If you want a serious Mayor of London - Think Brian Paddick

12.00.00am GMT Sat 5th Apr 2008

I have a confession to make. I like Boris Johnson. I like him because he makes me laugh. He has no respect for people or places. He uses his buffoonery to good comic effect. Tommy Cooper had a similar (though much funnier) gift.

In less than a months time we have an opportunity to vote in the next Mayor of London. I will make one prediction. It won't be Ken. He has had his day and whilst I would admire some of the things he has done, the antics of some of his clique of friends and his ability to offend rules him out for too many now.For some people the only alternative may seem to be the clown from

Henley despite his ability to ignore common sense and offend sensibilities. I can see why it might be tempting. However there is a serious alternative which the Mayoral preferential voting system allows. That alternative is Brian Paddick. In Hillingdon we need serious solutions for the challenges we face:

Our streets need to be safer

Our transport needs to be cheaper

Our gardens need protecting, and

Our children need to be safe and able to live their childhood years as children.

No-one should live in fear of crime, but many in Hillingdon do. On May 1st I will be giving my 1st preference to a life long Londoner with 30 years service in the Metropolitan Police, the former deputy commissioner Brian Paddick.