Ken was surprised to be told at a 'washing up' meeting with Clive Soley in the Commons after we went to press last year, that he had interviewed best of the Mayoral aspirants, the others all becoming up-tight, whereas our Ken didn't & answered all the questions promptly & so would be considered for other things. In the event, no 'other things' turned up, although he pursued them &, rather fed up, Ken voted for Ken Livingstone for Mayor, the first time he has not voted the straight Labour ticket, ever. Ken Livingstone later apologised to Our Ken for not giving him a job, as he gave them all to Greens & Liberals. The best news was that, with David Lammy winning the Tottenham by-election, Ken's Deputy Mayor running mate, Jennette Arnold, next on the top-up list, now has a seat on the Greater London Authority.

After years of membership & with the Mayor campaign behind him, Ken joined the committee of this campaign. This plots how we can use the various spirits of the times to further the demand for an elected Head of State.

Charter 88 more or less decided that there was nothing more to be gained from this Blair Government & changed tactics, to create more demand 'on the streets' for a written constitution in a campaign called 'Unlocking Democracy'.

The big event of the year was the Human Rights Act, which while not fulfilling our demand for a proper Bill of Rights, goes a long way to meeting it.

With time on his hands (ha!) after the Mayor campaign, Ken's friends were not slow to suggest uses for it. The winner was the lovely Fiona Weir, who suggested that the NSS would fit perfectly with the other constitutional campaigns, as it does. Given that the genealogical information he had gathered suggested a descent from one Jesus Christ, Ken thought he might also thus help to clear the family name. However, much to his astonishment, his membership application was turned down by the NSS Council, suggesting a sick organisation, which prefers to black-ball suitable applicants rather than build a mass movement.

...on November 4th. Now it is definite that he is descended from asylum seekers, Ken felt strongly enough to join Islington's Usual Suspects on the far left of the party for a picket of the Home Office, protesting against the humiliating voucher scheme.