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Mayor to face his rivals in US-style showdown on TV
Pippa Crerar, Evening Standard08.01.08
The three main candidates for Mayor will take part in a US-style television debate this week.
Ken Livingstone will take on Tory candidate Boris Johnson and Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick on a late-night ITV show.
Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq will chair the first showdown of the campaign on current affairs show London Talking.
It will be filmed as "live" tomorrow in front of a studio audience using a Question Time-style format and will be broadcast on Thursday at 11pm.
Each candidate has been challenging their rivals to debate the key issues of the campaign face-to-face for weeks.
Mr Livingstone has said he would take on Mr Johnson whenever the Tory candidate was prepared to engage and has taunted him for his apparent reluctance to debate with him in public.
He said: "It's the first time I've been able to pin Boris Johnson down to one. I'm really looking forward to it and I'm sure Londoners are looking forward to it.
"I would have thought radio and broadcasters would have set aside two or three slots a week for the candidates to debate. It's very cheap TV and it gives Londoners a chance to ring in and ask questions." The Mayor claimed that he, Mr Paddick and Green candidate Sian Berry were likely to agree on "90 per cent" of issues while Mr Johnson would present the contrary view.
Of the Lib-Dem candidate, he said: "I like him. I think he wouldn't be a bad mayor at all. But he has got to look for points of difference with me." Mr Johnson's campaign team denied their candidate had been avoiding a debate and claimed it was in fact the Mayor who had proved difficult to pin down.
The Tory MP himself insisted he has always been up for a debate. "Bring it on, bring it on, you big girl's blouse, that's what I say," he said.
He taunted Mr Paddick for not being as high-profile as the other two main candidates, asking "who?" when asked if he would debate with the Lib-Dem, who is supported by Sir Elton John.
Mr Paddick said: "I think a three-way debate is absolutely fine and it doesn't hold any fears for me at all.
"If Boris Johnson doesn't think that I am a serious rival he's got a very, very nasty shock coming. I believe Londoners are hungry for a serious debate about the future of their city and will be explaining how I plan to cut waste and make people feel safer."
The candidates will be asked a series of questions by members of the 40-strong audience, which will be hand-picked by producers.
They are expected to cover transport, housing, crime and the Olympics as well as personality issues which have dominated the campaign so far.
Mr Livingstone is likely to be quizzed about the London Development Agency funding row involving senior aide Lee Jasper.
Mr Johnson could be challenged over claims he used racist language and suffered a slow start to his campaign.
Mr Paddick could be questioned on his autobiography, which will be published just weeks before the election in May.
Reader views (11)
This debate is a fantastic idea. However, we do not take these good ideas far enough. It was inspiring how the American presidential candidates debated their positions. Our political party leaders should have a similar debate and they should be forced to attend and defend their beliefs, in the interests of democracy. We are already lumbered with a Prime Minister who was not even voted in by the nation and did not have the honour to go to the country when he had the chance. This situation should be rectified.
- Angela King., London
Who on earth is responsible for putting Konnie Huq (huh?) in charge? Obviously someone who has not seen her performance on "London Talking". I would have thought that the election of London's mayor is a serious enough business to get someone who knows what he/she is doing to chair such a debate.
- Robert Zimmerman, London
Boris will talk about crime and Ken will call everyone a racist. Wouldn't wait in for it.
- Bob, London
Obviously a really heavy-weight competition if it's being chaired by a Blue Peter presenter (with her left-wing leanings)... will there be a phone-in vote and can it be trusted?
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
This would be fun to see Livingstone be brought to justice! Boris will do a fine job. Who is Paddock?
- Peteo, Islington, London
To what end is this debate. Haven`t we had enough of this American style spin. ITV just seem intent on producing sensationalist drivel.
- Mike, Sussex
I'm so glad they are putting that intellectual heavyweight Konnie Huq in the chair! It's time she went back to Blue Peter and the regular appearance on the celebrity pages wearing not a lot.
- Paul, London
I cannot wait to see for Boris to take care off the Red Ken menace to London.
- Georgie, London
There is no doubt that Livingstone has been a good Mayor and has acheived good things. He clearly is talented, however, he has been there now for so long he appears to think London belongs to him and it is his right to be Mayor! He seems to me to arrogantly scoff at any candidate who stands against him. I think this is a real case of time for a change...for both Ken and Londoners.
- Bernadette Manning, Bromley UK
I like what Boris has been doing and I very much dislike what Red Ken has not been doing for London. I have never heard about Brian Paddock.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
You have to agree with Boris on this one, who on earth is Hugh Paddick? And does he matter? The answers have to be "I don't know" and "not at all".
- Casperslides, Bath, UK
