Ken Livingstone: interview
In the last of our series of interviews with the four main mayoral candidates, Time Out grills Ken Livingstone about affordable capital housing, those accusations of corruption and offering Boris Johnson a job at City Hall
There's no kind way of putting it: Ken Livingstone looks shattered. His face is so creased with tiredness, I want to tell him to skip the interview and get 40 winks. When our photographer suggests that he pose for a portrait, he groans, puts his head in his hands and mutters, ‘I always look like a prat in portraits.' But, as the interview progresses, his answers gather pace; explaining the cut and thrust of his policies seems to give him energy. When it's time for the photo session, he's game for anything. It's a reminder that this man has breathed London politics for 30 years - it's hard to imagine what he'll do if he wakes up unemployed on May 2.
It's been a difficult campaign. Why do you think you've been doing badly?
‘When Boris announced he was standing, everyone said "This is a joke." I said, "This is the most formidable opponent I've ever faced." The key thing is, he has the recognition that usually only pop stars have. And he makes people laugh.'
Maybe people are ready for a laugh?
‘People think he's a laugh, but now the debate has really got going, the real issues about running London are finally emerging. The Mayor has £13 billion to spend every year, employing 105,000 staff, plus a £39bn transport investment programme over the next ten years. The Mayor elected on May 1, before they go on summer holiday, has got to work out exactly the form in which we'll re-draw the Metronet contracts [for tube maintenance] and decide the best mechanism to build Crossrail. Make the wrong decisions, and you could end up taking billions out of taxpayers' pockets.'
To read the full interview, click here.