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Blogger Ken follows Obama and asks Facebook users to 'like' him
Peter Dominiczak, City Hall Correspondent22 Aug 2011
Ken Livingstone today launched a social media campaign that was inspired by Barack Obama in a bid to swell support for his mayoral contest with Boris Johnson.
Mr Livingstone launched his YourKen.org site today with the support of Labour leader Ed Miliband, who attacked Mr Johnson for taking London "in the wrong direction".
Mr Livingstone said the site would let supporters share information about the campaign and stage local events across the capital. It will harness social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to appeal to younger voters.
Mr Miliband wrote the first blog on the website today, giving his full backing to Mr Livingstone just days after the candidate faced heavy criticism for comparing Mr Johnson to Hitler and suggesting that the election was "a simple choice between good and evil".
The Labour leader wrote: "Winning the London elections next year and returning Ken Livingstone as Mayor are a big priority for the Labour Party.
"Boris Johnson has taken London in the wrong direction. He's hiked up the fares and delivered a worse service, whilst cutting frontline police officers and allowing his Conservative friends in government to cut 900 London Ambulance Service jobs unchallenged. Londoners are less well off and less safe under a Conservative Mayor. London desperately needs a change."
He adds: "Campaigns can have all the money in the world but it is the support of volunteers at the grassroots that makes the real difference."
Mr Livingstone today said: "The reason our campaign is building momentum is because people are seeing Tory policies are making Londoners less well off and less safe and doing terrible damage to people's quality of life.
"Because he puts a privileged minority first Boris Johnson's campaign will be powered by big bucks - because we are putting London first, my campaign is powered by people.
"Thousands of people from across London are driving a uniquely volunteer-led campaign. These tools will help me put Londoners first, at a time when Londoners are under enormous pressure from the policies of the Conservative party."
A source close to Mr Livingstone said: "We've seen the success of Barack Obama's use of social media to organise supporters in the US and intend to use the best and most innovative ideas in London."
Mr Johnson launched his own Facebook-style website containing similar features six months ago.
Reader views (26)
Let us Londoners not forget that it was as London Mayor that Livingstone imposed on us the Londoners Only Olympic Tax, from 2006 until 2016, which no other citizen in the UK was asked to pay. As well as hosting some Olympic events other major cities in the UK will also be given - ABSOLUTEL FREE OF CHARGE - much of the Olympic equipment and portable facilities when the Games finish after three weeks in 2012 - and we will be paying the Olympic Tax until at least 2016 - and our Ken wants us to vote him back as London Mayor again ? Do me a favour !!!
- Imindoors, Kent, 25/08/2011 22:45
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Ken is right just look at the hundreds of millions Boris has wasted on his Vanity projects be it De-bendiification (on the grounds of fare dodging) only to be spent on a bus with an open platform (handy for fare dodging!!) and crimes like muggings!!!
Not one cm of new tram or DLR built in fact we still await Kens Stratford International DLR link - be much longer and Mayor Ken will get to open it!!!
As Michael Winner would say calm down...its only Ken Livingstone..
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 23/08/2011 12:28
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Just looking at his mug makes is tough, never will he understand he just doesnt represent the real London people
- Dal, Bromley, 23/08/2011 10:28
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Where's Barclays Boris the bankers champion?
- snidely, london, 22/08/2011 20:04
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It's at times like this that Facebook needs a DISLIKE button
- David K, London, 22/08/2011 17:58
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"The main escalation in Transport Fares, has been under Boris's tenure."
- Digby Carruthers, Wimbledon, 22/08/2011 15:21;
Not true. But even if it were are you really surprised given the state of the economy. Now is hardly the time to be subsidising fare freezes to the detriment of the public purse and other services. And, of course, it's well known that Livingstone had planned to similarly increase fares had he beaten Johnson at the last election.
- Gary, London, 22/08/2011 17:54
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Comparing yourself to Barak Obama is certainly no recommendation in my book. Obama is surely the most over-rated, inept and incompetent president the United States of America has ever inflicted on the western alliance. If that joker gets elected for a second term then I will definitely vote for Ken. As both scenarios are impossible then we have no fear that Ken Livingstone's political career is reviving instead of nearing its end, and that he will never hold political office of any great significance ever again. They can ride off into the sunset together. Never to be seen or heard of again.
- Higgnoraimus, Birmingham, 22/08/2011 17:11
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Go and and hide away, Ken Livingston you odious little toad. The last thing we need is a useless geriatric mayor.
- Vince London, West London, 22/08/2011 16:53
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Following his humiliating defeat at the last election for mayor of London I hoped this odious creep would crawl back under a stone and spend the rest of his days licking his wounds. It would appear that he is as thick skinned as an aligator - and just about as loathsome.
- R.F.Yorke, Yorks,, 22/08/2011 16:11
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And lets not forget Lee Jasper who sexually harassed working women . . . "
- The Pigeons, Muzzers, 22/08/2011 14:23
. . and I'm saying nothing about "alleged" involvement in organisations that received significant amounts of cash from Kens GLA.
.
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- Rog, Enfield, 22/08/2011 16:10
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Ken or Boris? More like Laurel or Hardy!
