London's leftist mayor expects a win

LONDON -- During his four years as London's mayor, Ken Livingstone has lived up to his reputation for stirring up controversy. Among his inflammatory remarks have been his attacks on President Bush, whom Livingstone denounced as the ''greatest threat to life on this planet that we've probably ever seen."

Beyond such comments, for which Livingstone has been criticized as pandering to Britain's old-guard left, ''Red Ken" has begun to revitalize the city. He has reduced traffic, increased the police force by 5,000, and added more than 1,000 buses to city routes.

Livingstone, 58 and a Labor Party member, is favored to win reelection when voters go to the polls today in races that also will decide seats in the European Parliament, local councils, and the London assembly.

He has garnered endorsements by such fiscal-minded institutions as the Economist magazine. A recent poll in the Times of London suggested that Livingstone enjoyed a comfortable lead over his nine opponents, with 42 percent of the vote expected, though other polls suggest that the race is tighter than analysts have predicted. Steve Norris, a Conservative, is Livingstone's closest competitor, trailed by the Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes.

Despite Livingstone's successes, his outbursts are a political point of attack for opponents. ''Extreme personal opinions should be kept as exactly that; private, not voiced as representing London," said Norris, who lost to Livingstone in the 2000 mayoral election.

Livingstone is unrepentant about such issues as his criticism of Bush and is equally passionate about local issues. Born in South London, he lacks the upper-crust accent of many British politicians. At recent public sessions, he comfortably fielded questions on issues from potholes to race relations.

To help London's renaissance, Livingstone recruited, at top dollar, a number of high-profile Americans. Robert Kiley, who revitalized subway systems in Boston and New York, now directs London's transportation system. Boston-born businesswoman Barbara Cassani, who previously worked for British Airways, was hired to direct London's bid for the 2012 Olympics.

While the mayor's powers are restricted to sustainable development and the health of Londoners, Livingstone created a groundbreaking but controversial ''congestion charge," requiring every car driving into Central London during business hours to pay $9.20. Livingstone called the charge a ''radical solution to a long-standing problem."

The system has reduced London traffic by an estimated 30 percent and proved a potential model for congested cities around the world. According to Kiley, London's ''congestion and traffic were both reduced very dramatically, beyond our forecasts."

Professor Paul Whiteley of the University of Essex said that despite Livingstone's reputation as a radical, ''in office he's been rather pragmatic and has been willing to build alliances with other parties; this is a sign of someone who's not a hard-line leftist."

Some of Livingstone's other plans illustrate his socialist roots, such as his desire to impose a 50 percent tax on all earnings over $184,010 per year. He has pushed for half of all new London housing to be ''affordable," a seemingly impossible feat, given that last month the average price of a London house rose to $460,877.

Livingstone has long been a thorn in Labor's side for his refusal to toe the party line. As Labor leader of the Greater London Council in the 1980s, Livingstone wielded enormous power. Outspoken from the start, he favored British negotiations with the Irish Republican Party and Sinn Fein.

But when Prime Minister Thatcher, a Conservative, disbanded the council, Livingstone lost his podium. Although he won a seat in Parliament in 1987, he did not regain the influence of his Greater London Council days until his election as mayor in 2000.

London went without citywide governance until 1999, when Prime Minister Tony Blair created the position of mayor as part of Labor's plan to devolve control to local and regional authorities throughout the United Kingdom.

To Blair, Livingstone was too controversial and strident. During the 2000 mayoral campaign, Blair called Livingstone ''disastrous" and backed another candidate, causing Livingstone to break from the Labor Party and run as an independent, winning the election with 39 percent of the vote.

His accomplishments led to his readmission to the Labor Party this winter, despite his vocal opposition to the war in Iraq. Although back in Labor's fold, it is Livingstone's independence and unpredictability that fuel his popularity, particularly among minorities and the gay community.

Whiteley said voters are ''lacking trust in the political leadership, particularly Blair." But, he said, Livingstone is excluded from this mistrust; voters know that Labor ''can't control Ken." After rejoining Labor, Livingstone told the BBC: ''I've never had to curb my tongue. I am what I am."