London Play

Working for a capital where all children can play

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Which mayor would be best for play?

3 May 2012

As Londoners go to the polls we take a (very scientific) look at who might be best for children and play in the capital.

London Play has analysed the manifestos of the four main mayoral candidates and counted the number of times each mentions the word ‘play' (in the context of children); and the word ‘children'.

Moderating for length of the document, Green candidate Jenny Jones comes out top for play - mentioning it an average of once every four pages - while Lib Dem contender Brian Paddick is streets ahead on the children's measure, referring to them in around six of every ten pages. By contrast, incumbent Boris Johnson only mentions play twice in his vast 186 page document, and children once in every 10 pages. Ken Livingstone does marginally better on play, raising it almost once in 52 pages, but refers to children in around four of every 10 pages.