- Alan, of Chigwell, 22/08/2011 15:48
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It is interesting to see that the ES Poll consistently shows Ken @ 56% and Boris @ 44%.
The main escalation in Transport Fares, has been under Boris's tenure.
I am not going to follow the lead of your other COMMENTS.
I applaud Ken's Cross-River Tram Plans. If Boris or Ken are elected in 2012, the 'Go-Ahead' would greatly take the pressure off central London's existing Tubes and Buses.
- Digby Carruthers, Wimbledon, 22/08/2011 15:21
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It's an appropriate match between Ken and Obama
Ken thinks it's the 80s and Obama thinks it's 2008.
- John Smith, London, 22/08/2011 15:17
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It is times like this on Facebook you really want a 'Don't Like' button to really show you don't care!
Harsh words, but can not be any worse that his Hitler jibe last week! What is your view eh! Ken?
- Mark, Central London, 22/08/2011 14:56
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I don't know any one who will vote for ths idiot, I have seen no policies, is he frighten to tell us what he wants to do, as far as I can make out Boris has not reduced the police.
- peter, london, 22/08/2011 14:26
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Red Ken is right when he talks about Londoners being worse off.
They certainly will be a lot worse of if he is re-elected.
He will raise taxes on ordinary working people just like he did last time.
Ordinary people will be poorer but Red Kens wife will make 150 thousand per year.
And lets not forget Lee Jasper who sexually harassed working women , he will also be on 150 thousand a year.
A vote for Red Ken is a vote to be ripped off.
How many mugs are there left?
- The Pigeons, Muzzers, 22/08/2011 14:23
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The Mayor of London is one big rip off and you are paying for it.Reject it.
- davo, faraway, 22/08/2011 14:02
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" . . . asks Facebook users to 'like' him"
I've listened to him on local radio etc, and he actually comes across as quite amiable, and possibly if I ever met him in person he may well be quite "likable", in a greasy kind of way.
But, liking someone and voting for them are not the same thing. He will always be "Red Ken", supporting wacko causes, not to mention questionable South American leaders and who know what else. Nope, he's had his chance, I'll vote for the ABK (Anyone But Ken) candidate.
.
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- Rog, Enfield, 22/08/2011 13:36
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Ken, you simply aren't coming back and you will remain in the past tense. A half-hearted endorsement from a lame duck adenoidal Opposition leader isn't going to help. For me, the difference between Boris and you is while Boris tries to govern for the whole of London, you governed solely for your own particular socio-ethnic groups, and everyone else could go to hell; instead of attempting to persuade people that you might have been right, your tendency was to smear everyone who ever disagreed with you.
Finally, your recent statement that your impending election battle with Boris was as important as Churchill's with Hitler (with you cast as Churchill) convinced a lot of people that as well as being unpleasant and unable to hold your drink, you have now managed to lose the plot entirely. We're well rid of you.
- Stevie G, London SW11, 22/08/2011 13:34
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Boris's website from six months ago was a negative campaigning site as I remember, where are the links ES? Are you embarrassed by your candidate?
I've signed up for yourken.org as a result of reading the biased ES articles and ignorant comments posted on this site.
- East Londoner, East London, 22/08/2011 13:19
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Give it up Ken. Your way passed your sell by date and London has woke up to your communist allegeniacies.
The White-Flight areas of London and other big cities cannot be pushed under the carpet forever!
Red Ken you are and always will be. Ps: Any chance you could pay to put back the synchronization of our traffic lights?
- mike.M, london, 22/08/2011 13:12
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This website is linked to the Surveillance Party, (sorry, Labour Party) so they will log all the comments and if they ever get into power again they will know who is who and what they think. I tried YourKen and was asked to sign in with Facebook or Twitter. There is no way I'm signing up to these organisations and making my life an open book for every future paranoid and prurient government to read. There should be a massive tax on Facebook, but better still, it ought to be abolished altogether. As for Twitter. Perhaps it would have been useful for the Stasi before the Berlin Wall came down. Big Brother is watching all the social networking sites, and together with CCTV that makes us the most watched and spied upon nation on earth. China has nothing on Britain when it comes to controlling its citizens.
- Dave, Devon, UK, 22/08/2011 13:10
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Mad
absolutely barking mad.
[which probably makes him the ideal Mayor for London]
- shed, marlboro wilts, 22/08/2011 13:00
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Ken Livingstone?? Like him GONE.
The man was a disaster for London.
Congestion charge was nothing more than another money making rip off the motorist scam that resulted in lost business to loads of shops, restaurants and companies. And just look at the cost of public transport in London. So much for getting us out of our cars. The man is TOXIC for London.
- Count Nosferatu, The empty NOTW offices, Wapping, E. London, 22/08/2011 12:53
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That Milliband endorsement is not really inspiring,is it? The difference is that Obama was an unknown quantity and Red Ken has already been Mayor. We already know what he's about.
He hiked up fares and delivered a poor service, but he also forgets all the other reasons why he was voted out. Hopefully London voters will not forget and keep him away from public office for good. London might need a change, but not to go five steps backwards.
- mike stern, london, 22/08/2011 12:17
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YourJoKen, more like.
- Tom Jones, The Green Green Grass, 22/08/2011 12:10
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