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Why did you remove conductors from buses?

I would like to ask Mr Livingstone whether he would still welcome Dr al-Qaradawi to visit Britain given that he supports wife beating, murder of gays and suicide bombing.

The question I would like to ask Ken is if re-elected what steps will he take to stop fare dodding on the bendy buses? I like the bendy buses they have in my opinion brought a lot of benefits to London, but they have given fare dodgers a free ride for far too long.

What action are you taking and, if re-elected, what action would you take to support British Londoners who have lost their jobs to immigrants?

Mr Livingstone has won a lot of support for tackling congestion in central London. Yet other parts of London remain close to gridlock. On reading Transport for London's 2025 document it seems that even with the latest Government Spending Review there will still not be enough capacity on public transport to meet the needs of London's growing population. Does the Mayor now admit that without the proceeds from a Road User Charging scheme covering the whole of London, TfL will not be able to afford a level of service that can match his vision of a world class capital? This question equally applies to Mr Johnson.

Why, Mr Livingstone, have you shown such contempt for democratic processes? You attacked English Heritage, when it was playing a legitimate role in planning applications for tall buildings in the City, as "the taliban" because you wanted to force through skyscrapers? You dismissed the overwhelmingly negative response to the consultation on the western extension of the congestion charge. And you argued against having an inquiry into the Stockwell shooting, and berated the Independent Police Complaints Commission while it was carrying out its investigation over the Stockwell shooting, which was its job.

I came to this country with my parents as a refugee from Austria in 1938: it had been taken over by Hitler exactly 70 years ago. I never have, and I thought I never would hear the Mayor of London, or any other important British official, make crude anti-semitic taunts to people of Jewish background as Livingstone has done. To Oliver Finegold he said "aright well you might be [Jewish] but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard" (February 2005). About David and Simon Reuben, British citizens of Indian Jewish background he suggested "go back to Iran and see if they can do better under the Ayatollahs" (March 2006) and when questioned he apologised, not to them, but for "being offensive to the people of Iran". If the mayor does not now publicly apologise and withdraw these crude taunts, he should no longer disgrace our public life by his presence.

During a talk with nick ferarri on LBC you agreed that as a result of the congestion charge the number of cars going into the zone has increased during the weekend. Why don't you impliment the charge for the weekend?

Ken,

only this week London saw record high temperatures followed by a flurry of snow showers. This is not freak weather but the early signs of global warming, which will only get worse if we dont take affirmative action. What additional powers should the mayor have in order to tackle pollution, emissions and climate change?

How can all sections of society be engaged in this, the most pressing question facing us in the 21st century?

Dear Mr Livingstone,

What have you done to help the homeless of London and what will you do in the future ? I realise that successfull asylum seekers are given social housing as a right without waiting or question, but the homeless people of indiginous origin are not so fortunate. what have you done to help them, and what will you do to help them ? I understand that an sylum seeker from Somalia for example may deserve a council flat in central London, but do you believe that a homeless single British person deserves none ? tHE POPULATION OF lONDON AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS POLICY IS NOW ALMOST ENTIRELY MADE UPOF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS AND THE EXTREEMLY AFFLUENT. since immigration is convenient for the affluent in terms of cheap labour, the debate over intergrationj is entirely distorted by the views of fortunate Londoners.

Ken, As a regular visitor to London, pre Ken/post Ken, I have found little difference re traffic congestion inspite of the camera "revenue gatherers". Where did you go wrong?

Now you banish me to "the Outer Limits" on my regular Caravan visits because you deem that I drive the wrong sort of motor, and All wheel Drive Volvo which, as I am on a pension, is NOT a gas Guzzler (AV.38.5mpg around town-48 on a long run)

When do you see that my travels on the tube will be a pleasant experience rather than one that is worse than a cattle-truck?

I still love London.

Dear Ken,

I would like to know what firm commitments can you give for the extension of Tube lines south of the river? In inner city areas of high deprivation like Camberwell there is a crying need for the Tube to act as a catalyst for regeneration.

Why do you say that your budget will provide 1,000 extra police officers on the street when in fact the local boroughs are paying the cost?

Why have you visited Venezuela more times than some London Boroughs and do you think Londoners will be proud of the fact that you have begun to set up London Embassies around the world?

More of comment 11 is what we need.

The Guardian today features a top NASA scientist repeats what some other scientists have said for years. only a small number of the public have known/worked out for some time. There are solutions for 100% of the world's energy to be 100% clean as soon as it takes to put up the equipment. Such action can still be taken at Governental level to avoid effects like this 75 metre sea level rise. But now means right right now. For the sceptics, things like this are easily provable by any informed member of the public to another in minutes. These figures are if business carries on as usual. A small proportion of the public have known this/ worked it out for some time.

Global warming absolutely demands leaders who have great insight into the situation, have very well - proven calibre, intention to start and see projects through, to plan, to face the situation. He has an extremely good track record on this. We cannot have the other candidates except for the Green. It is not a matter of choice on this occasion. Of course Boris is a celeb and a very nice chap but this century the world, the UK and London need Livingstone to be the Mayor.

On this occasion the others are not viable. We want life to remain viable for the human race and we need those with the knowledge and insight and proven dedication and success to remain in power.
The world looks to London now on global warming and this also must continue.

Questions please

Why are police officers spending less time on patrol than since you came to office? Time spent on front line policing has risen in England, but not in London. Why is this?

Instead of obsessing & boasting all the time about London as 'a world-class city' why don't you just concentrate on making London work properly? For example, our public transport system is very expensive, very unreliable, and very unpleasant to use, with passengers being treated as whipping boys rather than valued customers. In the case of bus drivers they do not appear to have been trained systematically in the technical aspects of driving or in the psychology of good customer relations: they drive very jerkily, throwing frail & elderly passengers about, and seem to take pleasure in accelerating & braking fiercely; they are sometimes 'bolshie' e.g. refusing to stop for a waiting passenger or running past a stop for no obvious reason after a passenger has rung the bell; buses are frequently terminated short of their scheduled terminus and the passengers are turned off without explanation or apology.
BTW A good, reliable, inexpensive and friendly bus service operates in Paris on Christmas Day - why not in London?

What more have you got to offer London?

Question for all three candidates.

How can a national news programme justify spending so much time on elections that only affect London?

I am a family man with one child who lives in a deprived area of the north essex coast, why should i care who is the next london mayor, who will represent me and what ( if anything) what will you do for the rest of us, (apart from launch the idea of congestion tax) or are we just left as always ignored and without a voice there are more places in england than just london!!

How do you justify the ridiculous cost rise on London Transport, when nothing about the service has improved in many years. Prices have gone up by between 20-25% on a yearly basis.

Also why do we let the main age group (under 16 year olds) that cause fear and vandalise transport to travel for free all the time? I can understand an hour before and after school for travelling to and from school but all day? Is the above linked to the fact that we have to cover for damages caused?

There are many questions you can ask a politicians, but there is one question which I would like to ask Ken.
Why doesn't he listen to people, to the voters?
Bush didn't listen to the people on the Iraqi war, he didn't listen to Mr Blix either.
Ken decides and executes, he doesn't listen to anyone?
Does he think that he is so powerful now that no-one can touch him? I remind him that he is there to serve the people and he who doesn't listen to the very people who voted them in, is eventually removed.
If he is re-elected is he willing to rethink the anti-car attitude he has adapted?

