Pop Brixton: The bustling site of street food, bars… and the Lib Dem Mayoral campaign launch
19 March 2024, 14:43 | Updated: 19 March 2024, 15:32
It was a “very Lib Dem launch”, by one present member's very admission.
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The Liberal Democrats launched their campaign for Mayor of London at Pop Brixton - though at one point it looked as through Rob Blackie was the in-house DJ as opposed to the candidate.
It was a clear message from the communications expert-turned-candidate “Fix The Met”.
Mr Blackie told me that Sadiq Khan has “let down” Londoners on crime and that many of the policing structures in the capital are complied of “Khan’s cronies”. He said “The vast majority of people in key roles are loyal Labour Party people”
For Rob Blackie his attention on violent crime is personal. He explained about an incident in Vauxhall where he was violently mugged, to the point where they broke his neck - and that he now has a ‘titanium neck’. He argues that the Met Police is London’s number one issue to be solved.
But Labour campaigners have accused Rob Blackie of giving Susan Hall a better chance of winning - something which the Lib Dem candidate said was “absolutely not true”. He told me “I don’t think anyone seriously thinks she’s going to win”
Mr Blackie had described Susan Hall as “pro-Trump and pro-Truss” in his speech and questioned “does she even like London?” Though the Lib Dem candidate couldn’t say who he’d prefer to be mayor telling me “they’re both bad choices, I’m not happy with either of them”.
The Liberal Democrats have enjoyed mixed fortunes in this election. Their peak was in 2004 when Simon Hughes got 15.3% of the vote, whilst former senior Met Officer Brian Paddick garnered a respectable 9.8% in the 2008 vote.
Though in the past 3 contests the party has failed to keep its deposit - meaning it has consistently received less than 5% of the vote.
Rob Blackie is hoping to prevent an historic third term at City Hall for Sadiq Khan - the question for his potential voters is: at what cost?
