Mark Ferguson: Boris Johnson is off and Labour’s race for Mayor begins

It could be a chance to rethink what the mayoralty is for: a little less grandstanding and more getting things done

Choosing the latter: Boris Johnson (Picture: Glenn Copus)

7 August 2014

Boris is going — and Labour rejoices. Another term as Mayor was always unlikely but many Labour figures still feared he’d linger. “If he runs again, we’re screwed,” one MP told me. Labour MPs view Johnson’s move as a sign that he sees a Tory leadership election — and a Miliband government — as the most likely outcome next year.

And so the green light for the party’s candidates to announce their intentions has flickered on. Early frontrunner Tessa Jowell released a statement yesterday that came close to announcing her candidacy. Meanwhile, rumours abound that David Lammy may announce his plans next month. But Christian Wolmar — writer and transport expert — is the only candidate to officially throw his hat into the ring.

Others are more circumspect. Margaret Hodge, scourge of the tax avoiders, could be a candidate, but as self-identified members of the Blairite wing of the party, she, Jowell and Andrew Adonis could risk splitting that vote. Shadow London minister Sadiq Khan is keeping his head down, but no-one doubts why he wanted that campaign-intensive, London-centric role in the first place. Diane Abbott has all important name-recognition but her maverick nature can sometimes leave her looking ill-disciplined. A recent addition to the rumoured candidates is Dagenham MP Jon Cruddas: one senior union source calls him “a serious big-hitter with a big vision”. And Doreen Lawrence has been floated as a potential candidate, though her friendship with Khan means she’d be unlikely to run if he did.

Perhaps what’s most important when considering how candidates will fare is the format of the contest itself. The party insists on calling it a “primary”, but by any reasonable measure it isn’t. Labour “supporters” will be able to sign up to vote for a small fee but the vast majority of the “selectorate” will be Labour members and those London trade unionists who have “opted in” to be Labour members too. That might benefit Jowell, but it could also be a boost to Khan, whom Labour activists backed in a LabourList survey last month.

What’s clear is that Labour lacks a candidate — like Boris or Ken — who transcends party politics and can win crucial support from the other side. The likely candidates are, on the whole, conventional politicians. But while this could be a weakness in a personality-driven contest, it could also provide an opportunity to rethink what the mayoralty is actually for: a little less grandstanding and sloganeering, a little more consensus-building, planning and getting things done.

At a time when cynicism towards politicians is palpable, celebrity might not be the only way to win. Labour must certainly hope that’s the case.

But one mistake the candidates must all avoid is to be seen putting themselves first. Politics is often a choice between duty and ambition. By abandoning London to pursue the Tory leadership, Boris is choosing the latter. By announcing their candidacy before May 2015, Labour hopefuls could spend months grandstanding, peeling away from party policy and ingratiating themselves with the London establishment. Or they could spend the next year campaigning for the next election that matters. Labour members will surely reward those who put party — and country — first.

Mark Ferguson is editor of the LabourList website

Mark Ferguson: Boris Johnson is off and Labour’s race for Mayor begins

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