I would like to ask Mr Livingstone, if he wants to curb climate change by genuinely cutting carbon emissions, why doesn't he acknowledge all major motor industary research which proves the entire carbon foot-prints of cars (production, transport and running) such as his toyota are larger than lots of normal petrol or diesel cars? I also think that the most obvious way to cut carbon emissions in the city, and raise money via green taxes if he wants to, is to charge companies for building buildings with air conditioning or running a building with air conditioning. London has one of the lowest temperature indices of any city in the developed world and therefore does not require air conditioning for 98% of the year. Yet every new bulding has air conditioning and it is used for heating for most of the year, something that is very inefficient. Tax large companies in the city for this waste of carbon and money and don't tax normal drivers and small businesses in the city for running cars that don't do as much damage to the environment as you and others find it so convenient to point out.

How do you justify the complete waste of an estimated 32 million £ by the 2012 Olympic organising authorities over the building and subsequent dismantling of the location of a site for the Olympic shooting sports when alternative locations could cost 25% less and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

London is now the first capital city in the History of the world where the majority of babies are born to foreign parents.(*)

Does this concern you?
What impact do you think this will have on the future of the whole of the United Kingdom?
What are you going to do about it?

*source:

Ken
I have lived in a heavily populated area of se london ( bermondsey, old kent road) for the last 7 years. Why are bus services along the old kent road still after all this time dangerously overcrowded, dirty and very unpleasant to travel on? How can your granting of free bus passes to young people improve conditions for fare paying passengers.. and the elderly who frequently don't even get a seat! ( And YES, this is True!)

Adrian Smith

Why does Mr. Livingstone not leave foreign policy to the Foreign Office? Londoners did not elect him to conduct foreign policy. His friend Hugo Chavez has vowed to sink the British Navy should it attempt to go to defend Falklands again. Does Livingstone support that view? It is unacceptable that he should do it in our name and with our money.

You were recently reported in the Wood and Vale newspaper as giving a commitment to ensure that those of London's Post Offices threatened with closure are kept open if you are re-elected.

How sure are you that you can keep this promise given EU rules on State Aid which make this difficult ?

What have you done, or are planning to do, to ensure that this pledge can be met ?

Ken, according to a 26 April 2007 Britsh Embassy Press release you said about the Torch Relay in London :
"This will be a great opportunity for Londoners to take part in the excitement of the Olympic spirit, in the lead up to the Beijing Olympic Games next year, through to when London formally becomes the next host city. We thank Beijing for inviting London to take part in this historic relay and I have no doubt it will be a great day for all Londoners and visitors alike. It will kick off the Olympic year in style and we look forward to strengthening the links, business and leisure, between ourselves and Beijing."
Are you still looking forward "to strengthening the links, business and leisure, between ourselves and Beijing" inspite of Beijing's record on Human rights, Freedom of speech and assembly ?

I have often visited areas of London over the last few years to be appalled as to how, in many places, it was sometimes difficult to talk to a member of the indigenous population. Are you quite happy to see the surrender of our capitol to so many people from abroad who are changing the culture and feeling of being in our own country? Do we not have the greatest number of other nationalities of any capitol city? You and your Labour cohorts may be happy with the situation but are those Londoners who have been born and bred in the city? And who gave the politicians the right to change the nature of our countries population so radically?

Why do you think that the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ has not invited all candidates to this debate?

Can the mayor justify London's Transport network being subsidised by the favela dwellers of Caraccas: When the average venezualan wage is less than 5 pounds a day, and even the poorest Londoners earn or receive a great deal more than that?

Do you still think the Congestion charge is such a good idea now that traffic speeds are now worse than before it came in?

Do you still think the Congestion charge is such a good idea now that traffic speeds are now worse than before it came in?

Do you still think the Congestion charge is such a good idea now that traffic speeds are now worse than before it came in?

Why have you visited Venezuela more times than some London Boroughs?

Violent crime is up in London – why can’t you just admit it?

Why is it that you have attacked the tories over running a divisive campaign, and yet you are only using parties to the left of you to prop you up so you dont get steam rolled by Boris Johnson?

Doesnt this prove the only people you can unite is the left, the far left and the Socialist left?

when a recent survey on three routes in london allowed motorcycles to share bus lanes was carried out, stated collisions for all road users fell 42 per cent . (Chris Hodder, government relations executive). Why have you ignored this and are still refusing to open up bus lanes to use from motorcycles?

Surley at a time when we are trying to tackle congestion bikes should be encouraged as a positive solution to this problem.

In the interests of racial harmony would Ken Livingstone wish to restrict immigration to London and so relieve the pressures on housing, education, health services, house prices etc etc

Do you support ID cards?

you need LibDem support to win - but will you go against Brown for it?

Mr Livingstone quote:Only some ghastly dehumanised moron would want to get rid of the routemaster.

question. why should londoners vote for a moron???

I would like to ask Mr. Livingston whether he considers all London zones to be of equal importance? If so what can he offer to residents of zone 5 (my zone) for example? Unfortunately for the last 2 mayoral periods the outer zones have been pretty much ignored by this Mayor except when it comes to raising more revenue through taxation.

This is a strictly local matter for people who live in london - why is it being aired on national TV, when most of the audience have no interest in the outcome, nor can affect it?

I recently moved to Richmond upon Thames as it's meant to be 'London's safest borough'. Unfortunately it still is not enough to prevent me getting attacked by 18 rampaging teenagers on a bus at 10 o'clock in the evening. When are you finally going to pull the plug on free teen travel so us fare paying and tax paying citizens dont have to fear for their lives by using public transport?

Why have you allowed tube travel to be made a misery by deafening, nannying and and repetitious announcements at every single stop ?

Peter Lyons, unless someone decides that Liverpool. Manchester or Birmingham et al becomes the Capital of England, as a regular visitor to London what Ken does affects us all.

Being not too close to the problems of London I am a better judge to see if things have improved over the years. Sad to say I see little difference except that Ken has jumped on the "global warming" bandwagon as an excuse to raise taxes. Congestion, security and a crowded transport system still rules OK.
But as I posted earlier, I still love London. Will any of the candidiates make a difference? Sadly it will be more of the same whoever is elected. Politics is "locked into" the financial and business system. Just think about it.

What is the budget for your communications/pr department and do we really need advertising campaigns on almost every billboard in London telling us that the tube belongs to us.

Two questions for ALL candidates, please; I haven't quite decided who to vote for.

- We need people with the authority to stop inconsiderate behaviour.
For example: the thing with buses is not so much that there is crime on it, there isn't really. What it is, is that virtually EVERY JOURNEY, there is someone playing music too loud, or other equivalent nuisance. Now, sometimes one feels suitably aggressive from the morning, and tells people off, but obviously, this is NOT what one should do (first thing in the morning, getting so stressed BEFORE one starts the working day) (or, of course, at night, after a day's work, when one just wants to get home!) (or at any other time!). Also, when you do tell someone off, it is likely that that person comes back to you in an abusive and aggressive manner (as, when you think about it, these people are not considerate in the first place!!!), which is really a kind of aggravation that one could do without! Now, it shouldn't really be on the shoulder of some isolated passenger, to try and attain a tranquil journey. WE NEED CONDUCTORS!!!!! ON EVERY BUS!!!!! Conductors are the only people who have the authority to do something about this. BRING THEM BACK!!! NOW!!!

Another example is dog owners who allow their BIG, AGILE dogs to run around. Even in a park, there are people who are scared of running dogs, for whom a -should be- nice, relaxing walk in the park is spoilt by these dogs. Why not have "dog areas", AND patrols to fine those dog owners who don't keep their dog on a lead outside these areas?!

