Left List 'helped by 10p tax row'

Lindsey German was the Respect candidate before the party split

Left List mayoral hopeful Lindsey German says the 10p tax row is hurting Labour in the London elections.

She believes it is "the biggest single issue" among voters and has been giving out "give us back our 10p" leaflets.

Ms German is competing for left wing votes with Labour and George Galloway's Respect, from which the Left List was created after an internal split.

She says fed up voters are ready for an alternative, which she hopes will boost her party's London Assembly chances.

Ms German told the BBC: "Unless there's a big change in the next three days, I don't suppose I will be mayor of London - but I am hoping I will get a good vote for mayor ... I do hope that we can get on the assembly - that's the vote for the smaller parties."

'So angry'

She says dissent with Labour is now much wider than in 2004, when it was more limited to the Iraq war which she is confident will boost her important vote sufficiently to get a London Assembly seat.

"I nearly got that last time, I nearly got 5% - I think this time there's a lot more people willing to vote against Labour," she said.

While the traditional left vote is in inner city areas, she believes she has won over some voters in areas like Harrow and Ilford - the Left List is standing candidates in all constituencies.

And by far the biggest issue, she says, has been the abolition of the lowest, 10p tax rate. The Left List has made up its own circular leaflet urging its restoration.

"I find that nearly everyone you mention it to, they are so angry about it. It's such a big issue for Labour," she said.

"Labour must be having to defend themselves... Obviously Ken has his own personal vote but it must be affecting him badly."

Ms German, has another left winger to contend with - George Galloway's Respect, for which she was the mayoral candidate before an internal split.

They are going head to head for the assembly seat in the City and East constituency which frustrates both parties' efforts to get a seat on the London-wide list - elected by a form of proportional representation.

"Obviously the more left organisations you have standing the harder it is for any of them to get the 5%," said Ms German.

But she believes she has made headway with core left voters - students, trade unionists and anti-fascist groups.

And she thinks any damage done to her campaign by the split was done "a few months ago - and we have made a very big comeback".