Boris or Ken - ramblings of a undecided voter - please help

[K20]

I want to vote for Ken (despite him being the labour candidate) again as I think he has worked hard to give London a modern identity and increase tourism, promoting London with good advertising and events.

Why should Boris the Buffoon ride his coat tails and be given all Kens good work to flag wave as his own? Crime, Environment, Housing, Greenbelt etc, obviously whoever is chosen will do their best for London - its all hot air to win votes, these type of changes will be made by whoever is London Mayor.

I feel I voted Ken in with gusto a few years ago on a wave of London Pride (not the beer) and that I should give him the job again. He's fearless of Government and will not be dictated to unlike ......

opinions please

i have been following this on LBC and found that I think the boris just says whatever he thinks you want to hear at the time - there doesn't seem any substance to him. Was gognto vote Paddick, but now veering to Ken as he does seem to have Londoners best interests and actually knows how to get things done and knows his stuff.

however (thanks Artichoke) now think i may vote Green and then Ken.... having BNP a 4rth would be an awful position to be in

That is annoying, policy. I'll vote for you if you like, but only if you want either Ken and Sian or Ken and Brian.

Oh thanks Either would be fine.

Why don't you have a vote PolicyWonk? Are you a Member of the House of Lords? Are you currently detained under mental health legislation? Or are you simply not resident in London?

Having just read the rules here it looks as though the tactical way to vote to keep Ken is to put your green/lib dem etc candidate as first choice and ken as second, as it's extremely likely that Ken and Boris will go to stage 2 which is when the second choice votes are considered. Have I got that right?

Ken and Sian for me.

Paddick is just a one trick pony. The LibDems should be ashamed of themselves for putting up such a poor alternative to Ken and Boris.

Ken has spent his whole life working for London and Londoners, has made massive improvements to the transport system, had the balls to bring in the CC and is one the only candidate who understands what will be needed for the Olympics. Boris is just a bloody idiot and the fact that the Tories put him up in the first place reiterates the contempt they have for this office.

Could any Londoner feel anything other than embarassment were Boris chosen to represent this great city of ours?

I thought the 2nd votes were added, so won't matter if you vote first or second apart from the risk that if Ken doesn't have enough first votes it could just go straight to the utter c*nt Tory candidate?

Yes perhaps that's right beansprout. My brain is addled.

hmm, i thought i'd do 1 green (or maybe brian??) and 2 ken ( as the lesser of 2 evils). that way, i can make my views known (ie green issues are important) but still try to keep boris out when the greens get eliminated from counting.

have i not got that right then? a bit confused as to how it works really.

All three, artichokes

If Brian is concentrating on policing there should be no hope for him. Totally fed up of all the crime in Lambeth when I was there. We moved just down the road, last time I went to report a crime (in Lambeth) I was told to come back without my children!

I also really don't support local income tax so that's lib dems out

I applaud Ken for his congestion charge and the oyster card but think he's had his day, the recent relevations should have done for him politically. Kens record on housing is also truely awful and I don't like his attitude to the skyline

weasle if you put ken 2nd with an unlikely candidate first you might as well put Ken first that's how it will count

SO the one getting my vote will be the one who promises to give the olympics to Paris!

Boris is a smart guy - see this www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/apr/28/london08.london

Oh well, if Peter Oborne says so, it must be true.

Why don't people who work in London get a vote in the Mayoral elections? They use the tube every day, stroll in the parks at lunchtime, put rubbish in the bins and go to theatres, pubs and restaurants after work. It should be a double vote if you live and work in London and a single vote if you work in London but travel in from outside.

if you live outside then you don't pay for the london assembly so no vote

Eh?!! Should we vote in the US elections if we are planning to go there?

Beansprout. I knew someone would mention tourists. You know what I mean.

Are you willing to fund things? If so, you can vote.

I am voting AGAINST Ken that's for sure.

Orangina - you've summed it up so well .

How come everyone hates Boris? he's lovely

Wheelybug. I truly don't know what to do. I feel like there is no point in me voting, but that's ridiculous.
1st choice Sian, then 2nd Boris?
1st choice Sian, then 2nd Ken?
Both choices mr/ms monster raving loony?

you would have thought that with the loonies running this time the Monster whatsit loony party is a bit redundant

Boris is a highly intelligent man, BUT he is a buffoon.Let him stick to translating Heroditus in his spare time, or whatever it is he likes to do.... DON'T let him try to run London, when there can't be anyone out there who truly takes him seriously.....

I think it is irrelevant how clever Boris really is...how appropriate is it to elect a man who intentionally project an image of a buffoon?