- The other issue is about having affordable homes, within inner London, (i.e. in places where one actually likes to live!), for single people who have only one normal income (£ 20000-25000), and are not "key workers". ALL workers, of every profession, contribute to the wealth and progress of London, even the low paid ones.

Thank you

Don't Labour MP's have anything better to do rather than to fine colleagues for saying "Boris". To be fair to Boris he is the closest candidate whose charisma can match Barack Obama. Take that however you wish!

I would like to ask Mr Livingstone what is the reason for his office is manipulating the figures that prove allowing motorcycles in bus lanes actually reduces casualties.

Ken - your autocratic style in defiance of public opinion, your cronyism, abrasiveness, far left background, support for subversives and people who shouldn't even be allowed in the country, your offensiveness, insensitivity, personal lifestyle and your general demeanour are an embarrassment not only to Londoners, but to British people elsewhere. London is one of the world's major capitals and needs a mayor who can be respected. I will concede that you get things done, even if they are not the right things, but why on earth should anybody want you for another term?

If Londoners bought their fuel direct from Hugo Chavez, would they still have to pay the congestion charge? Does Mr Livingston see the irony in using his advertising budget both to proclaim the burning of Venezuelan fuel, and to dissuade motorists from using that of London-based companies? At least the cyclists on the pavement don't have to worry about it.

Ken - your autocratic style in defiance of public opinion, your cronyism, abrasiveness, far left background, support for subversives and people who shouldn't even be allowed in the country, your offensiveness, insensitivity, personal lifestyle and your general demeanour are an embarrassment not only to Londoners, but to British people elsewhere. London is one of the world's major capitals and needs a mayor who can be respected. I will concede that you get things done, even if they are not the right things, but why on earth should anybody want you for another term?

I would like to ask Mr Livingstone what is the reason for his office is manipulating the figures that prove allowing motorcycles in bus lanes actually reduces casualties.

Given the evident opposition of Londoners to the Chinese torch relay last Sunday, how does Mr. Livingstone reconcile his ringing endorsement of this event, as Mayor of London, with the human rights record of the Chinese government? Does he feel Gordon Brown was wise to "receive" the torch, whilst "refusing to touch it"?

Ken - you have stated that on the matter of major benefactors to your campaign you would like to remain in a position of ignorance. You qualify that if the information were disclosed to you, your actions may be compromised.

Do you concede that the electorate of London may feel differently from this view and wish this information to be disclosed?

Are you asking that electorate to accept that a significant sponsor would refrain from making their donation known to you, despite the quick rinse through the Labour Party coffers?

Ken,
I you have another trem in office what is your plan for reducing youth crime as you must agree there seems to be no control and don't you think it is about time parents where made accontable of their childrens actions?

As you run out of money, you heighten the tax burden of the whole city in regards to green taxation.

Do you really feel it fair to impose such a burden on the city for something (climate change) that is virtually 100% beyond our control ?

If you need more money, then say, please do not raise the burden of stealth taxes to immoral levels

During the last Mayoral campaign Labour promised Bromley an additional 132 Police Officers.
Four years later only 33 have been recruited.
We pay a massive supplement to the Mayor to provide additional policing byt Bromley has is still missing 99 of the additional Police Officers promised in 2004.
Where are they?

A visitor to London who doesn't have an Oyster card pays £4 for a single fare. Is this not obscenely expensive? There's no point having the choice to buy tickets if it's prohibitively expensive. If Oysters are your preferred option, why not just make them mandatory rather than keep a ludicrously high ticket option which rips off occasional users?

Why did you openly accept your rule as a "fiefdom" and abandon any pretence to democratic accountability?

Many people consider politics to be boring - tell a joke which the youths of today will appreciate

What are the views of all candidates on the ID card scheme?

I would like to know if it is purely a coincidence that there have been no Revenue Protection Officials operating on the 38 and 76 bendy bus routes this year? Anyone would have thought that it was election year.

How do you explain to your gay constituents your description of Sheikh Qaradawi as "my honoured guest" given that he advocates the execution of homosexuals?

EXTENDING THE REACH OF THE VOTE

We moved from London to Herts since the last Election -yes our choice- but we now spend MORE time and money on -Trains -Buses -motorways/A&B roads & city streets and we spend just as much time in London as before. We spend our money in shops & resturants / we drive on the city roads, etc, so feel short changed that those of us working all week in London, affected by London issues, are denied the right to vote in the mayoral election.

What do the candidates have to say to someone like me who voted against having a directly-elected mayor?

I was one of more than 478,000 voters who voted against the proposal in the 1998 referendum - a remarkably high figure given the extremely low turn out and the fact that all the major parties were in favour. No-one asked us why. For me it was because a directly elected mayor is not democratic enough.

The unaccountable nature of the office has led the farce of an unelected quango trying to suspend Ken Livingstone (and the bizarre sight of the Evening Standard acting as an unofficial opposition).

The Assembly is little more than a talking shop and the mayor is hardly accountable to it. Being directly elected, the mayor is beyond any accountability to his own party. Even the presidential Mr Blair with his huge majority was far more accountable than the mayor.

Stephen Moore

There numerous surveillances through speed (ka - safety cameras), but also other cameras in shopping areas, housing areas, generally high in the air on poles, and now quite new to me two different cameras: 1. an average speed series of cameras along motorways and carriageways on roads formally having a national speed limit; 2. recently new grey poles, like an inverted 'L' shape, cameras, objects, some with circular 80-100mm apparent lenses, others, circular but the size of a torch and difficult to identify. Quite what are the functions of these new 'breed' of automata; how do they affect the driver; what literature is printed educating the driver how to remain the correct side of the law?

Why are we being 'coralled' like cattle, bullied, fined, photographed and taxed? Who gave this permission? Are the new breed of camera governed by act of Parliament or Regulation, at the whim of the Secretary of State?

I would likw to know who paid for the campaign advertisiment for Ken Livingstone that is appearing regulary on telelvision?. what funds did it come out of? and how much did it cost? Considering the Labout party are reported to be in debt. hOw can they afford to do such an expensive commercial and who will pay for it? He has no right to use public funds for his own ends.

Would your chances of re-election have been better if Tony Blair had still been Labour leader?

OR

Would you stand a better chance of re-election if you were standing as an Independent rather than as the Labour candidate?

I have been out of job for over a long period of time. What would you do to help someone like me get back to employment as I have being voting for you over the past two terms in office, I still kept on hearing the same old stories about providing jobs for Londoners and northing good is coming out this for a poor black man like me; What can you do to persuade me this time round to vote for you again?

By Mr. M B Cesay

Many young people are becoming a menace
on the buses ,on the streets , in schools ,in the parks and pubs !
What are you going to do about it ?

Do you get sleepless nights worrying about the ever increasing size of the payroll and head count of those that "work" for TFL and the Assembly?

Given the evident opposition of Londoners to the Chinese torch relay last Sunday, how does Mr. Livingstone reconcile his ringing endorsement of this event, as Mayor of London, with the human rights record of the Chinese government, particularly given their invasion of Tibet? Does he feel Gordon Brown was wise to "receive" the torch, whilst "refusing to touch it"?

Is the mayor prepared to cut ties with the preachers of hate he normally invites to London? As well, Is he prepared to apologize for his anti-semitic remarks to David and Simon Reuben and Oliver Finegold?

You promised not to scrap the Routemaster. Why did you then do it?

You promised not to increase the congestion charge until 2013.
Why did you then do it?

You say housing stock has doubled under your mayoralty. It hasn't. It has gone up 41 per cent, and that is nearly all private developments.

