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The right mayor or a nightmare
FRANK DOBSON SUSAN KRAMER KEN LIVINGSTONE STEVEN NORRIS
59, Labour 49, Liberal Democrat 55, independent 55, Conservative
Former health secretary. Worked for Camden
Council in the 1970s, during its 鈥渓oony left鈥 phase.
Reputation: Amiable, buffoon, fond of dirty jokes.		 A former vice-president of Citibank in Chicago;
expert in financing transport infrastructure.
Reputation: Well-informed, hard working and clever.		 Socialist, former head of the GLC turned MP,
restaurant critic and after-dinner speaker.
Reputation: Colourful and withering turn of phrase.		 Former Tory transport minister, MP and transport
adviser. Reputation: Philandering, amiable and
competent scouser.
     
On tall buildings      
鈥淟ondon doesn鈥檛 need tall buildings in order to create an identity 鈥 most of our finest buildings are not particularly tall.鈥 But he is not opposed to tall buildings 鈥 as long as Londoners are able to go up and look out of them. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a fundamental opposition to tall buildings, but they have to have some bearing on proportionality. I don鈥檛 think high-rise is a simple way to deal with the shortage of housing in London.鈥 鈥淚 want London to be identified with landmark modern buildings on the skyline as much as with its historic skyline. I would like to see graceful, tall buildings, not the slab-like Canary Wharf tower and the two that are about to join it 鈥 three robotic suppositories.鈥 In favour of tall buildings, so long as they do not overshadow anything of monumental importance. Alert to it as a prestige issue, with London having few good-quality tall buildings. May examine proposals from Labour boroughs to develop tall buildings.
     
On strategic planning powers      
鈥淲e need to get the framework right. Brownfield first. But we need high-quality design and development integrated into the local environment, with good transport links and access to local services. I want to ensure that all Londoners have access to quality open spaces and parks, and that our open spaces are secured for future generations.鈥 鈥淚 am concerned that we don鈥檛 end up with a situation where people say: 鈥淎h yes, that was the Kramer period of building. One person鈥檚 taste shouldn鈥檛 dominate. I am concerned that developers should not use an exciting architect to get outline consent and then build something else, as is happening at Spitalfields.鈥 鈥淲ith strategic sites, I would want architects and developers to come to me at the start of the planning process. There is a huge potential for Londoners to speak up for what they want to see, so it will no longer be a case of 鈥渢he planners have done it to us鈥. I want to have a lot more tree planting and green spaces to enhance the civic spaces.鈥 鈥淚 am in favour of developing areas in a holistic way, not through zoning. We need to have multidisciplinary groups of professionals to address planning applications of strategic importance.鈥 Will require contractors working on London鈥檚 roads to finish work by morning rush hour. Will extend Westminster鈥檚 considerate contractors scheme.
     
On the Tube      
鈥淲ith the PPP, if there is an overspend it is the contractors鈥 overspend. The design, build and maintain contract is an incentive to get the build bit right at the start to save on maintenance costs. The PPP will allow us to start improvement to the Tube earlier than currently proposed.鈥 鈥淚 want to keep the Tube in public hands, raise money for improvements by issuing revenue bonds on the financial markets and put an efficient management in place. The Liberal Democrat policy will cost the taxpayer 拢1bn less than a public-private partnership. I want an honest cost comparison between PPP and the public sector option.鈥 鈥淭he consortia should give up and go home. They鈥檙e wasting their time. If I get in, I鈥檒l seek a judicial review to stop it going through.鈥 鈥淭he government鈥檚 proposals for the Tube are half-baked. They will not deliver the improvements that Londoners need so badly. I urge it to abandon outdated dogma and let commercial operators take over the running of the Tube.鈥
     
On housing and regeneration      
鈥淲e need to ensure that we have affordable housing for key public sector workers. Design needs to be of the highest quality 鈥 we must learn the mistakes of the low-quality, high-density estates of the past.鈥 鈥淚 will pursue a strategy which generates a lot more affordable housing, using the spatial development strategy and its effect on the unitary development plans. I will encourage greater use of planning gain, so that a significant proportion of new development in London is given over to social housing.鈥 鈥淢ost MPs have no idea of the extent of the housing need in London, We have got to make them more aware and lobby for a tenfold increase in expenditure on housing.鈥 He will encourage communities and partnerships to develop housing associations and PPPs to provide more low-cost housing for key public workers 鈥 teachers, nurses and police officers.
     
On the GLA building      
鈥淚t鈥檚 in the right location; the shape we can discuss.鈥 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted it鈥檚 in Southwark, but I hate how grandiose, exclusive and phallic it looks.鈥 鈥淗as the potential to be a great building but we should only go in on the basis that it鈥檚 the best financial deal.鈥 鈥淩ight site, wrong building. I鈥檒l use it if I absolutely have to.鈥