Who will be the next Mayor of London?

"The Tory mayoral selection makes as much sense as a Lyme Regis fish-slapping contest".

Are the Tories having a laugh? It is 21 months before Ken Livingstone has to submit himself to the good people of our capital for re-election. At yet, as Tim Hames points out in the Times today, nominations for the Conservative candidate expire on Friday "The declared candidates so far consist of two worthy but obscure councillors. There is the understandable suspicion that Ken Livingstone would eat either of them for breakfast. Hence the increasingly frantic search for an even faintly famous individual who might enter the frame on behalf of the Tories".

It is bizarre; this is an increasingly powerful position "The mayor has the largest direct mandate east of New York and west of Moscow, bar the president of France.". London is one of the world’s great ‘City States’ with huge wealth and influence far greater than many countries can command.

What is wrong with what was, until recently, widely thought of, even by its opponents, as the natural party of British government?

Read Tim’s piece to learn more about conger eels, outlawed fish slapping contests and how Labour supporters can help to choose the Tory candidate.......