Ken is my alternative

THE campaign trail took Ken Livingstone straight into the path of the opposition last week – bumping into a group of Camden Lib Dem councillors on Kilburn High Road.

The politicians were walking in memory of Cllr Jane Schopflin – who died last year – but stopped for a short political debate with the mayor.

However, rather than giving him a tough time Belsize councillor and eco champion Alexis Rowell vowed to give Mr Livingstone his second preference vote.

“I’m voting for Brian Paddick because I think he’s the best candidate, but I’ll be voting for Ken second because he’s done so much to make London a more environmentally friendly city,” he said.

The battle to be London’s most eco-friendly mayor is top of the agenda in the May 1 fight.

Mr Livingstone’s proposals include a new £25 congestion charge on the gas guzzlers, a target to cut carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025, 500 hybrid buses by 2010, a £500million spending package for cycling and opposition to a new Heathrow runway and the proposed Thames Gateway Airport.

Mr Johnson supports the airport and opposes the new £25 congestion charge on the grounds it will hit families and businesses too hard. He has pledged to cut energy use at City Hall, ban bottled water on the premises and cut staff flights to conferences in the UK.

Lib Dem Brian Paddick has called for recycling bins outside supermarkets and major transport interchanges. He will develop a landmark eco centre for the capital to give people green advice. He has vowed to run the tube on sustainable electricity and introduce a green smartcard where points for green purchases reduce travel costs.

Green candidate Sian Berry is offering free insulation to everyone, opposes airport expansion, will increase the amount of solar panelling and aims to cut emissions by 85 per cent by 2025.