As Labour's candidate in London, do you agree with the Prime Minister's policy to abolish the 10 per cent tax band, which has
raised taxes for millions of London's poor?

ask about Crossrail, impacts of congestion charge, how much money has been spent on the london dev. Agency and what has it achieved.
Can you guarantee that the emergency services can communicate with the below ground services tube drivers etc in the event of a terrorist attack on the tube.

A question for ALL THREE CANDIDATES:

Given police officers' actions in London on Sunday, for example confiscating Free Tibet banners and T-shirts, do the candidates feel that the police were at times heavy handed in their policing of the Olympic torch relay?

News night:

When will you look into allowing Blue Badge Holders (not working or residing in the royal boroughs), the same parking rights as other Blue Badge Holders?

And when are you going to look into the ridiculous misuse of concessions (being let off congestion charges) when the Blue Badge Holders are not in the car and sometimes never in the car.

In the light of the City of New York rejecting the implementation of a congestion charge zone, WHY do you persist with wanting to increase the area covered by the congestion charge zone in London? I have tried hard but so far completely failed to find ANY advantage to this deeply flawed scheme that causes angst to so many. (Though I suppose you have created some nicely paid jobs for the boys at TFL.) There are so many inconsistencies in the decisions you have made and your purported reasons for those decisions, I hardly know where to start.
First, it was created to combat 'congestion', however now you seem to have moved to using the term 'low emission zone', presumably because the facts did not back up your efforts - traffic congestion has either stayed the same or increased in most areas within the C zone, and continues to be comparable to Victorian times. Second, as another questioner on this site has pointed out, the more you slow traffic down with out of phase traffic lights, bus lane restrictions, speed restrictions and traffic 'calming' measures, the longer it takes for drivers to get to their destination and thus more pollutants are emitted - this is blindingly obvious to all except those wearing Ken-tinted spectacles.
Your beliefs are clearly anti-democratic, or you would have taken note of the majority vote against the CC extension - a massive waste of public money. You conveniently ignore the millions wasted on bailing out TFL when the public surprisingly did not break the CC laws after they were first introduced, since your 'creative' budgeting had relied on a large amount of revenue from CC breaking citizens to fund public transport improvements. No doubt you will be running up yet another huge legal bill to fight Porsche.
I would like to point out that I have a car, but I only drive it rarely, since I commute by public transport to work daily. During your tenure as Mayor, public transport has not improved, if anything it is more expensive, busier, less reliant, less safe and dirtier, and even though I hardly drive my car, it has become increasingly expensive to use for those occasions when I do need to. Spending a fortune on reducing the number of so-called gas-guzzlers (US terminology??) is hardly going to make an appreciable difference to either emissions or congestion, and will cost a small fortune to implement in the process. Just how many times can you justify changing the goal posts for what is classified as a car with low emissions? Obviously these decisions are based on however you feel about it when you wake up in the morning, or the latest opinion poll.
So, what I am saying is, that as both driving and public transport conditions have become worse under your tenure, I am being hit with a 'double whammy', and I have not heard anything from you so far that makes me believe it will get any better in the future.

I have noticed that Ken has entertained many Muslim Clerics.
Can he say how often he has extended similar hospitality to Christian & Jewish clergymen? Can he say exactly what the comparison is in numbers and time spent with them listening to their views?

There is a lack of trust in all politicians.
Mr Livingstone once stated that he would not increase the cost of driving in the congestion zone and get rid of Routemaster buses. Both of these he did. He extended the congestion zone despite public opinion being against it.
He wants to overrule elected councils on subjects such as housing, etc.
This man is getting too big for his boots. How can we trust him to listen to the general public and not just the pressure groups he supports?

Mr. Livingstone,

As a 22 year old employed co-habiting independent my primary concern is getting on the housing ladder. Many young people like myself are already facing long waits to to find the perfect first home either due to lack of choice or time taken to accumulate the initial deposit. High-rise apartment buildings have proved a very cost-efficient solution and can be comfortable and convenient. You quote in The London Plan: "London has to become a more densely populated, intensively used city; and at the same time more open, accessible and better designed". To this end, what tangible objectives do you expect to achieve were you to be reelected for another term, and would these include significant relaxation of height restrictions for zoned residential areas during your next term?

Kind Regards,

Peter Carleton

Ken Why did you force the western extenshon of the congestion charge on the resedents of K&C It has made no diference to the traffic and business money and resesedents money and now you want to charge up £25 a day to drive a car that is going to make life very expensive

I would like to ask Mr Livingstone how he can justify, with London's roads already unable to cope with the daily amount of traffic, replacing double decker buses with new bendy buses that take up twice as much road space and have trouble negotiating some corners and the roads generally.

What new and/or developing strategy would you adopt to place London at the centre of an innovative sustainability project that combines economic, technological and social/life style changes to combat global warming and economic global melt down.

Ken,

What good policies do any of your rivals have that are not the same as or similar to yours? It seems to me that the only way to be elected Mayor of London is to be like Ken Livingston. Ride on, Ken!

Mr Livingstone, I would like you to explain why my 80 year old uncle, who has lived all his life in the Lake District, has been written to by your office on not one but two separate occasions regarding the Congestion Charge zone? What astonishing piece of mayoral policy does this come under? I do question the effectiveness of how your office spends its budget if retired school masters who spend their holidays within 2hrs of home in a caravan are being randomly contacted in the small chance of them venturing near London. Not only that, but my uncle pointed out to me that the letterheaded paper was of an expensive quality and weight. How many other 'potential visitors to London' has the mayor's office written to? There are surely many better things for the Mayor of London to spend his time and budget on?

Both you and Boris have been on 'Have I got News For You' seven times. How come nobody remembers you being on it?

Two questions for Ken Livingstone:

1) Why was the congestion charge zone extended west, to the wealthiest areas of London, and not east, which has extremely high levels of congestion? Does it have anything to do with east London being Labour's voting heartland?

2) Can he genuinely say that every appointee in City Hall is the best person for the job, and that at no time has anyone been employed for reasons of cronyism, political favours or tokenism?

Mr Livingstone, I would like you to explain why my 80 year old uncle, who has lived all his life in the Lake District, has been written to by your office on not one but two separate occasions regarding the Congestion Charge zone? What astonishing piece of mayoral policy does this come under? I do question the effectiveness of how your office spends its budget if retired school masters who spend their holidays within 2hrs of home in a caravan are being randomly contacted in the small chance of them venturing near London. Not only that, but my uncle pointed out to me that the letterheaded paper was of an expensive quality and weight. How many other 'potential visitors to London' has the mayor's office written to? There are surely many better things for the Mayor of London to spend his time and budget on?

I would like to ask all candidates, why the 85% or so of the population who do not live in London should give a monkey's cuss who is the mayor.

It might come as a shock for them to realise that most of us don't.

I have a copy of Transport for London's Fares Guide for 2003 and I can see that in the last 5 years all fares have been hyper-inflated:

Single fares on the Tube have risen by up to 300%.
Weekly Bus Passes are up by 175%
Zone 2 period Travelcards are up by 171.43%
Zone 1 period Travelcards are up by 146.69%

TfL have introduced Oystercards which are still highly flawed, but any customer wishing to make a single or return journey without one gets financially heavily penalised.

When Oystercards were first introduced, very few customers wanted to use them so TfL induced greater usage by giving discounts, e.g. 10p off the Zone 1 single fare of £1.60 meaning that customers paid only £1.50, but they still didn't want them.

