Introduction to the seven candidates for the London mayoral election 2012

The London mayoral election, to be held on 3^rd May, has seven candidates competing against each other to win the honourable right to lead the capital.

This year’s election will see Boris Johnson and former mayor Ken Livingstone collide once again to be the mayor of London.

One of the major talking points, however, will be the inclusion of Siobhan Benita in the candidacy run as the only independent contender in the election.

Here are the profiles of the London mayoral candidates:

Boris Johnson: He has been the Mayor of London since May 2008. He was the second person to be elected mayor and the first Conservative to hold the rank. During his term, he implemented the ban on consumption of alcohol on public transport. 

Ken Livingstone: Having won the election twice, in 2000 and 2004, Livingstone will be hoping for another run as mayor. In his eight years in office, he organised an upgrade of the transport system and introduced congestion charges. The Labour candidate also created the London Energy Partnership and the London Hydrogen Partnership favouring a better environment. 

Brian Paddick: The openly gay Liberal Democrat candidate was the Deputy Assistant Commissioner in London Metropolitan Police Service. Having worked to reduce crimes first-hand, Mr Paddick promises a safer London in his term following last year’s riot.

Jenny Jones: The Green Party candidate was the Deputy Mayor of London in 2003-04 and a Southwark councillor from 2006-10. After she was selected as the Green Party’s candidate for the election, she promised “to make fighting cuts to housing benefit, the NHS and youth services a key part of my campaign to be mayor.”

Carlos Cortiglia: The candidate for the British National Party (BNP) is of Spanish and Italian ancestry, and came to UK in 1989 from Uruguay. He is a press officer for the party. He states: “Everyone must respect British customs and British traditions instead of trying to impose foreign languages and foreign cultures in Britian. I want a British Britain.”

Siobhan Benita: The only independent candidate in this year’s election holds a senior position in the Department of Health. Her appeal lies in her being a Londoner rather than a politician. Her priorities are education, improving the transport network, increasing the opportunities for people and businesses, and safer and better neighbourhoods.

Lawrence Webb:  A former UKIP London Chairman was elected as the candidate for the mayoral election by the party and is campaigning as the “fresh choice”. His focuses are on a safer London, immigration problems and the negative effects among Londoners as a result of the Euro debt crisis.

Rajeeb Gurung