Alan Johnson v Boris Johnson for London Mayor

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Former home secretary Alan Johnson emerged as a possible challenger to Boris Johnson today as Labour decided to select its 2012 mayoral candidate by the autumn.

The party fired the starting gun for its selection process after its ruling National Executive Committee voted to have a candidate installed before the end of the year. Mr Johnson, a “born and bred” Londoner and a former postman in the capital, is being urged by friends to run for City Hall.

He is one of several big hitters from the Blair-Brown Cabinets who could step forward to take on the Mayor. Former work and pensions secretary James Purnell is also being touted as a contender, and former mayor Ken Livingstone, who was defeated in 2008, is almost certain to stand for selection.

With the 2012 race taking place at a time when the Cameron-Clegg coalition could be suffering mid-term blues, Labour believes it has a good chance of recapturing City Hall.

The prize for the winner of the mayoral election is to host the 2012 Olympics in July that year — 10 weeks after taking office in May.

Labour wants to get a candidate in place this year to give them plenty of time to scrutinise and oppose the current City Hall regime.

After deciding to opt out of the Labour leadership race and back David Miliband, Mr Johnson said it was time for the “next generation” of politicians to take up the fight against the Conservatives nationally. But his media skills could make him a formidable contender for the London mayoralty.

Brought up by his teenage sister after his mother died, Mr Johnson lived in poverty in Notting Hill before going on to lead the postal workers' union and being elected to Parliament. He also served as health secretary and work and pensions secretary.

Labour hopes that ousting Boris Johnson would give the party a springboard for the next general election.

The Mayor has yet to commit himself to running for a second term and some senior Tories believe he may yet try to return to the Commons and line himself up as a successor to David Cameron.

Some Labour insiders even speculate that Boris would step down to make way for another Tory candidate — possibly deputy mayor Kit Malthouse — if Mr Johnson decided to run against him.

A key obstacle to any national ambitions for the current Mayor is that he would have to rely on a by-election in the next year to return to Parliament.

Mr Livingstone still has supporters within the London Labour Party and trade unions, but some MPs want a fresher face. Mr Purnell, who stood down as an MP at the election, is an arch Blairite who at one stage was seen as a possible future Labour leader.

Labour challengers for London crown
Alan Johnson: Former home secretary and postie, has envied media skills and “100% Londoner” credentials

David Lammy: Shadow universities minister and Harvard Law School graduate

Jon Cruddas: Smashed BNP in Dagenham, backed by activists in deputy leader race in 2007

Ken Livingstone: Ex-mayor and GLC leader, still has following in the London Labour Party

James Purnell: Former work and pensions secretary. Arch moderniser who oversaw the 2012 Olympics at DCMS

Lord Sugar: An outsider, given his baptism of fire in the Lords and would face compromise with television work

[Lounge Lizard]

Alan Johnson gets my vote Well, he would if he stands and if I lived in London.

[DGP1]

FFS while Boris is mayor of London he's leaving the rest of us alone, maybe London should just take the hit for the rest of us

[Lounge Lizard]

Make Boris Mayor of Penzance or Thurso and give Alan London.
And does anyone think Boris and Alan are related ?