So TfL hiked the price to £4 for a single whilst keeping the Oystercard rate £1.50 - obviously under this kind of strong 'encouragement' (aka extortion), customers had little choice but to start using them. However, many still don't, even now.

Then all monthly Bus Passes and Travelcards were made compulsory Oystercards, a year or two later and weekly Travelcards became compulsory Oystercard, eventually weekly Bus Passes were made compulsory Oystercard too.

It is now impossible to buy any period ticket from Underground stations or Newsagents or Ticket outlets, or Online without having an Oystercard. Yet, in the face of all this "Oystercard Success" (as TfL describes it), 30% of journeys are still not done using them.

Perhaps this is because Oystercards are still prone to major flaws?…

1. The technology is not reliable enough; power failures on Gatelines mean Oystercards can't be 'read' so customers get overcharged - then need to phone a helpdesk to get a refund. (As Ticket Offices are not permitted in the majority of cases to do so, and have even had the capability withdrawn from their tills).

2. Gatelines wrongly coded mean customers also get overcharged but TfL does not automatically give out refunds, they have to be requested, again by phoning too.

3. Oystercards fail regularly and need replacing, (thousands so far), sometimes before the start of the journey, sometimes half-way through. Meaning that customers face additional delays, or being overcharged, or even penalty fared - which then has to be appealed against.

4. Unfortunately, Oystercard failures don’t just conveniently happen during normal office hours in Zone 1 where the Ticket Offices are still open, but in Zones 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 where the Ticket Offices have been made increasingly part-time or closed completely (with more closures in the pipeline).

5. Customers who find their Oystercard has failed (and without an open Ticket Office) have to pay the hyper-inflated non-Oystercard rates, keep the ticket, and apply for a refund, if they can get it.

6. Yet, when prepay customers lose an unregistered Oystercard, TfL gets to keep the money.

Unfortunately, since Ken Livingstone became Mayor of London the whole fares structure has ceased being straightforward but has become complex and highly convoluted.

It's less about customer service and more about control. The whole system is dubious and needs some serious rethinking to rectify it's many flaws.

London has one of the best Underground / Public Transport systems in the world, the trouble is, the people at the top with the need for greed and control have spoiled it so much - it's cheaper for them to spend £millions advertising "Check before you travel" than it is to run a proper service.

Therefore, what's Ken's plan of action to sort out the uneven distribution of fares rates? And what of the constant weekend Line closures? After all, when customers pay for weekly Travelcards, they're paying to travel on Saturdays and Sundays too.

(Incidentally, the real reason TfL advertises 'Line Closures', is it ensures TfL are not legally obliged to give refunds for the disruptions caused, as the 'Planned Closure' has been announced in advance - talk about treating customers with a cynical attitude!).

What safeguards would you put in place to protect women and children from being trafficked into the UK and sexually exploited in the run up to and during the Olympics in London in 2012?

Map of Gaps, published in November by the End Violence Against Women coalition, found that, despite being the most highly populated area in the country, London is particularly underserved when it comes to services for women who have experienced violence, with only one Rape Crisis Centre (in Croydon) serving the whole of Greater London. What would you do to ensure that tackling violence against women is prioritised, and specialist services no longer sidelined?

Whilst some efforts have been made in recent years to improve transport the general standardremains poor. On the roads there are lots of potholes, lots of bottlenecks, abysmal cycling facilities, and parking rules are flouted by trucks and taxis even during busy periods. The tube is slow and crowded and the station design does not aid swift exit/ entry/ line changes. Overall journey times are little over 10 mph (cycling speed!). Is there any plan to be radical and improve public transport in a more dramatic way, get more cars off the road, embrace the cyclist properly and make central London more pleasant for the pedestrian? If not why not - is it lack of political will or constraints from other sources (planning, finance etc)?

Do you believe there is any truth to the claim that a lack of term limits encourages corruption, disconnection from everyday-reality and a sense of ownership of public office on the part of the successful politicians?

Jeremy
Just like you did last night, mention the NASA statement. Whenever these sort of very concerning figures of much higher sea level rises and greater effects in general get through and get published, we have a chance to demand that those in power listen. If they are sceptical it is their turn to listen in silence and learn. Be it Boris Johnson or Nigel Lawson, these people get looked to. These figures of 75 metre sea level rise and other startling facts which occasionally get published are provable very easily and cannot be refuted. Morally we should not in any way be letting Lawson publish such a thing. Boris Johnson has to learn that his position at this point is to humbly play the role of uninformed on global warming and to publicly set a fine example and to put down his challenge to Ken Livingstone who has the calibre, the decisive determination to continue educating himself and tackling global warming. The misinformation and common knowledge on global warming is sealing our fate for a completely unviable life on the planet.
We must have a suitable Mayor. Having a celebrity (Boris) is not possible.
Whether you are a Tory voter or Green or live in the innercity and vote Labour, we are all in this global warming situation together. Put personal dislikes of a Labour leader aside for the sake of drastic and effective action. If we all do the sensible thing and elect a Mayor with a passionate commitment to taking drastic steps, we are doing something desperately needed. This is not about doing without modern lifestyles and technology and being taxed more. It's about very quickly getting the clean energy solutions up and running within months rather than years. WE can continue our love of technology etc.

With the Mayor remaining, crucially the knowledge, the insights will thus reach one of the most prominent and powerful posts in the world.

How can Ken honestly claim to have ANY clue what it's like to live in London on a low salary when his [currently suspended but soon-to-be reinstated if Ken wins] aide Lee Jasper, on £117,000 per year, pays just £90 a week (a sixth of the market rent) for a four-bedroom Victorian council house?

How can he justify spending such an incredible amount of the Council tax which we supposedly pay for the improvement of services on The Londoner newspaper - effectively advertising himself at our own expense?

Ken,

You boldly announced 'freezing single fares' earlier this (election) year.

Considering you have already raised Tube fares by up to 300%* in the last 5 years, do you really think you ought to be crowing about this?

(* a one zone single was £1, now £3 - 300% increase)
(* a Zone 1 single was £1.60, now £4 - 250% increase)

Why is there such a high level of tolerance for flouting of the traffic rules in the capital? Examples like vans, lorries, taxis parking illegally and creating a traffic jam; motorbikes in the bike boxes, all vehicles in mandatory bike lanes; speeding; red light running cars and bicycles are habitual behaviours. These slow things down and make things more dangerous especially for those I thought you were trying to encourage - pedestrians, cyclists and bus users. What are the police doing about this as they seem to have a turn a blind eye attitude?

Do you support the possible detention of Londoners or any British citizen for 42 days as proposed by the home secretary and government?

Dear Ken,

Re the new green zone in London. My brother helps at a local Scouts group. This volunteer group bought a minibus some years ago and it no longer complies with the new regulations. The GLA will not help fund the conversation and the minibus will now be scraped. Now there will be 16 more car journeys each time the scout group goes about its good deeds causing more pollution and congestion.

Is your policy meant to hurt volunteers and cause more pollution?

I would like to ask Dr Livingstone what he will do to make cycling safer in London, as most cyclists including myself have been knocked off their bikes at some point.

For example, is it really wise to have buses (biggest vehicles on most roads) in the same lane as cyclists (the smallest vehicles)?

Before you were elected Mayor you said on many occasions that you would not put tube and bus prices up, however they have consistently gone up, how can you be trusted again?

Mr. Livingstone,

As a 22 year old employed co-habiting independent my primary concern is getting on the housing ladder. Many young people like myself are already facing long waits to to find the perfect first home either due to lack of choice or time taken to accumulate the initial deposit. High-rise apartment buildings have proved a very cost-efficient solution and can be comfortable and convenient. You quote in The London Plan: "London has to become a more densely populated, intensively used city; and at the same time more open, accessible and better designed". To this end, what tangible objectives do you expect to achieve were you to be reelected for another term, and would these include significant relaxation of height restrictions for zoned residential areas during your next term?

