Nicky Gavron, the deputy mayor of London, has said that she will run against Ken Livingstone in the next mayoral election.
Speaking last night after Livingstone failed to be admitted back into the Labour Party, Gavron said that she had applied to be Labour’s candidate for the 2004 election.
Other candidates for the Labour nomination include London Assembly chairman Trevor Phillips and former sports minister Tony Banks.
Gavron, who represents Enfield and Haringey on the London Assembly, has been responsible for spearheading the mayor’s Spatial Development Strategy, the London Plan.
It is understood that she decided to put herself forward after people across the party said she should stand.
Gavron has said that she would encourage voters to give their second preference vote to Livingstone, but the move marks what some believe to be a growing gap between the mayor and his deputy.
EGi News 24/07/02
