Turn Again, Livingstone?

Thrice Mayor of London?

Despite her sycophancy, which normally stood people in good stead with Tony Blair, even he never managed to find a use for Oona King. But she is convinced that she has the mass appeal allegedly lacked by Ken Livingstone, even though he has already won the Mayorality (not much of a job, but that is not the point) on two occasions, the first without any party machine and against the full might of New Labour in its pomp.

In which case, she should call on the London Labour Party to submit its internally determined shortlist of two, presumably her and Livingstone, to a binding ballot of every registered voter in Greater London, which could be conducted perfectly easily, and quite cheaply, at venues either owned by Labour, the unions, the co-ops or what have you, or else hired for the day, and in either case using the copies of the Electoral Register that any political party already possesses.

What is she afraid of?