Kind Regards,

Peter Carleton

What do you think of Parking penalties by post? Is it not out of the blue?

Some times you get repeated penalties for genuinely repeated mistake, because they happen even before you come to know of the first?

What action can you take as an environmentalist, can you take, to stop the growth of large glass structures (both residential and commercial)
These structures loose a great deal of heat in the winter and gain vast amount in the summer months, both no doubt being compensated by power consuming air conditioning units.
I know modern glass technical knowledge has moved on, but not too that extent.
Unfortunately the architecture is normally of such a low quality that lighting is the only way to bring any interest. This again adds to global warming
When the normal small house owner is asked to play a part in cutting back on power it seems a poor joke.

Ken,

If you honestly cared about safety on the roads, don't you think railings would protect pedestrians better than speed cameras?

You have presided over London for eight years, supposedly with a green transport policy. Yet despite some undoubted bright spots like the congestion charge, Londoners are still forced to endure a road system designed almost exclusively round cars. Many communities are cut in two by pedestrian barriers down the middle, we're sometimes forced to walk hundreds of yards just to cross the road and when we do we're corralled into pedestrian pens at most big junctions. What are you going to do to civilise our streets?

The Stern Report on Climate change calculated that a tonne of carbon costs £85.
Why are you proposing to charge residents of the Congestion charge zone who drive VED Band G cars (producing more than 225 gms of carbon per kilometre) over £6000 per year to drive in the congestion charge zone when the 'correct' price should be £306 per year? (based on a car producing 225gms per km driving 10,000 miles (16,000kms)per year)
Will you be disappointed if everyone buys a new SECOND car every year for £6,000 to drive during the operating hours of the Congestion charge zone?

How many more terms past this one do you intend to run for Mayor?

What do the candidates have to say to someone like me who voted against having a directly-elected mayor?

I was one of more than 478,000 voters who voted against the proposal in the 1998 referendum - a remarkably high figure given the extremely low turn out and the fact that all the major parties were in favour. No-one asked us why. For me it was because a directly elected mayor is not democratic enough.

The Assembly is little more than a talking shop and the mayor is hardly accountable to it. There are no checks and balances. Being directly elected, the mayor is beyond any accountability to his own party. Even the presidential Mr Blair with his huge majority was far more accountable than the mayor.

The unaccountable nature of the office has led the farce of an unelected quango trying to suspend Ken Livingstone (and the bizarre sight of the Evening Standard acting as an unofficial opposition). The office of mayor only attracts candidates who are similarly distanced from their party. When will we get real democratic representation?

Finally, the Olympics. After Sunday's disgrace when Maoist secret police 'protected' the Hitler-inspired Olympic flame parade (aided and abetted by some heavy handed police of our own) from ordinary Londoners and refugees demonstrating on behalf of oppressed minorities, will Mr Livingstone wake up to the real nature of the games? It's bloated, big business, corporate, corrupt and only sustained through massive so-called 'security'. Either we gracefully admit that we don't want to be tarnished with something so antithetical to human dignity or we set about creating a human-scale games which can celebrate play and endeavour.

Stephen Moore

Why should Londoners re-elect you when you've manifestly failed to deal with the city's Transport problems?

By your actions you have proved to be amoral now the questions

How do you manage to provide for your children? Are you giving an example for us to follow?

Will the Olympic games benefit the people of Tibet?

Ken,
If I got on a bus, refused to pay the £2 fare and said "can't pay won't pay" would the driver let me board or call the police. If the police were called on whose authority were they called?

With a lot of power, budgets and contracts under the control of the Mayor, is it acceptable to hold office for 12 years? This situation breeds corruption and favortism, one only needs to look at Mugabwe's Zimbabwe to see how power corrupts.Would it not be better for the tax payers and Londoners to limit the position to two terms?

If Mr Livingstone was re-elected would he leave the checks and balances system of the Mayor as it is, or would he like to tell me how he would change the system despite all the hooha over alleged corruption and money filtering that we have heard over the past year in the news!

Everyone has to tighten their belts at the moment, and the national government is either unable or unwilling to reduce the tax burden (unlike most other western governments). Whilst accepting that the Mayor's impact on the overall burden of taxation in Greater London is relatively limited, nevertheless his budget is not insignificant. What spending reductions would you introduce at City Hall to do your bit to help?

If you get re-elected, will you seek medical assistance for your pathological opposition to private car usage, and the freedom it gives to Londoners? Wouldn't London be better off without this left-wing idealogical zealotry?

After your last election victory you raised the congestion charge despite promising not to do so. What tax hike are you hiding from us this time?

Would Ken describe his administration as a 'corruption free zone'.

Yes or No please Ken.

I no longer live in the Capital (where I was born) mainly because of your many unreasonable policies and because I have only one job and it’s not one of Labours favoured ones so me and my family are left to rot.
After visiting My Mother in Streatham one weekend it took me over 3 1/2 hours to get to Hendon to get to the A1.
It is clear that your war on cars is a farce all you have done is removed traffic from the inner town and City and pushed it to the circulars and the outer arteries
Basically you've made it look good to foreign visitors and done nothing but created more stress and strain on Londoners.
Do you ever intend to address this, or do you like your affiliated Party just intend to bleed Londoners dry with makeshift and rather questionable laws just to finance your pet projects?

I would like to ask mr livingstone, why he would like to make all of london 20mph, wouldnt this contradict the highway code? What makes london exempt from the highway code?
Also why would he want to remove speed bumps, which obviously work, and replace them with speed cameras, which are controversial? Is he just wanting to tax motorists for fun?

A simple one. Havn't you just been the job far too long?

Please ask Ken Livingstone why he thinks the notion of us all being treated equally by City Hall, regardless of our skin colour, is apparently so aborrhent to him. Does he accept the inherent irony of following a relentless programme of positive racial discrimination in his attempts to amortize racial discrimination?

Also, what happened to the review which found we would be all safer if motorcyclists were allowed in bus lanes.

There numerous surveillances through speed (ka - safety cameras), but also other cameras in shopping areas, housing areas, generally high in the air on poles, and now quite new to me two different cameras: 1. an average speed series of cameras along motorways and carriageways on roads formally having a national speed limit; 2. recently new grey poles, like an inverted 'L' shape, cameras, objects, some with circular 80-100mm apparent lenses, others, circular but the size of a torch and difficult to identify. Quite what are the functions of these new 'breed' of automata; how do they affect the driver; what literature is printed educating the driver how to remain the correct side of the law?

Why are we being 'coralled' like cattle, bullied, fined, photographed and taxed? Who gave this permission? Are the new breed of camera governed by act of Parliament or Regulation, at the whim of the Secretary of State?

This comment is identical and I am posting it for Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson. I would have liked to make some changes and posted it for Brian Paddick but the show is in two hours.

