The biggest challenge is to find individuals that have a public profile - well known enough - to generate expectation. Without a high profile, all people can rely on is allegiance to party politics. In the history of elections for London Mayor, two candidates were seen as the embodiement of London: Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson - the two of them had a dictinct personality, so distinct that they could rise above the political parties they were members of.
National politics and London politics - despite that inevitably the candidates that have become London Mayor have been members of either the Labour Party or the Conservative Party - are two different cups of tea. Instead of choosing a London Mayor that can make a real difference for Londoners, we choose on the basis of national politics.
During hustings, candidates desperately try to focus on an agenda for London. The sooner people know who the candidates are, the more the time available to raise the profiles of the candidates. Yesterday, I was asked about my preferences regarding candidates. I explicitly said that for me it was much too early to talk about preferences. I need to get to know the candidates. Big speeches and soundbites don't do. Who will we be voting for and what will we be voting for?
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