Where now for Progressive London?

Ken Livingstone did Part two of his Progressive London project last Saturday. In case you are wondering, Pro-London is his vehicle for his mayoral bid in 2012.
The numbers this weekend were disappointing. Is it running out of fizz?
The main draw was Vince Cable of the Lib Dems.
Ken Livingstone and Vince Cable has competed for a Labour MP’s position in North London many moons ago, so there is history there.
Then, Ken won.
The dynamic on Saturday was about an attempt to stitch together a ‘progressive alliance’ behind Ken as Mayoral Candidate. i.e. why Greens and Lib-Dems should back Ken as ‘the man to oust Boris’.
Will it work?

I have my doubts.
First, in 2012 Ken will have been out of power for four years and there is no sign of Pro-London being anymore than a series of conferences – by itself not constituting a ‘movement’.
Second, Ken insists on inviting totally discredited Labour/New Labour politicians. For example, where does Geoffrey Robinson fit in to anything progressive? His performance was that of an apologist for the banks. In the first meeting, Ken brought over David Lamy(!), Harriet Harman (!) and other Labour politicians.

After the next election, there is no way Greens will ever contemplate sitting with these types of Labour politicians.
Similarly, with Nic Clegg having taken his party to the Right, there is no reason for Greens to ally with them either.
In any case, while the Mayor’s post is important, we will all face far larger issues – a Conservative government, an imploded New Labour, a continuing war in Asia, unemployment at 3.2 million (using govt stats), public sector cuts and social tensions over immigration.
For the rest of us, the 2012 mayoral election can wait.

Meanwhile, I wonder if Vince Cable may not turn out to the winner. He has carved himself a niche on economic competence – more for highlighting the dangers, rather than any radical solutions (he is after all an ex-economist for Shell) .
With Nick Clegg slipping up (a serial loser of by-elections), Ken may find his competitor is one level up on him and untouchable.
The Geoffrey Robinsons and David Lamys and other Blair/Brown/Mandelson crowd will quite happily join with the Lib Dems (1981 all over again)…. Where would Ken then go?
Green mayoral candidate? Kidding……………….. on the other hand…….

Farid Bakht
Parliamentary Candidate for Bethnal Green and Bow