Simon Hughes to run for London Mayor

12.00.00am GMT Wed 5th Mar 2003

Simon Hughes MP was today chosen as the official Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate for London.

Mr Hughes was officially chosen from a shortlist of three candidates by London Party members.

On hearing the news Simon Hughes said:

"It is a pleasure and a privilege to be chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate for next year's election for London Mayor. I pay tribute to my colleagues Susan Kramer and Donnachadh McCarthy for a very friendly and positive campaign."

"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.

"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."

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."