Michael Hodges has officially withdrawn from the race for London Mayor – but only after successfully gaining in pledges the required extortionately high £10,000 deposit that all candidates must stump up. Now we're out to get these ridiculous rules changed by taking the battle to Parliament – so that ordinary Londoners can stand for Mayor, and to bring true democracy back to the capital
Read Time Out's early day motion and sign our petition
It’s not been an easy ride for our team of Time Out journalists and volunteers, but after four weeks we’ve done it: successfully raised the £10,000 minimum required to stand for Mayor of London. We’ve also collected the 330 signatures of registered voters from 33 boroughs (ten per borough) every candidate must supply. Great, lets stand for Mayor of London then...
Feature continues
Well, actually, let’s not. This campaign was never just about Michael Hodges becoming Mayor, it was about putting your concerns on the Mayoral agenda and fighting an electoral system that is inherently unfair and undemocratic. That’s why we opened up the pages of Time Out, and this website, so you could help us shape what is truly a People’s Manifesto. Your manifesto. To be honest, we were staggered by how much passion, verve and imagination you mustered for this particular cause. We also learned that you don’t necessarily want grand or radical policies but the small and simple things which, if implemented, would improve life in this city immensely.
Every turn of this campaign seemed to reveal uncomfortable truths about London democracy. Gathering the required signatures was hard enough for us, a well-staffed weekly magazine, but for ordinary Londoners wishing to stand as independent candidates, it’s almost impossible. Political parties get access to the electoral rolls for every London borough. They also have teams of party workers who are paid to go out and chase the signatures. Is this any way to run a genuinely democratic city?
We are proposing an early day motion in the House of Commons, which will call for an end to discriminatory barriers that prevent Londoners like you contributing to the running of your own city. So, although we have qualified to enter the race, we are withdrawing from the official election, but fighting on against the system that’s let you – and London – down.
The Time Out Mayoral campaign stops but the People’s Manifesto lives on. And to ensure it does, we will be putting its key demands to each of the main candidates over the coming weeks. We hope they listen to you.
Read Time Out's early day motion and sign our petition
|
|
|
|
2 comments
I applaud you on the campaign in attempting to make the system fairer and more democratic! However don't you think that the £5,000 being suggested in the Early Day Motion is still a huge barrier to anyone thinking of standing as an independent candidate for the office of mayor?
Well done guys, great to see someone wanting to change this great city of ours......FOR THE BETTER.
my 10p just noticed as i paid my congestion charging penalty notice that i am paying it to coventry so we are paying for offices up there and staff up there and god knows what else, explain to me how the hell that keeps london less congested and keeps more busses on the road etc.
this mayor has lost it lets hope for a newer fairer one!
Wil