Letter: Let Ken stand

Sir: I am no supporter of Ken Livingstone. During the 1980s I opposed most of the policies he pursued as leader of the GLC. Nonetheless, I shall be extremely angry if he is excluded from the ballot of London Labour Party members to choose a candidate for Mayor (report, 9 November). Such a contest would be meaningless. I shall not vote in it, and I would urge other Labour Party members to do the same.

In London, as in Wales and Scotland, devolution means being prepared to trust local people to choose the polices and personalities which suit them. If the Labour leadership does not trust its own London members to do this, why should the wider London electorate trust any official candidate to represent them?

RICHARD HELLER

London SW9