Ken Livingstone will have to face his own right hand in the 2004 London mayoral elections, after the Labour Party appointed deputy mayor Nicky Gavron its party candidate.
Gavron, who has been the driving force behind the mayor’s London Plan, beat former sports minister Tony Banks by a clear margin in a ballot of Labour members and trade unionists.
Including all rounds and second preference votes she secured 52.19% of the vote.
Gavron, former chair of the London Planning Advisory Committee, has said that she will “heal the divisions in the London Labour Party” by asking voters to give their second preference votes to incumbent mayor Ken Livingstone, who will stand again as an independent.
Several commentators have said that Gavron has no intention of winning and will simply help Ken get the votes he needs to be returned as mayor.
One source at the Greater London Authority said: “She’ just Ken’s bib. She will catch the votes he drops.”
EGi News 07/11/02
