My numb fingers delivered my last crumpled and damp 'Back Bozza' flyer through the letterbox below the green 'NO JUNK MAIL WHATSOEVER!' Sign (clearly a Tory voter). Inside the occupants were squeezed together on a warm sofa, beers in hand, cheering on Chelsea's European campaign.
Outside, Boris' loyal fans in Wandsworth were on the last leg of our own London final.
Despite the appalling weather, it had not been a bad evening's leafleting - 300 delivered, only two 'canvassed' properties with Vote Ken stickers in the window, one deranged dog, three scrapped knuckles from a medieval draft excluder and four Labour leaflets retrieved and 'recycled'.
As I splashed my way home I reviewed the opposition's propaganda - Ken doing his best to look cheerful on a classy card with regal purple lining. The strap line - Imagine Boris Running London: Suddenly he's not so funny. It was an entirely negative piece of campaigning literature and it summed up the reason we are all out on the streets.
After two terms in power Ken has nothing positive to say. His campaign has focussed on the risk of electing someone with little experience of governing and a sense of humour.
Well how times have changed. In his first Mayoral race Ken was a master of presenting himself as a likeable independent. Now he is worried that there is a cheekier chappy in town. In eight years Ken has transformed himself into a tired spider at the centre of a web of unpleasant intrigue.
The contrast between Ken and Boris could not be greater. While Boris promises to represent all London (Inner and Outer), Ken falls back into factionalism. While Boris celebrates wealth creation and philanthropy, Ken resurrects class warfare. Boris brings a smile, Ken shakes his head.
Our city needs a Mayor who is open to new ideas and listens to Londoners. Boris may not pretend to have all the answers but the best leaders don't.
London wants a leader who can bring all its people together and present a vision for the future. Ken is a living piece of divisive municipal history.
Ken was right about one thing - Londoners don't vote for those who take themselves too seriously and don't take Londoners' views seriously.
Let's hope that when today's leafleting is finished and the knocking up is over, London votes on its instincts and in its interests. Boris is the new Ken.
Good luck Boris for your count in the morning. You will be a great Mayor. Among other attributes, you do not have any chips on your shoulders. Leavingsoon is weighed down with extra heavy ones on both of his!
Posted by: Annabel Herriott | May 01, 2008 at 20:55