Ken v Boris v Brian v Sian

by Catherine Woods - Tuesday, 22nd April 2008 - (1) comment - Business comment

Hands up who's going to vote in the London mayoral election. There’s just over a week to go before the poll and the word on the street suggests it’s going to be a closely-fought tussle.

The two main contenders are Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone and the Tory’s Boris Johnson (or the baldie versus the mop, if you’re feeling juvenile).

The outsider is Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick (who has interestingly said he’d work with Boris if he was in charge, but not with Ken). Trailing Paddick is the Greens' Sian Berry.

But who is the best choice for the capital’s businesses?

Ken?

Boris?

Brian?

Sian?

Or none of them?

There’s been little in any of the mayoral campaigns about what the would-be victors will do for the business community. We’ve heard plenty of plans for improving transport, greenifying London and reducing crime yet details on how the winner will help the entrepreneurs who operate in this city have been scarce.

This is, perhaps, unsurprising. The Lord Mayor may have an annual budget of nearly £12bn but their mandate isn't business-heavy, although major policy decisions in other areas (transport’s Crossrail scheme, for example) obviously have an effect.

So, what do you think about the candidates?

Do you agree with German publication Der Spiegel, which described the mayoral battle as a “bizarre fight” involving “two eccentrics”.

Or, like the Sydney Morning Herald , do you believe Johnson is a “gorgeous caricature of a former Etonian, former Spectator editor and toff”, who's up against the “wily candour” of Livingstone and Paddick – “ever the straight, gay man”.

Tell us below or have your say on the Real Business forum now

Picture source

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1 Comments

April 22, 2008 5:40pm
Michael McNab Says:

Well, the FSB has said that Si�n Berry's policies are best for small business (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23479693-details/Election+Diary/article.do). With SMEs employing about 60% of the UK workforce, I think small business is the most important thing. It's the bedrock the rest of the economy, big or small, rests on. True, she's unlikely to get elected Mayor, so I'll be voting for her first and leaving it until the last day to decide between Ken and Boris (though at the moment I'm leaning toward the devil you know) for the second round. Definitely voting Green to get Berry on the Assembly, though.