Boris is not in a situation to understand this comment. Brian Paddick neither. They are misinformed very greatly about global warming. They believe they have all that London and the world needs. I appreciate that they want to serve to the best of their ability and take it extremely seriously and put their personal life through sacrificies. However there is the issue of solving global warming. Boris and Brian, you have to be honest and publicly stand down from the election for Mayor of London. It is not your opportunity. You have to publicly declare you will listen and learn only due to global warming. You can listen and learn. If you are sceptical, don't take it to a position of great public influence. It can be stopped so we can remain peaceful and positive while opening our minds to it further. However certain measures must be taken. It won't involve a loss of our comforts. However if we don't, billions of lives will be lived in really bad suffering in the future and countless billions of animals too. Like you I'm a guardian of this planet. However I know some things you do not. I do know what the clean energy capacity is for the world and we can get the whole world running with the energy we use now, for 100% of the world, within months rather than years. But the urgency and the threats are largely unreported. Whoever you are, your public around you are largely in ignorance still. Therefore Governments remain the same way. I found the really startling facts about global warming that still are not well known, and saw how easily they are proven, how they cannot be doubted. I can prove these things to anyone within minutes. I have to spend my time as an environmental activist on your behalf, whoever you may be, because I know that unless we solve it your own children will live such a depleted life and their children witness the end of a safe life at all. It does not involve taxes and ridiculous personal sacrifices. However the status quo almost always puts unsuitable leaders in public positions. Are Londoners going to elect a grossly unsuitable candidate due to a lack of insight in each voters mind? Due to a lack of a central, Government - led commandeering of the situation? You had better keep Ken Livingstone. Boris and other candidates who are in the same position of ignorance on global warming as many of the public, are unable to perceive the moral issues, unlike Ken Livingstone and unlike the Green Party. It is not for you candidates to come up with some personal ambition to be Mayor and to fight on terms you don't understand and know almost nothing about. These elections, and the effects of the choice will resound and influence policy on emissions negatively in a major and ongoing way for years. Things are seen by world leaders and public worldwide. There should be highly enforced procedures whereby global warming is given absolute priority at all times. As if on a truly emergency footing. Like in the Second World War without the conflict. So that in the UK in possibly less than 100 years, our own descendents are not fighting each other for food routinely. People should not be able to run for things like Mayoral elections unless they are routinely known to have an excellent record at open - mindedly planning action against global warming and determinedly trying and trying. Our current Mayor has proved he has the attitudes on global warming for an ongoing highly influential public position. If Boris craves the celeb lifestyle there are the normal media channels for celebrity status to be maintained and public positions to be held where acceptable. Global warming absolutely demands leaders who have great insight into the situation, and if shown really demanding tasks and urgent facts on global warming will take himself straight there and be open minded, show creative flair that comes from 8 years' experience of working on global warming plus a much older mature person in middle age. We particularly need to a Mayor and a team with the inclination, the proven abilities of years. To give a younger person with no demonstrated flair or intention with this sort of thing is so lunatic that the whole world should be watching while each Government makes public institutions be created immediately, right now, made purely for the purpose of preventing this ever happening in any election or interview process. There are yet solutions to the effects described in the rest of this comment. However action now means action right now. So remaining at peace, no need to panic but to stop making the same mistakes. Make no mistake Boris, this is a world issue and billions of humans - each billion - and however many billions of animals there are, would not want Ken Livingstone taken away and you put in power. Nor Brian Paddick. The ignorance that results from the wrong leaders echoes daily round the world. This is why examples and misinformation in the past has led to almost all Londoners still not knowing about what I am writing. So clearly we don't want people electing the wrong people - for your own descendants' sakes. It's just that due to the mistakes we make when we put global warming sceptics in power, the billions of people who will all die do not know about it yet in in poor third world countries - and most of the public in London here don't either. So they can't come pleading for only those with particular flair in this area to be in power. If we let a celeb be Mayor who will be seen daily, for 4 years, to do next to nothing, we may lose the Government entirely to ignorance and beliefs that nothing much need be done - the position we are in still. We will lose that insight in the minds of a very influential team. We cannot afford the ignorance that this would spread. Imagine if when the next Mayor election came in 4 years, the awareness had vanished in London on global warming rather than grown, if insightful people had been constantly doubted for so long because of the perceived threat to our comfort zones which are not really the case. If people who understand the realistic level of action needed by leaders never receive much attention by the Mayor never received the media attention needed to prove these things to the rest of us for the next 4 years-this is so much more likely to continue unabated, emission spiralling. Each person has a choice to keep going on about how they don't believe in much global warming, or the choice to stop this and be aware that if billions of lives are involved, it's true. If methane can explode, it will. If there is thousands more times enough methane than would finish off viability of life, it's the case. Please, it is free. It is free of charge. Don't keep going on about being sceptical or that some action is needed but not much. Open your mind and let the solutions appear in your friends' minds - be open to the right media coverage and that there is a lack of it. Don't take notions of half hearted belief and actions to public places. Please please be honest and unscrupulous about this and be noble and allow the Mayor to continue. Please, voters.
Those of us who are more aware have every right not to have Boris run for public positions. Unless we prevent global warming, I will live the rest of my life, now in my thirties, in the knowledge that anyone who lives later on than me will anticipate and then witness daily the pain, the dying, the stillbirth, the lives not lived, the pleasure not felt, by countless billions more. The pleasure not felt, the lives of humans not lived. This planet teeming with incredibly rich and diverse creatures could go on for in perpetuity and amazing things happen with regard to evolution. Humans could go on inventing, innovating and explore other solar systems and spread out across the universe and witness incredible incredible things the like of which we are just starting to see with the technological age. If we do survive global warming it will quite literally only happen at this late stage if we don't put some naive leaders in power and lose what species we can still save along with ourselves. All because we have this concept of Tory and Labour and a ridiculous voting system. ig. involve the just like sci-fi we 's incredibly rich diverse of countless billions of animals or starvation of their parents. They will know by then that 99% of all life will suffer this and become extinct within a century to two from now. If it's another century, it's stil the same. The pain will still be the same. I will by my old age have witnessed the rapid onset of this. Reproductive issues are seen year round now. Ken Livingstone's team and himself have very well - proven calibre, intention to start and see projects through, to plan, to face the situation. He has an extremely good track record on this. We cannot have the other candidates interviewed tonight. All the billions of lives on our planet that will be lived over a few generations from ours will simply die in extreme pain and all of it. There is not a choice at this time for It is not a matter of choice on this occasion. Of course Boris is a celeb and a very nice chap. However the world, the UK and London need a Mayor in Ken Livingstone.
On this occasion the others are not viable. We want life to remain viable for the human race and we need those with the knowledge and insight and proven dedication and success to remain in power.
The world looks to London now on global warming and this also must continue. Candidates without the stance on global warming are morally to be gently, publicly and blatantly told that this is not for them to presume to run for an election. Their celebrity status means nothing to our own children in London and their children's futures. As well as in poor third world countries. This question is a moral one in the extreme. Billions of humans lives are not just threatened but will be lost if we look at the lessons on emissions we are failing to learn from. Billions of animals' lives too, in very drawn out ways such as stress from anticipating starving to death and then doing so. Nearly all animals suffering such huge changes to their lifestyles like premature births, failed births, associated behavioural problems in virtually all animals, the same in humans as we witness 30% of all species on this planet die and become extinct in our own lifetimes, knowing that 99% are going to go including viability of life for any human within a century or so. Many researchers who don't have funding to publish findings, are aware that methane will come from ocean floor to the atmosphere in such quantities, that quantities of over 5% in atmosphere, will become routine. It will explode in force greater than the blast from 10,000 times all the combined nuclear arsenal in the world. Obviously this would blast across entire parts of a continent and the particulate dust blanket whole countries or the world. If you search for the information you can find it easily. There are big moral issues. These candidates aren't aware of the moral issues. Global warming is going to take billions of human lives because of the lack of understanding among us all. Take any High Street and a survey and see who knows what? But if you choose to feel sceptical about necessary action, it is not your right to stand for public positions. Misinformation is what is sealing the fate of all of life within a couple of centuries. We are not being commandeered by the Governments as in war as we need. Therefore we do not share understanding of the meaning of urgency, of solutions of clean energy, as a world and a public. We only understand that CO2 affects the climate - the extent is currently up for grabs because we have not the awareness and the legislation to prevent the wrong people running for public positions. It would be the same for any public position. How can Boris Johnson or any other candidate stand for a position like this, so powerful in the world? This question is a moral one in the extreme. Billions of humans lives are not just threatened but will be lost if we look alife for any human within a century or two. Unless global warming is prevented, I don't know how we will survive this sort of pain. We can still prevent these further -reaching effects I have listed. Please stand out the way, please please. Billions of animals' lives too, in very drawn out ways such as stress from anticipating starving to death and then doing so. Nearly all animals will suffer such huge changes to their lifestyles like premature births, failed births, associated behavioural problems in virtually all animals. Humans will suffer behavioural problems too as we witness the immediate and commonly predicted 30% extinction rate of all species on this planet die by 2050 - in our own lifetimes - and this will really take hold, knowing that 99% are going to die. Look at the lessons on emissions we are failing to grasp which we can with the best leadership.

