Bristol

University newspaper, ‘The Epigram’

The making of Mayoralty.

What might Sadiq Khan’s London mayor campaign mean for students ?

By Kyasat Nadeem. Features Writer.
January 2016

Bicyles. Floppy hair. Red trousers. Eccentric personalities. It’s what we have
come to associate with mayors, whether that is Boris Johnson in London, or
Bristol’s very own George Ferguson. And over the next few months, as students
across Bristol prepare for their exams, some of the nation’s leading political
figureheads will be facing the biggest test of their lifetimes: on May 5, 2016, local
elections will be taking place across the country, with the mayoral position in
both London and Bristol up for grabs.

Away from the circus of Corbyn-mania, the Labour party in London were
undergoing another selection process, choosing who would stand as the party’s
official candidate for Mayor of London. Political titans Tessa Jowell and Sadiq
Khan were the frontrunners, whilst many commentators predicted a surge in
support for Diane Abbot’s campaign given her ties with Corbyn.

The upcoming Mayor of London election shall be the first where neither Ken
Livingstone nor Boris Johnson have stood for office, and offers the Labour party
their first credible chance of a major victory since Tony Blair’s final general
election victory a decade ago.

The bookmakers, analysts and media had predicted a slight victory for Jowell’s
campaign, which began 6 months before Khan’s. But the pollsters, not for the
first time this year) had gravely miscalculated voter intention. Instead, the result
was a resounding victory for Khan, with 58.9% of the vote; in real terms, the
born-and-bred Tooting MP secured a comprehensive victory in every category of
the vote, and left Khan ‘overwhelmed’.

There were public scenes of euphoria within Khan’s camp as the results were
announced; he entered the race as the underdog, just as when masterminding Ed
Mililband’s victorious leadership campaign in 2010. But this time he had
achieved a victory no one could discredit.

This victory offers the prospect of a mayor placing greater emphasis on youth.
Khan, who was the second youngest Labour candidate standing for mayor, was
endorsed in an open letter signed by 100 young people. His team oversaw the
creation of a new platform ‘Dare to Dream’, set up to give young people the
opportunity to speak on various issues.

The Conservative party’s campaign in London is simple. Boris Johnson, who re-
entered Parliament after a seven-year exodus will not be standing for Mayor.

Zac Goldsmith, brother of Bristol almuna and social activist Jemima, is seen as
Boris’ natural successor within the Tory ranks; a young personable Conservative,
with cross party appeal given his love of all things green. Zac was expelled from
Eton for possession of cannabis in his youth, before becoming editor of the
Ecologist. He has become known within the Tory ranks as an outspoken
opponent to the expansion of Heathrow for environmental and constituency
reasons.

The race to be Bristol’s mayor is a far more straightforward rematch of the 2012
election. In the Labour Party, Marvin Rees, who was the bookmakers’ favourite in
2012, will be aiming to oust George Ferguson. Ferguson’s popularity has waned
throughout his time in office, most recently following the introduction of the
controversial residents parking scheme.

Rees will be hoping to capitalise on the popularity of newly election Bristol West
MP Thangam Debbonaire, although it is unclear whether Thangam will be in the
public eye over the next year, as the University of Bristol’s local MP continues to
undergo treatment for breast cancer.

This Mayor of Bristol’s impact on the city and local community is self
explanatory. Whilst the London contingent in Bristol is well known, the question
must be asked; why and how is the Mayor of London relevant to Bristol, and
indeed students at the University ? The fact is that the mayoralty has huge
implications for both the university and it’s students. Ken Livingstone, supporter
of Khan and London mayor from 2000-2008 played a major role in bringing the
Olympic games to London in 2012, where Bristol alumni secured 5 medals.
Similarly, the next mayor will oversee the 2017 World Championships in
London, where current Bristol student and long jump athlete Jazmin Sawyers
will be hoping to compete.

This week, Bristol will be welcoming thousands of students from over 120
countries, but which airport to these students arrive in ? If the mayor has his
way, it would be Gatwick. Whilst Goldsmith and Khan have many differences,
both have argued against expanding Heathrow in favour if expanding Gatwick, a
policy which has major implications for London’s economy, as well as the
journeys people take every day.

Any students planning to graduate and move to London may want to keep an eye
on events in the Mayor of London election, as key issues such as wages, hosuing
costs and rent control will have major implications for those with their eye on
the opportunities the capital has to offer.

A key issue for the new mayor will be the rise of Uber, and its threat to black
caps, an icon within the British economy and culture. Last week, a security guard
in City Hall was assaulted by a group of protesting cab drivers, with tensions
amongst cabbies rising. Uber, which was released in Bristol earlier this year, has
seen a surge usage this week, and it will be interesting to see how the company
fares in the face of intense political pressure.

The relationship between the mayors of Bristol and London is more linked than
it would perhaps seem. In 2012, Bristol was the only one of 10 cities to follow
London’s lead in adopting a mayoral system. A joint study by the Universities of
Bristol and UWE earlier this year revealed that only a minority of Bristolians felt
‘public confidence had improved in decision-making’ with the new mayoral
system, however there was a ‘dramatic increase in the visibility of city
leadership.

The mayoral elections in May in Bristol, London and many other parts of the UK
present personality politics at its finest. Both Bristol and London’s elections will
have major ramifications for students across the university, and the latter iwill
impact on the world economy. If the selection process is anything to go by, the
election campaign in London promises to be one of the most exciting elections in
recent years. The council-estate born, son of immigrants and human rights
lawyer Sadiq Khan up against rebellious aristocrat and ecologist Zac Goldsmith,
fighting for one of the top jobs in British politics. Here’s to a clean fight.