Why Lembit Öpik should not be the Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of London

Yesterday afternoon I was sat in Starbucks enjoying a coffee (triple shot venti skinny latte) and sandwich when I read the story on page 5 of The Guardian "Being London mayor would suit me: Öpik" and nearly choked on my coffee.

Well Lembit it may suit you, but will it suit Londoners?

Deep down no, I really, really don't think so.

Lembit, you really must learn that just because you think something is a great idea, not everyone will be with you as over recent years in various roles and things you have done within the Party.

I was the Agent and Campaign Manager for Brian Paddick during the 2008 Mayoral campaign so I know what I am talking about when I say that London does not need a stand up comedian, chat show contestant, known for dating TV weather girl Sian Lloyd and then one of the Cheeky Girls with appearances in Hello magazine.

Yes, I know you could argue they got a similar breed with Boris Johnson, but actually it was very interesting on the night of the last Mayoral count when Boris turned to Ken and me and said "Have I really won?".

Boris went very serious and then just got on with the job, I just don't see Lembit Öpik doing the same nor being able to do the job.

The job of Mayor of London requires a serious attitude, something I have yet to see in Lembit.

You cannot clown around forever and not expect people to treat you as a joke all the time.

I've also beaten Lembit before in an election before when I ran Simon Hughes campaign to become the President of the Liberal Democrats back in 2004, Lembit just assumed that parading around local party events with Sian Lloyd draped on his arm would win him the election.

I think Sian would have beaten Lembit if she had stood against him.  In the end Lembit didn't even manage to get 20% of the vote.

Lembit was a great joke teller (not comedian), after dinner speaker and worked hard for his constituents in his Montgomeryshire constituency.

I don't see the CBI or Unions taking a blind bit of notice of him if he was Mayor of London, he has been a joke character for such a long time both in and outside of the Party and as the saying goes after a while the mud sticks.

Lembit, if you want to make a difference then do so, but being the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London is a serious role, just look at the three previous candidates - Susan Kramer, Simon Hughes and Brian Paddick - they are in a different mould to you I'm afraid.

I actually hope that Susan Kramer will consider standing again.

I've also bought a piece of land by Heathrow

Greenpeace have bought a plot of land right by where the proposed third runway would be at Heathrow. They are splitting this piece of land between 'beneficiary owners' who don't have to pay anything but will be signing up to show support.

I've signed up - as have Susan Kramer MP, Jo Swinson MP, Lynne Featherstone MP, Sandra Gidley MP and Simon Hughes MP - as have thousands of others.

So if you're interested and want to help stop Gordon Brown's Government embarking on this absolutely stupid decision to build a 3rd runway at Heathrow, visit the Greenpeace site.

I worked in Twickenham for Vince Cable for three years so I know first hand what damage this expansion would do, not just all the obvious environmental arguments, but the increased traffic - the local roads hardly cope now and the increased noise.

I recall the days when Concord used to land and take off, not only could you set your clock by it but the windows rattled and your ears knew about it, now I know that the planes used today aren't as loud as that, but what impact does the constant noise of planes landing and taking off have on the average person who lives within a few miles of Heathrow like my friends and residents in places like Twickenham?

42 days to go.......

First a Happy New Year to both my blog readers, lets hope this year my readership grows.

Yes, it is just 42 days to go or P-42, until I am no longer 39 - enough said, not enough therapy as yet.

Brian Paddick has had another great interview read or listen here. Ken, you have a fight on your hands this time, okay not between you and the Conservatives this time but in fact from the Liberal Democrats. Boris will trip up, he always does, and to be hoest shouldn't he be busy anyway as the MP for Henley, a full time job if being done properly - I should know, I have workrd for three extremely hard working MPs, Vince Cable, Simon Hughes and Lynne Featherstone.

So, on May 1st Londoners will have a choice of people for Mayor, Brian Paddick, who is serious about London and Londoners or Ken who has had 8 years of tax rises and the largest number of spin doctors - including more than Downing Street itself - what an achievement Ken!