Ken Livingstone's certainly had a tough few weeks. For starters, Boris Johnson finally began to get his act together on a few fronts. He's got a new website, a new team, and he's had some success in generating noise around policy issues - most notably, knife crime.
Still, when push came to shove, Ken came out well on ITV's first Mayoral debate, where - as expected - he clearly knew more than his opponents. (Watch it here.) His campaign staff were so confident of his performance they swiftly Youtube'd his reaction to the debate. His campaign is now recruiting volunteers on the internet as well seeking donations. So things are beginning to look up, right?
Not quite - his main problem is that the grants scandal looks as though it isn't, actually, over. The controversial Channel 4 'Dispatches' programme has been rooting around the Mayor, and its conclusions will be broadcast next Monday.
The Dispatches team is leaking like a broken sieve (driving up viewing figures for its programme, no doubt) so we already know, for example, that they have sent a "series of incendiary claims" to Ken for his response before it broadcasts next Monday, and that it focuses on the grants scandal. But a juicy titbit fed to the Times reveals that Dispatches has been testing Ken's glasses at public events to see if they contain traces of alcohol.
If the tough few weeks gets worse over the next 3 months, then at least Ken can sleep assured of a nice £91,719 pay off if the Conservatives have done their sums right. Mind you, if they're so incensed by this, shouldn't they just campaign for his re-election?
Pic of the insides of City Hall from .Martin.'s Flickrstream
