A lot of people want something new in politics and Siobhan Benita is a chance of something new. in 2012 she proved she is not a party apparatchik, just an ordinary Londoner who wants to make the whole of London better. Not just Inner London with Labour or outer London with the Tories. She put forward a real plan to get the whole of London moving. So the choice will hopefully be a simple one: The old party politics of Labour, Tory, Green or Lib Dem or a real chance of something new, a fresh politics and real and lasting change for all Londoners regardless of where you live.
Siobhan Benita conducted her 2012 campaign without the macho mud-slinging and immature name calling that we saw from the party candidates. Her campaign was been clean, honest and upfront. Ms Benita didn't claim to have all of the answers to sort out London's problems but she is the one willing to work with professionals, take advice from others and as a former civil servant is best placed to get more money out of the Treasury for London as she knows best how the Whitehall system works.
Siobhan Benita was the only candidate in 2012 to back a third runway at Heathrow, and thanks to delay by party politicians three years later no decision has been made. A third runway will ensure London remains in first place for the place to do business on the world stage. A third runway will be a fraction of the cost of the "abhorrent and ill thought through" Boris island. - thats the view of a number of Kent Conservative MPs by the way.
Its not often when a someone with real conviction comes along as an option to vote for these days. Mrs Thatcher, Tony Blair, Clement Atlee or Sir Winston Churchill whether you agree with their politics or not most people admit they're politicians of real conviction, who knew what they wanted to do, Siobhan Benita is in this mould. She didn't tell lies to get attention, she didn't start swearing at the other candidates or at a female BBC journalist, she didn't even start crying when paid actors read out pre-scripted lines in an election broadcast - she's simply put forward a workable programme for London and to make the lives of Londoners better.
So when when the time comes to vote next year, I hope for a candidate who will unite rather than divide London. A candidate who will improve London's education system, A candidate who will ensure public transport is improved, without expensive vanity projects. A candidate who will work with government to get public and private investment into the capital, A candidate who will deliver value for money for the taxpayer. A candidate who will end the old red-blue blue-red knockabout. Nominations are open and I believe it is in the interest of all Londoners if Siobhan Benita were to stand and be elected as the next Mayor of London.
