London Evening Standard/London
Margaret Hodge announced her support for Sadiq Khan for mayor of London — and his arch-rival Tessa Jowell to make way for a new generation.
In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard, the former mayoral hopeful joined the Khan campaign, hailing him as a grafter who would deliver on his promises.
With typical candour, Hodge revealed she gave up on David Lammy when he “thought he could also be leader of the Labour Party” while running for mayor.
The ex-Labour minister and Public Accounts Committee chairman previously called for Boris Johnson’s successor to be black or minority ethnic.
Reflecting on her decision to endorse Tooting MP Khan she said: “It’s been quite a journey in thinking this through. In the end, I feel that Sadiq’s story reflects modern London.
“His dad moved here, lived in a council house and moved into a house of his own. All that reflects the aspirations of contemporary London.
“And it would be a really important symbol of modern Britain to have somebody of an Asian background representing London.”
So what else appealed to her about Khan?
“He is a grafter. We have had a mayor who has pranced around and made good headlines and the time has come where we need someone who will get a grip on things and deliver.”
But what made her rule out the other Labour candidates?
Of Lammy, the black Tottenham MP, she said: “I like David a lot but the final deciding factor was when he momentarily thought he could also be leader of the Labour Party. I want somebody really committed to London.”
Lammy said he would “look at it” if colleagues pressed him to stand as Ed Miliband’s replacement.
She also shared her side of the story about a tweet from Lammy in which he said he was “delighted” to have her backing as a mayor of London. It followed a speech from her at a fundraiser for his re-election as an MP.
She said: “I said I was really pleased he was a candidate or something, and he said ‘I’m going to tweet that’ I said, ‘you can’t do that’ but it was too late, he had already tweeted it.”
She ruled out Left-winger Diane Abbott because they “come from very different political stables” and dismissed Christian Wolmar as “a commentator” rather than an experienced leader. She “really likes” outsider Gareth Thomas but thought him “not a strong enough leader”.
But what about the favourite Jowell, a friend of Hodge since they were London councillors in the early Eighties? She is 67 to Hodge’s 70.
Hodge did not hold back: “I think it’s time for a new generation. We need to represent modern, contemporary London. I also think Sadiq’s got a better record of delivery.”
She added: “He does not think being flamboyant for the cameras will make London’s problems go away.”
Flamboyant, no but could diligent Khan be too boring for Londoners?
“I don’t think he’s boring,” she retorted. “He’s not flamboyant, but he is passionate. He can rabble-rouse a crowd.”