According to research by the Halifax, 2.4 million Londoners have left London since you came to power. Is that not a damning indictement or your reign?

What do the candidates have to say to someone like me who voted against having a directly-elected mayor?

I was one of more than 478,000 voters who voted against the proposal in the 1998 referendum - a remarkably high figure given the extremely low turn out and the fact that all the major parties were in favour. No-one asked us why. For me it was because a directly elected mayor is not democratic enough.

The Assembly is little more than a talking shop and the mayor is hardly accountable to it. There are no checks and balances. Being directly elected, the mayor is beyond any accountability to his own party. Even the presidential Mr Blair with his huge majority was far more accountable than the mayor.

The unaccountable nature of the office has led the farce of an unelected quango trying to suspend Ken Livingstone (and the bizarre sight of the Evening Standard acting as an unofficial opposition). The office of mayor only attracts candidates who are similarly distanced from their party. When will we get real democratic representation?

Finally, the Olympics. After Sunday's disgrace when Maoist secret police 'protected' the Hitler-inspired Olympic flame parade (aided and abetted by some heavy handed police of our own) from ordinary Londoners and refugees demonstrating on behalf of oppressed minorities, will Mr Livingstone wake up to the real nature of the games? It's bloated, big business, corporate, corrupt and only sustained through massive so-called 'security'. Either we gracefully admit that we don't want to be tarnished with something so antithetical to human dignity or we set about creating a human-scale games which can celebrate play and endeavour.

Stephen Moore

I no longer live in the Capital (where I was born) mainly because of your many unreasonable policies and because I have only one job and it’s not one of Labours favoured ones so me and my family are left to rot.
After visiting My Mother in Streatham one weekend it took me over 3 1/2 hours to get to Hendon to get to the A1.
It is clear that your war on cars is a farce all you have done is removed traffic from the inner town and City and pushed it to the circulars and the outer arteries
Basically you've made it look good to foreign visitors and done nothing but created more stress and strain on Londoners.
Do you ever intend to address this, or do you like your affiliated Party just intend to bleed Londoners dry with makeshift and rather questionable laws just to finance your pet projects?

Is Ken prepared to reject the preachers of hate he often receives? Is he ready to apologize to the Jewish community for his anti-semitic remarks to Oliver Finegold David and Simon Reuben?

Is Ken prepared to reject the preachers of hate he often receives? Is he ready to apologize to the Jewish community for his anti-semitic remarks to Oliver Finegold David and Simon Reuben?

Would Mr Livingstone consider introducing some for of Direct Democracy to allow the citizens to reclaim control of their City from the politicians?

This has worked very successfully in other countries - notably Switzerland.

This is a question to all three candidates:

Apparently the mayor of London will go to the closing ceremony of the Beijing games to receive the Olympic torch from the mayor of that city.

Will you attend this ceremony if you win the mayoral election?

I no longer live in the Capital (where I was born) mainly because of your many unreasonable policies and because I have only one job and it’s not one of Labours favoured ones so me and my family are left to rot.
After visiting My Mother in Streatham one weekend it took me over 3 1/2 hours to get to Hendon to get to the A1.
It is clear that your war on cars is a farce all you have done is removed traffic from the inner town and City and pushed it to the circulars and the outer arteries
Basically you've made it look good to foreign visitors and done nothing but created more stress and strain on Londoners.
Do you ever intend to address this, or do you like your affiliated Party just intend to bleed Londoners dry with makeshift and rather questionable laws just to finance your pet projects?

Is Ken prepared to reject the preachers of hate he often receives? Is he ready to apologize to the Jewish community for his anti-semitic remarks to Oliver Finegold David and Simon Reuben?

Is Ken prepared to reject the preachers of hate he often receives? Is he ready to apologize to the Jewish community for his anti-semitic remarks to Oliver Finegold David and Simon Reuben?

Is Ken prepared to reject the preachers of hate he often receives? Is he ready to apologize to the Jewish community for his anti-semitic remarks to Oliver Finegold David and Simon Reuben?

Is Ken prepared to reject the preachers of hate he often receives? Is he ready to apologize to the Jewish community for his anti-semitic remarks to Oliver Finegold David and Simon Reuben?

Is Ken prepared to reject the preachers of hate he often receives? Is he ready to apologize to the Jewish community for his anti-semitic remarks to Oliver Finegold David and Simon Reuben?

My question to Ken

Given the challenges facing major cities in relation to their impact on climate change

How would he be looking to make london more sustainable given that the UK government is going to miss its emissions targets.

q1. one of your objectives ton improve flow of traffic in central london has been brought to question: there is not a cabbie in sight who would not say that you have made the city's congestion far worse as a result of the congestion charge, bendy buses and Trafalgar square. You do not even have a city planning degree. The costs of these projects have been astronomical and have only elevated the level of frustration all drivers experience.
it is a tax grab which has had permanent damage on businesses. the higher levy for gas guzzlers hits cars which are in fact not gas guzzlers.

it has been proven that all these have failed on balance.

why do you think you are qualified to do the job?

q2. crime has actually increased - especially knife crime. the police are unarmed, underpaid and understaffed. people feel less safe than they have been in the past 15 years. noone feels safe as you imply. why do you think pcso's are really good value given they are have even less powers than already vulnerable police officers?

My businesses require me to travel around the world extensively and experience the transport systems of many cities from London to New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo.

Bendy buses are too big and a ridiculous proposition for the small streets of London. They are the casue of most of the traffic chaos in London.

Greater numbers of mini buses will bring relief to all who need to use London's roads.

Why do you appear to be blind to the facts of the matter?

Why on earth did Boris and Brian let you get away with this - you were talking about fatalities on bendy buses and Ken said those who had fatal accidents were over the legal limit for alcohol - is there a legal limit if you are just walking about - yes we know there is for driving . Yes, if people get blind drunk accidents happen but A LEGAL limit for walking around - explain please - or is this more police state

What do you plan to do about rodents in London, I'm not sure if you've noticed but mice problems have increased significantly. Are you going to do anything aBOUT THIS?

What do you plan to do about rodents in London, I'm not sure if you've noticed but mice problems have increased significantly. Are you going to do anything aBOUT THIS?

What do you plan to do about rodents in London, I'm not sure if you've noticed but mice problems have increased significantly. Are you going to do anything aBOUT THIS?