Local government, London Mayoral & London Assembly elections 3rd May

[LeftishBrit]

32. I think Corbyn is unlikely...

for one thing, he'd be 67 by 2016 and while I don't think Londoners are as 'ageist' about politicians as those in some other places, it could be a disadvantage.

Of Muriel's suggestions: McDonnell, though only slightly younger, is a little more likely because he has some previous background in city-wide government, having served on the GLC - of course that could be turned around to be a disadvantage. Diane Abbott is perhaps a more likely possibility. Yet another might be Jon Cruddas, MP for Dagenham - a well-known campaigner to turn Labour back to its more left-wing roots, and possibly not as gaffe-prone as the others mentioned. But he may prefer to stay in Parliament - there are some of us who wouldn't mind seeing him as a Labour Prime Minister one day.

This is all assuming that the next candidate for Mayor of London would be chosen from current MPs representing London constituencies, which is not necessarily the case: it could be an a London Assembly member; an MP from outside London (as Boris was), possibly one whose seat gets abolished by the forthcoming boundary changes; or someone appearing out of nowhere between 2012 and 2016!