeased cycling campaigners while average vehicle speeds have barely changed. No progress has been made on securing a no-strike deal with the tube unions, while the number of stoppages has risen substantially compared with Livingstone's reign.

The Conservative mayor has increased public transport fares by more than the RPI inflation rate in each year of his term, a record Livingstone is exploiting with his Fare Deal promise to reduce fares overall by 7% from the package he would inherit. Fare Deal is central to the Labour man's broader campaign theme of protecting the pockets of "ordinary Londoners" from the effects of the recession. He is also questioning Johnson's spending, attacking the Boris bus as a £10m vanity project and criticising the £79m cost of the cycle hire scheme. He has ruled out re-extending congestion charging on cost grounds.

Crime & policing

Johnson's effective removal of Sir Ian Blair as Metropolitan police commissioner early in his term revealed an unsuspected ruthlessness, but after 15 months he went back on his pledge to chair the Metropolitan police authority. A reallocation of GLA resources has enabled him to claim the Met will have more warranted officers at the end of his term than there were at the beginning, but the predicted figure will be lower than a peak reached in 2009 thanks to the budget Livingstone set before losing power in 2008. Johnson has presided over continuing falls in public transport-related crime, as did his predecessor. His attempts to tackle youth violence have been highly visible, but Met figures show that serious violent offences against under-20s have crept up throughout his term.

Livingstone has pledged to restore police numbers to their 2009 level and to be more critical of the effect of government cuts on, for example, local authority youth offending teams.

Both candidates remain committed to supporting use of stop and search. Brian Paddick, the former senior Met officer running for the Liberal Democrats, is the only major party candidate prepared to criticise its use, saying he will "go large" on demanding that the tactic is "intelligence-led" and should not be disproportionately aimed at ethnic minority Londoners.

Housing

Johnson claims that by May he will have delivered a record 50,000 "affordable" homes, though opponents contest his calculations and Livingstone argues he has failed to make best use of funding provided by the previous Labour government. The Tory's 2008 manifesto promised to sell surplus Greater London Authority land to "a network" of community land trusts that would guarantee cheaper homes. However, no CLTs have been created so far.

Johnson's new London plan, the master document guiding the capital's spatial development, includes policies for improved design and higher minimum space standards. His First Steps programme has reflected an emphasis on low-cost home ownership schemes. In a housing strategy now being revised to take account of new powers proposed under the Localism Act he claims he can deliver a further 55,000 affordable homes by 2015.

Livingstone says he will make London's housing crisis a central campaign issue and pledged in a recent speech to help hold down rents in the fast-growing private rented sector by launching a London living rent campaign to persuade landlords to charge less and setting up a Londonwide not-for-profit lettings agency, which would also help raise standards in a sector where a third of properties are below "decent homes" standards.

London 2012 Olympics

A recent poll found that more Londoners want Johnson to be mayor for London 2012 than want Livingstone, who vigorously championed London's bid. The Conservative mayor has enthusiastically picked up the Livingstone baton, talking up the 2012 Games as a showcase for the city, a stimulus for business and a lever for regeneration in the east of the capital. As the incumbent, he will benefit from any pre-Games feelgood factor but will be hurt by hitches in the preparations or adverse impact on London life.

Livingstone's line is to support the 2012 Games while arguing that Johnson should do more to ensure that they maximise opportunities for Londoners, especially in terms of employment. He has already criticised elements of transport preparations, saying that London's taxis and private hire vehicles should be allowed access to the special Games lanes that will be reserved for competitors, officials, sponsors and journalists.


Source
Dave Hill
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