International Scene: A London Nail-biter 
By Bill Hare
04/24/2008 09:48:16 PM EST
A look at the current London mayor's race gives every indication of a nail-biter with incumbent Ken Livingstone of the Labour Party seeking a third term.
On those two previous occasions Livingstone was compelled to secure victory in a second round of voting.
A current Sunday Times telephone survey of one thousand Londoners suggests that history will repeat itself once more.
The result showed incumbent Livingstone with 45 percent of the vote, just a shadow of a nudge ahead of Conservative challenger Boris Johnson with a 44 percent figure. Liberal candidate and former Metropolitan police commander Brian Paddick received 9 percent.
The Green Party candidate Sian Berry and Left List candidate Lindsey German have urged their supporters to list Livingstone as a second choice.
In the second choice category some interesting jockeying has been occurring.
Livingstone has stated that he shares "90 percent" of policies with the Liberal Democrats. He reminded voters that he once urged Labour voters to support a Lib Dem Member of Parliament in a marginal seat in 2001.
Paddick has responded that he views Livingstone's comment as a "naked attempt" to secure his second preference votes.
If none of the candidates receive more than 50 percent of the votes cast in the first round, all but the two top candidates are removed from the ballot and their second preference votes shared out.
Throughout Livingstone's career, from the time that he battled tooth and nail then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, there has been plenty of color and excitement.
This excitement level is increasing rather than abating in the course of the current closely contested mayoral competition.
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