Anybody still defending Chavez has clearly not been paying attention to South American news for the last few days. Keep up folks!

James, Monteria, Colombia

Hugo Chavez for your information is a democratically elected president in Venezuela. For once, you have a politician in England you should be proud of, someone who does what's best for London and who is not servile to whatever the Americans say as your government do.Good luck Ken in the elections.

Maria, Santiago, Spain

It;s a wonder he hasn't recruited George Galloway!

leila, manchester, uk

Minorities love him! Anyone from a Labour background is guaranteed blind loyalty with the masses from overseas.

John, London,

On what evidence do you base your assertion that Hugo Chavez is not interested in democracy? He has won more elections than virtually any other world leader, he abided by the results of the recent referendum which he lost, and he has instilled a deep political awareness amongst the people of Venezuela.

He is a great deal more interested in democracy than his opponents who tried to oust him in a coup 6 years ago, and whose interests you serve when you make unfounded allegations against him

Gabriel Vogt, Birmingham, UK

Poor old Ken then, such a bashing from people removed from London, judge him on what he has - or has not done, comparisons to Nazis / South American quasi dictators is distasteful in the least. Ken is not hijacking the constitution, nor would he be able to as ours (UK) is unwritten - thank god.

Peter Alexander, Ryde - Isle of Wight, UK

Livingstone has many similarities to the ex-prime minister, Teflon Tony Blair. As with Bliar, nothing sticks on Red Ken, he is more slippery than his newts.

Eight years of mayoral powers have totally gone to his head and London needs a breath of fresh air to blow away some of the unsavoury odours emanating from the mayor's office.

Richard, London, England

Mr Livingston may be an admirer of Chavez and Fidel but I bet he does not speak Spanish or has travelled around these countries on his own if he did both he might understand what goes on and would change his opinions

caroline Carr-Locke, edinburgh, scotland

I think that Ken Livingstone will have a nasty shock at his nbext exposure to the ballot box. There is a streak of immorality a mile wide running through all UK politics at the moment and people have had enough of it.

Bishop Dominic Stockford, Teddington, UK

"stinks of a witch hunt"

Nothing wrong with a witch hunt if you actually find a real witch!

Alex, London,

We got rid of Scargill - its long past time to get rid of Livingstone

David Cartright, Birmingham,

I'm only surprised that Londoners are surprised. This is the same currupt meglomaniac who ran the GLC. Does no one remember that? Does no one remember the warnings issued about this man?
Its the same old dodge. Claim that an organisation is for something nebulous, but politically correct, like 'ethnic awareness'.Those people who aren't too scared to question the cause, can't tie down where the money is being used.
He's done it before and he'll do it again.

Phil Bailey, Shrewsbury, united kingdom

Ken is obviously a wrong'un, so why do you Cockneys keep voting for him?

Frank Upton, Solihull,

Even if he had a clean record - and it is clear that he has not ( I don't care about the whisky although I hope he pays for it himself, rather than us or is the entire GLA entitled to the same perks?) - I would still think that it is time for new blood. Brian Paddick has my vote : he truly knows the city and he is young witha fresh approach.

sandrine, London

sandrine, london, UK

Livingstone is a disgarce to London, a tin-pot dictator sure of his own omniscience and full of petty hatreds and prejudices. He is a fraud, jumping on the Green bandwagon to justify his class war and teenage sociaism. As for democracy, he has demonstrated time and time again that he will ignore the will of the people whenever it runs contrary to what he wants to do - look at the sham consultations he undertakes.

Tim, London,

Chavez and Livingston... for people that supposedly dont care much for democracy, they win a fair few elections!

Matt, Birmingham, UK

Living in the London area in the 80's I remember a news article asking people to say what they thought Ken did with his massive budget. All sorts of suggestions came in, but he didn't provide any of it. The only thing the public got right on the list of things paid for by Ken and his gang was the London Fire Brigade.
Complain all you like London, but this is the second time you've handed him your money. Now, while we're at it, I have a car I'd like you to look at ...

KR, Stockport,

I was crushed when Ken won again. But do you remember how many people voted? A fraction of the London population, some ridiculous number (a hundred thousand?). People, those of you who are registered, please vote this time!

Merivel, London,

I'm a Londoner born and bred and Ken Livingstone has done so much to make London a great place. Anyone who thinks that corruption is bad under Ken obviously didn't live under Thatcher where corruption was rife (Dame Shirley Porter). Ken will be getting my vote.

Kim, London,

He was a joker, but now Ken Livingstone has turned into a nasty piece of work. It would be great for London when Boris Johnson or Brian Paddick will beat him.

Jerome, Greenwich, London

People should compare the horrible similarities between Livingstones relationship with his tame architects to the 'friendship' between Newcastle council leader T Dan Smith & architect Poulson in the 1960's... they ended up in jail for mispending public money on nasty tower blocks. As with Livingstone, Smith started off a Trotskyist and ended up something rather different....

Peter, Nottingham, UK

I would like to know what qualifications 'Red Ken' has to run as Mayor of London. The English are so 'Laiseez-Faire' about who they elect as their leaders, witness NuLabour's, Blair, Clarke, Blears, Hewitt, Jowell, Hain plus all the other charlatans posing as 'Poiliticians'. Why do you think Hitler rose to power ? Think about it - Shame it won't happen in England because the Brits are too comfortable - living on other people's money. David Smith, Cannes.

David Smith, Cannes, France

Yes, I also think Livingstone reminds me uncomfortably of Mugabe.

JJ Spader, Greater London,

kingkerouac

can you briefly list these positives?
sc,london

schatterton, London, uk

Not such a surprise; Ken has spent his life admiring various dictators and autocrats, so these are his role models and influences. Maybe socialists who have a contempt for democracy except when it suits them need to be seen for what they are, and London needs someone who does not see it as an extension of their own ego.

Vincent Egan, Lubenham,

Utter, utter drivel. (Boris Johnson supporter, eh?)
I'm am surprised by The Times.
I'm no fan of long-term leadership, but the positives, in Livingstone's case, far outweigh the negatives.
This stinks to high heaven of a witch-hunt.

Kingkerouac, London,

Have to agree with Eugene on this one. You guys in London got what you deserved.
Lie in it.

Phill , The Wirral, England

Watching Livingstone is like a flash back to the 80s - a bunch of Trots with 1950s concepts of class war, rolling in cash, carrying out inept but highly politicised administration, with a vague whiff of violence for those who require 're-education'. I remember the branch meetings with members of 'Militant' waiting outside to 'talk matters over' with their opponents.

Livingstone hasn't changed from the man who ran London into the ground in the early 80s. With a weak assembly and no political opposition to speak of it is going to get worse before it gets better.

Mark, Berkhamsted,

Ken Livingstone said in his radio interview that he'd "trust Lee Jasper with his life". Let's hope it really does come to that. I resent someone who supposedly represents me as a Londoner thinking it's OK to liken a Jewish journalist to a concentration camp guard. Tony Travers likens Livingstone to Jacques Chirac - it's such a\a shame I cannot mention who I'd liken Livingstone to. A couple of clues - Zimbabwe and it's not Ian Smith !

Robert Rees, London, U.K.

he must go or else we must leave

terry sullivan, morden, london england

Britain deserves it for joining the decadent West in allowing crackpots, such as Communists (even worse than Nazis) to run for office in the first place. To allow the enemies of freedom to take part in an election leading to power in a free system is not only an abject oxymoron, it is blatant moral cowardice.

eugene, heidelberg, germany