Simon Hughes To Take Mayoral Campaign To All Corners Of London

12.00.00am GMT Mon 10th Mar 2003

Simon Hughes, who was last week selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for next year's election for London Mayor has pledged to take his campaign out to every corner of London - not just the boroughs, but the neighbourhoods, communities and villages which make up the capital.

Hughes made the pledge to speak to Londoners of all party political persuasions, and those who have traditionally been totally turned-off by politics as he pulls together a broad based campaign to win which celebrates the capital's diversity. He has launched a new website (www.simon4mayor.org.uk) where Londoners can register their priorities for action. And he will start a programme of visits over the coming months.

With well over a year until what is set to be a three-way contest between Simon Hughes, Steve Norris and Ken Livingstone, Hughes is keen to ensure that Londoners themselves have the maximum chance to shape the kind of policy programme that can make London a capital city to be proud of.

"I want to make London a capital city which every resident, worker and visitor is proud of. We must have a safe city, with more police, and greater safety in every borough and in every part of every borough. We must have an efficient city with a reliable public transport system. I will not fight old battles over who owns the tube, but concentrate on the new battle to make it work efficiently and safely. And we must have a prosperous city where unemployment no longer tops the UK league table," explains Simon.

"I will also enthusiastically seek to persuade the government to support the Olympic bid. Over 20 years I have worked with others to transform the part of London which I have so far been privileged to represent. I plan now to lead the transformation of the city as a whole so that we can all share in the great opportunities of the exciting years ahead."

"The next election for London Mayor will be different from the last. Then Ken Livingstone was a folk hero returning from exile. This time he will be a candidate without a party and with a recent track record as well as an old folk history."

"I will use all my energy and commitment to beat both the Conservative candidate and Ken Livingstone. My campaign will not be a party political campaign aiming at my own party members. The Simon Hughes campaign will be an inclusive campaign seeking support from all corners of the capital, former supporters of all other parties but in particular those people who have felt alienated from politics. I want Londoners to feel excited at the prospect of a different sort of politician running London in the future. I am in this campaign to win. I know we can win, the public knows we can win, and my opponents know we can win."

A recent poll for the Evening Standard newspaper showed that with Simon Hughes as the Liberal Democrat candidate, Ken Livingstone would face a serious challenge for his job. It revealed that even before Simon had started campaigning, voting intentions were;

*Ken Livingstone (33%)

*Steve Norris - Conservative (27%)

*Simon Hughes - Lib Dem (24%)

*Nicky Gavron - Labour (10%)

*Darren Johnston - Green (3%).

"Ken knows the score. He really has got a serious contest on his hands. I believe I can reach out to supporters of all political parties, but especially to those who are usually turned off by the whole political process." adds Simon.

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy said:

"Simon Hughes has been a powerful voice for London for two decades. I am delighted that he has been chosen by our Party to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London. His candidature throws the race wide open - our objective is to win."