the RESPECT party

But as someone who doesn’t live in London I have an interest in seeing him win, and so do people in all parts of the country. The reason is very simple. The Conservative Party.

The Conservative Party are ripping the guts out of our country. They are tearing into the NHS. They are attacking public services. They have slashed and burned all the way to recession.

If they win London on Thursday next week they will conclude one thing – they can carry on. They won’t take it as a vote of confidence, they will take it as massive morale boost and an indication that they could go further.

If you know someone who has lost their job, or had their EMA cut, or their student fees hiked, or their pension grabbed, or their services cut, or wants something done about the pasty tax, the granny tax or the scandal of phone-hacking and Jeremy Hunt, then you will know how the last thing we need is the party at the heart of all this feeling like it can go even further.

We can’t afford it.

David Cameron will be popping the champagne corks if Boris Johnson wins. The right wing of his party will want to unleash more and more attacks. That will be bad for every single one of us.

Putting a smile on the face of Boris Johnson on Friday next week means a smile on the face of George Osborne, Andrew Lansley, David Cameron and rest.

Don’t do it.

Salma Yaqoob, Leader, Respect Party


London's Big Choice on Thursday


London faces a big choice on Thursday. Nowhere is the choice bigger choice than in London's East End. The election for Mayor of London next Thursday, 3 May, matters.

There are some who don't want you even to know that there is an election taking place, or who are encouraging the falsehoods that the result doesn't really matter or that it is all something of a lighthearted personality contest.

That's not true. On the one side stands Boris Johnson - a Tory who campaigns to hand over money to the rich through tax cuts, someone who has supported every war over the last decade, someone who seeks out the company of bankers, rather than people like you.

On the other is Ken Livingstone - a real Labour man who when he was mayor of London prioritised the people - especially the poorest people - not the millionaires. He has opposed unjust wars abroad and racism and discrimination at home. The right wing media think it is a mark of shame that Ken stands opposes the wave of hatred directed against ethnic minorities and Muslims. In fact it is a badge of honour. If Boris Johnson scrapes to victory on Thursday - perhaps because people forget to vote for Ken or don't think the election is important - the same papers that bash the poor, the immigrants and the Muslims will be strengthened. So will David Cameron and the coalition government, which is slashing welfare and public services. There will be no point a few weeks later wishing you had voted for Ken.

I've known Ken for 30 years. You know that he is a man of principle, who won't bend what he says to suit the powers that be. London needs him as the city faces an onslaught against the majority by those who don't care about ever rising fares and prices - because they don't live in the same world as the rest of us.

So tell your family, friends and neighbours - vote Ken Livingstone for mayor of London on Thursday.

George Galloway, MP for Bradford West