London Mayoral Election 2012

[Peter the Lefty]

A new poll from YouGov:
Johnson: 49%
Livingstone: 41%
Paddick: 5% (lol)
Other: 4%

Between Johnson and Livingstone:
Johnson: 54%
Livingstone: 46%

I hope Johnson wins so that Ed Miliband has to resign and let someone who can actually win an election take over the Labour party, though I'm sure he'll try and paint it as Ken Livingstone's fault, not his (which it actually would be). 

[Peter the Lefty]

How on earth would a Livingstone defeat caused by Livingstone's personal failings (because if he loses that is why he'll lose) be Miliband's fault? In some polls as much as a fifth of Labour's General Election vote in London intends to vote for Johnson; how is that Miliband's fault? Of course Livingstone isn't dead in the water, especially given this government's travails, but...

Silly old bugger should have mounted his pony and headed off into the sunset when he lost last time. If there's a shortage of credible city-wide candidates for London Labour (and there is) then half the problem is that...

Like I said, it would be Livingstone's fault.  But it could also (hopefully) be the last straw in Ed Miliband's leadership. 

[Peter the Lefty]

Johnson and Livingstone unable to behave professionally Boris Johnson calls Ken Livingstone a "f-cking liar: official.

In other news, Pope confirms Catholicism, bear admits to arboreal defecation.

Corrected

Imagine Boris as Prime Minister...

*shudders*

[Peter the Lefty]

Lord Sugar lashed out at Ken this afternoon and it came out that Ken uses private healthcare.

WHY did Labour nominate this idiot? WHY?

What's wrong with using private health care, even if you're a socialist in a country with the NHS?  Is it a sign of disrespect towards the NHS?  I highly doubt that it's taboo to get news from a source other than the BBC. 

[Peter the Lefty]

Sugar supported scrapping the 50p tax rate, fyi.  I also really hope it's not David Lammy.  Or the Blairite warmonger Oona King.  I've also heard a bit about Stella Creasy, but I think she should keep rising in the house of commons (she seems just as bright as Chuka and Rachel Reeves, if not more so). 
Some other names that are mentioned:

Jon Cruddas (good compromise if they want someone left-wing but also honest)

Sadiq Khan-Could loose his seat after the boundary changes if he ends up loosing Labour's selection to Chuka Umunna (something in my gut tells me the latter will win). 

Steve Reed-Has implemented huge budget cuts as Lambeth Council leader, though his decentralization model has been talked up as a left-wing alternative to the Big Society.  Meh. 

And Eddie Izzard is also being talked about.  Dunno exactly what his views are besides being a Labour supporter, or whether Londoners will think he has the experience to do it. 

Harriet Harman and Rushanara Ali also seem like good candidates.  Of course, I'd like it if someone like Jeremy Corbyn ran and won just to force the Labour leadership to shift left, but that won't happen in a million years. 
Memo to London Labour: PLEASE don't pick some Blairite idiot just because you're afraid of shooting yourself in the foot with someone like Livingstone again!  Aka No to Sugar, Lammy, King, or Reed.

Boardbashi edits: careful now.