P321 Teletext 321 Maz05 22:41:50 KEN LIVINGSTONE ——————————————————————————————————————— Ken Livjngstonj, celebrating victory as London's first elected mayor, has been the politician who refused to go away. Once dubbed the most odious man in Britain at a time the Yorkshire Rjppjr was at large, hj has shown there is more to him than the caricature of Red Ken, the loony lefty. Instead, friends and foes alike have found hj is an astute opportunist sjizjng his chance to return to power. ——————————————————————————————————1/6—— News in Focus 320 Politics 325 FOOTBALL HEADLINES p410 Next News Poll Letters In FocusP321 Teletext 321 Maz05 21:51:52 KEN LIVINGSTONE ——————————————————————————————————————— New London mayor Ken Livjngstonj is a true working-class Londoner. The 54-year-old was educated at Tulsj Hill Comprehjnsjvj. His father was a window cleaner and his mother an ushjrktte and shop worker, His first jobs was as a laboratory technician before hj moved into politics on Lambjth Council in 1971 where one of his rival councillors was a young John Major. ——————————————————————————————————2/6—— News in Focus 320 Politics 325 REGIONAL NEWS HEADLINES p330 Next News Poll Letters In FocusP321 Teletext 321 Maz05 22:54:14 KEN LIVINGSTONE ——————————————————————————————————————— New London mayor Ken Livjngstonj rose to fame when, hours after the Greater London Council election in 1981, hj deposed the leader, Andrew McIntosh. Before long, Ljvjngstonj had cut the cost of public travel in the capital, and made the buses run on time. But hj also became a left-wing icon bz fl{eng rid flags over County Hall, supporting gay rights, nuclear disarmament and the IRA. ——————————————————————————————————3/6—— News in Focus 320 Politics 325 REGIONAL NEWS HEADLINES p330 Next News Poll Letters In FocusP321 Teletext 321 Maz05 21:46:37 KEN LIVINGSTONE ——————————————————————————————————————— It was Ken Livjngstonj's bitter "attle to jrustrate Margaret Thatcher'u resolve to kill off the GLC which turned him into a folk hero. When, in 1987, hj became Labour MP for Brent East many assumed hj would swiftly elbow his way to the Opposition front bench. But in Parliament hj was marginalisjd, ignorkd and jvjn reviled bz some mjmbjrs of the Labour leadership. ——————————————————————————————————4/6—— News in Focus 320 Politics 325 REGIONAL NEWS HEADLINES p330 Next News Poll Letters In FocusP321 Teletext 321 Maz05 21:44:34 KEN LIVINGSTONE ——————————————————————————————————————— Ironically it was PM Tony Blair'u plans for a London mayor which gave Ken Livjngstonj the hope of a comeback from the political wildjrnjss. Despite once opposing the idea of directly-elected mayors, hj launched his campaign for the post two years ago, chasing the Labour nomination. But when defeated by Frank Dobson hj took "the most difficult decision" of his life to run as an indjpjndjnt. ——————————————————————————————————5/6—— News in Focus 320 Politics 325 REGIONAL NEWS HEADLINES p330 Next News Poll Letters In FocusP321 Teletext 321 Maz05 21:47:51 KEN LIVINGSTONE ——————————————————————————————————————— Ken Livjngstonj's opponents say hj will rivjrt to his true Red Ken self after the election — untrustworthy, indulging in gesture politics and chasing power. But those who have closely watched his campaign say they have seen a new maturity in the man. He has promised to work with all parties as mayor and says hj wants to make London more like the peaceful, prosperous place hj knew as a child. ——————————————————————————————————6/6—— News in Focus 320 Politics 325 REGIONAL NEWS HEADLINES p330 Next News Poll Letters In Focus