Filed under: Euro, Government/Legal
Ken Livingstone is Mayor of London no more!
Ken Livingstone is the current mayor of London who has not endeared himself to the city's swarm of automobile owners while in office since 2000. His most controversial move as London's mayor was to institute a congestion charge for driving in certain parts of the city, and his latest idea of instituting a $50-per-day tax for gas-guzzlers within the city limits has drawn some serious ire from Porsche. It looks like Stuttgart can call off its lawyers, as good ol' Kenneth just lost his reelection bid to the Conservative party's Boris Johnson. The Conservatives handed the Labour party its lunch in most local elections today, but the loss of the mayoral seat in London must especially sting for Livingstone and his Labourers. Unfortunately, we don't know what kind of guy Johnson is like and whether or not he'll repeal the congestion charge or pursue the gas-guzzler tax, but at least car-crazy Londoners can rest easy tonight knowing that their mortal enemy has lost his seat of power. Thanks for the tip, John![Source: The Telegraph]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
British_Rover 5:40PM (5/02/2008)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90060922
NPR had a preview of the race earlier this week with some background info on Boris. You can listen to it at that link.
Reply
jgp 5:49PM (5/02/2008)
YES! YES! YES! Red Ken is out!
Reply
RobZ4 5:57PM (5/02/2008)
About time...good ridance !!
Reply
adrian 3:58PM (5/03/2008)
This man (Backed by car hating Labour) was a parasite to drivers of all classes in London and beyond. Next, the whole CCTV obsessed, Tax hiking, Spin obsessed, Labour Goverment can go, And the sooner the better.
The Doctor 6:03PM (5/02/2008)
For the first time I can remember in many years, I feel a wonderful sense of freedom. Freedom that I can drive my Phaeton round my city without having to pay 3000% more than I used to (Ken planned to get rid of the resident's discount) because it emits 13% more CO2 than Ken thinks is appropriate.
Now don't screw it up Boris!
Reply
John Johnson 6:08PM (5/02/2008)
Jeremy will be SO pleased.
Reply
John B 6:39PM (5/02/2008)
Porsche will be so pleased also. I wonder if next season's Top Gear is in the can yet.
Tai 8:33PM (5/02/2008)
Heh i was thinking the same thing. You can bet they'll bring it up in one of the new Top Gear episodes this season.
sylinen 6:16PM (5/02/2008)
Well, Boris does enjoy riding his bike and jogging around the London, but at least he did want to bring back the Routemaster buses, so at least maybe he has a sense of vehicular soul.
Reply
Noidor 6:36PM (5/02/2008)
Terrific news, that self-righteous prick had to go. Gordon Brown is on his way out as well! Hopefully Conservatives will bring back common sense policies, which Labourers got rid of.
And this is all economics. Brits are not using their credit cards anymore in attempt to limit their long-term exposure to debt, they're also are mad about the congestion charge, putting up stupid signs everywhere, fanatic environmentalism, and so forth.
Problem is these bozos got away with it when economy was good and paying £25 on daily basis was no big deal, but now that many Brits have to "brown bag it", all these absurdities really hit home.
Anyways, props to UK and its seemingly bright future.
Reply
YouFaceTheTick 7:03PM (5/02/2008)
What does a credit card have to do with longterm debt? If you pay off the CC each month, it's little more than a way to get points for purchases.
bathtub gin 11:21AM (5/03/2008)
"If you pay off the CC each month, it's little more than a way to get points for purchases." - youfacethetick
Unfortunately, most folks don't have that kind of discipline. Sort of like flossing every day. If you have them (credit cards or teeth), it's what you should be doing, but most people don't.
Still - good news that Red Ken is out of office. Too bad for Americans that so many of his spiritual brethren hold public office here in the U.S.
Patrick 3:27PM (5/03/2008)
"Unfortunately, most folks don't have that kind of discipline. Sort of like flossing every day."
Hahaha, did you intentionally make an analogy to poor dental health since we're talking about the Brits?
why not the LS2LS7? 6:55PM (5/02/2008)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7378792.stm
Looks like you jumped the gun.
Don't forget, the congestion charge is really a tarted-up tax, and do you really think a new group of politicians is going to lower taxes? Add in the class warfare in UK and I think dancing on the congestion charge's grave is rather premature.
Reply
The Doctor 7:00PM (5/02/2008)
Jumped the gun perhaps, but correct nonetheless.
YouFaceTheTick 7:02PM (5/02/2008)
Why would they get rid of the congestion charge? Every big city should have this. The difference it makes within a city is astounding...
Reply
Adam 7:33PM (5/02/2008)
Erm, except that he isn't mayor yet unlike what you explicitly state, and you link to a source that says Johnson might win but clearly has not. The results don't get released for a good half hour, yet. Good reporting, guys.
Reply
Mbuku Kanyau Mbithuka 7:38PM (5/02/2008)
This guy is everything that is wrong with big government, global warming faith. Its all about power and controlling peoples lives.
This London nightmare is just the beggining. California is fighting to drive us all into the Yaris in the name of global warming
Reply
judd 8:11PM (5/02/2008)
I hope this guy doesn't move to CA. They will vote him in for sure.
Reply
why not the LS2LS7? 10:25PM (5/02/2008)
Yeah. Frickin' Canadian communists.