feels like the longest race in history

Needless to say, papers have kept me well informed about the mayoral race in London. It was launched in October. As it is now April... we finally only have 26 days left before we vote. This is just painful. No Canadian way of allowing people to competitively campaign for only like two months before. Oh no, it's been brow-beating, mud slinging and constant accusations in the papers for the past six months. Fun. In England, anyone can run for mayor. Seriously anyone. It's like a high school election really. You need to get enough votes (no money needed) and a certain amount of people in each county (in the high school reference - grade). Note: You campaign from October to may 1 so really you kinda need some moola to keep going.

However, we started with three frontrunners in October and are still with those three people. So I don't think them spending money campaigning for the past six months has helped anyone. All that money could have delivered on their promises already especially the housing initiatives.

The three:
Ken Livingstone: mayor for the past eight years.
Positives: keen on the environment (even if its limited). brought in the congestion charge and forwarding the transport improvement. mayor during Olympic bid and really trying to improve the east end. brought in the ability to have homosexual partnerships in London. more socialist. trying to make sure London is still a powerhouse.
Negatives: think being mayor is his right. will steal ideas. serious cronyism. not wonderful on the foreign comments or even local comments. serious corruption. didn't deliver on the promise to cut crime by 50 per cent. instead violent crime has raised especially amongst teens.



Boris Johnson: candidate. former editor of the spectator and journalist.
Positives: smart. knows how to spend properly. willing to take the other side to make sure every argument is fair. can have a laugh at himself. keen on improving transport.
Negatives: so dumb comments. just routinely dumb. he's trying to come as the everyman and is succeeding, but do I want that person meeting foreign officials. not so much. he's said some horrible horrible stereotypes and racist remarks. I refuse to even write them, they're that bad. won't let anything be above st.Paul's - yet to decide if that's a good idea or not.




Brian Paddick:the hunky candidate. until May 2007 - Deputy Assistant Commissioner in London's Metropolitan Police Service
Positive: openly gay police officer and not ashamed or revels in it. it just is- I appreciate that. has dealt with some serious controversy that was untrue, stuck to his guns and came out victorious (he even was successful suing the newspaper that put in the falsified story). good policies that are simple about transport, city hall, crime, black cabs and housing. once again, it just is - and it seems smart and not over promising.
Negative: he's just not as big as Boris or ken in the polls. he doesn't have a policy on everything - which may be smart to do. not as outspoken so his views can get lost - especially in this town.

all look typically english. only one is the attractive kind... I have to register by 16 April to vote....