It may be sixteen months until the Mayorship of London is up for grabs once again, but the Guardian reported this weekend that the race to become London’s Olympic Mayor is well and truly under way.
Bozza’s rival – some would say ‘nemesis’ – Ken Livingstone, has already begun his campaign to secure what would be one of the most sensational comebacks since Bobby Ewing walked out of his shower.
Red Ken’s campaign release this week gave an indication of the likely tone of his drive to secure a third term as London Mayor. Londoners getting back to work in the new year were, the release said, paying higher fares thanks to a pair of two-nation Conservatives operating under a common groove. One is called Boris, the other George. They are, according to Ken Livingstone, “two Tory peas in the same pod”.
Livingstone continued: “The reality of life under the Conservatives is VAT up while the Tory mayor of London defends bankers’ bonuses and presses for the richest to pay less tax.”
Whilst Bozza has been dismissive of his rival thus far – the Guardian reports that “on at least three occasions he’s publicly patronised as him as “a game old boy” – sooner or later the Mayor is going to have to start trying to win the confidence of Londoners.
As the Guardian concludes: “We all need to bear in mind that the mayoralty is in many ways a sideshow in the vast carnival of London, a city often judged ungovernable. But if Livingstone plays his cards right he can make Johnson look like a passing novelty act and fix his own name on the capital’s history for good.”
Eek. Come on, Boris. Pull your finger out, eh?
Gee, I thought Dave was Boris’ nemesis.