Boris or Ken: how green is your mayor?
There's a horrible, tense radio silence here in London today, as the capital holds its breath to find out who we've voted in as Mayor; the person most directly responsible for making decisions on citizens' behalf for the next four years. Exit polls suggest it's going to be close -- very close -- between incumbent Ken Livinstone and Conservative candidate Boris Johnson.
As with all political contests these days, a lot of the decisions voters have made will come down to environmental concerns. Of course, both candidates claim to be as green as freshly cut grass, but let's take a look at the evidence. At first glance, Ken would appear to be the greener candidate. He's already in league with Green Party candidate Sian Berry, with whom he entered into a pledge asking voters to pick the pair as first and second choice for the 'green vote'. Father of the congestion charge, he's also introducing a 'gas guzzler charge' to penalise those who drive excessively polluting vehicles through central London.
But what about Boris?
After famously opposing the Kyoto treaty, Johnson is not someone you'd associate the term 'green' with in a hurry. He recently wrote a semi-serious article on how the best way to go green is by 'killing a cow', and is opposed to Livingstone's gas guzzler charge idea. While he hasn't condemned the congestion charge outright or made any suggestions he'll scrap it, Boris is clearly after a weaker version of the scheme.
However, Boris sees himself as a 'caring, green politician', and in his New Statesman manifesto focuses on caring for London's 'green spaces'. He has some good ideas on how to promote recycling, and wants to adopt an American model that rewards people who recycle their domestic waste. Often spotted on his bike, Boris is also a big fan of improving life for London's cyclists, opposes further expansion of Heathrow airport, and has claimed he wants to make London "the greenest city in the world".
If you're a Londoner, and voted for one of the 'big two', who do you see as being the best candidate for making the capital green?
