Khan ignored my reply to his letter

 Here is the full text

Hi Anne
I still haven't had any response to my email dated 16 April 2021.
You are saying that you want to be the representative for this area, so I would appreciate a response?
Incidentally, I see that Sadiq Khan was in the area - did you raise the matter with him then?

 Ben Samuel





On Friday, 16 April 2021, 08:35:28 BST, Ben Samuel <moretree5@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:


Dear Anne Clarke,

Thank you for your kind letter introducing yourself and what you stand for.  As you may recall, you are standing against a Conservative candidate who you've debated the climate emergency highlighting your excellent actions in the council chamber and likewise we have marched with you for change following the momentous referendum - that would be in the interest of residents and not the interests that the Conservative hard liners have been pushing.

I too will work with anyone in Barnet committed to build a better, greener, more equal city.

But a starting point must be a clean campaign pledge.  Just because the Conservatives think they can get away with lies and deception - Sadiq Khan is a decent person and must not stoop to the level of "Nasty Zac" with his dog whistle messages 5 years ago, or Sean Bailey with his fake charity to promote himself, or his fake letter from the tax people which you must have seen because it was hate shared for about a week by every Labour social media user.

As I await my early vote (I'm not sure why you invite me to register on Labour's own website, I know the difference between data harvesting subverting my privacy and a genuine council website) I received an interesting letter from a certain Sadiq - Mayor of London.

The letter is a shade of pink - perhaps reflecting the branding that the next Mayor of London has to highlight her different politics.

My postal voter letter came a bit early and before I cast my vote I demand an answer from Sadiq Khan to my comments on this letter which as a local representative I ask you to pass on to him.

The following key messages appear in bold in your letter from Labour Central and signed by Sadiq.

This election is a two-horse race between me and the Tories.

This is mistaken or a lie!  A vote for any other candidate as first preference does not help the Tories win.  This election is different.  You have two votes for London Mayor.  Sadiq Khan is almost certain to win, possibly in the first round.  Polls put the Tories many points behind and unlikely to win.  Even if it were close, you can vote to keep your least favourite candiate out with your second preference vote.  A number of challengers are legitimate anti Tory choices: Greens and Lib Dems.  Barnet Lib Dems have proven themselves to be anti Tory with 1 defector losing the Tories a seat yet you won your seat at the expense of the Lib Dems rather than fighting the Tories.  However, there isn't all that much room between Sadiq and the Tories as he is a weather-vein politician with centrist instincts.  Even with Khan in office, that won't benefit Barnet much, with the Tories pressing on with their agenda here and continuing to be antagonistic towards the mayor in the council chamber.  The "Two horse race" analogy is sometimes used to win in a First Past the Post election but that is not the electoral system in this election.

I'll build an even brighter future for London after the pandemic If you were serious about tackling toxic air pollution you'd scrap road projects like the Silvertown tunnel and the Hammersmith bridge.  If you were serious about rent controls you wouldn't have made the exact same promise to me 5 years ago with zero rent controls to show for it!

The Tory candidate doesn't share London's values. But do you?   City hall is different form Westminster.  It is not about parties but about working together and forming coalitions.  At least Sean Bailey understands that if he were mayor he could play to the ultra right were they to gain a foot hold in the assembly - and there's only one way to vote strategically against Gammons and Labour won't make a difference.

Use all your votes for Labour.  According to the Mayor booklet you can leave the 2nd preference blank but if you vote Labour for both first and second your whole vote will be invalid - but Labour will still win the Mayor even with a few spoilt ballots.  The Labour Party will have some constituency seats but voting Labour on the London wide list is a wasted vote.  Assembly members like you will not ask the serious questions above to the Labour mayor because you're tribal and on the same side.  Greens will be the voice of Londoners against Gammons and holding the Mayor to account on things like youth services.  Greens have always done well on the list ballots but Sadiq's letter rejects that.

You should have received your postal vote This is just wrong.  My card says I won't get it for another week.  I look forward to your response before casting my vote.

As a Barnet resident and postal voter I ask for your help to raise the above question with Sadiq and Labour central as a matter of urgency.

 Ben Samuel

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