Ken Livingstone
Former Mayor of London
Ken Livingstone
Former Mayor of London
Ken Livingstone is a British politician known for his prominent role in London politics, particularly as the first Mayor of London, serving from 2000 to 2008. Often nicknamed "Red Ken" for his left-wing views, Livingstone was originally a member of the Labour Party but later ran successfully as an independent before re-joining the party. He first rose to national prominence in the 1980s as the leader of the Greater London Council (GLC), where he implemented progressive policies on public transport, housing, and minority rights. Livingstone is also remembered for introducing the London congestion charge and advocating for environmental initiatives during his mayoralty. Despite his achievements, his career has been marred by controversies, including remarks on sensitive topics that led to suspensions from the Labour Party and criticism from across the political spectrum.
LIVINGSTONE PROMISES 5% FARE CUT IF ELECTED
- Monday, 26 September 2011
Labour's London mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone has pledged to cut transport fares by 5% if elected, using a budget surplus of £728m. He plans to introduce an emergency fares package in autumn 2012 and also promises no further fare rises in 2013 and subsequent years. However, City Hall disputes his claim, saying that every penny of Transport for London's (TfL) budget is accounted for and cutting fares would have a huge impact on TfL's investment programme.
London Tube Fares Soar by 7%: Mayor Johnson Defends Above-Inflation Rise Amid Public Outcry
- Wednesday, 14 September 2011
London's transport network will see an average 7% fare increase from January 2012 to maintain investment. The rise is above inflation (currently at 5%), with some services increasing by more or less than 7%. Fares include a 10p increase for Oyster pay-as-you-go bus fares to £1.40, and Tube fare increases of between 10p and 30p, as well as cash fares rising by 30p to 40p. London Travelcard season ticket prices will also rise by 8%. The Mayor, Boris Johnson, cited the need to balance current passengers' needs with continued investment in the transport system, while critics such as Ken Livingstone and Caroline Pidgeon argued that the rises were unjustified and would disproportionately affect those struggling financially.
Livingstone Compares Boris to Hitler in Blistering Attack on Rival
- Thursday, 18 August 2011
Ken Livingstone, a candidate for London mayor, compared his battle against Boris Johnson to the struggle between Churchill and Hitler. He stated that next year's mayoral race is a "simple choice between good and evil" and warned that those who don't vote for him will be punished in the afterlife by the Archangel Gabriel. His comment was met with criticism from Croydon Tory MP Gavin Barwell, who called it "incredibly poor taste" and said it would not unite the city.
Ken Livingstone Launches 'Save Our Sergeants' Campaign as London Police Cuts Loom
- Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Labour's London mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone is launching a campaign to protect the jobs of police sergeants, known as the "Save our Sergeants" initiative, in response to plans by Mayor Boris Johnson to cut 300 sergeant posts from London's 630 Safer Neighbourhood Teams. The mayor's office says community policing teams will share sergeants and no one will be made redundant, while Kit Malthouse, deputy mayor for policing, suggests up to 300 sergeants may be redeployed to core police teams over the next three years due to budget cuts of up to 20% across UK police forces.
