This week is an important week for Londoners, and we should all be going to the ballot boxes on Thursday and voting in the London Mayoral Election. It is our democratic right to do so, and it would be a waste if we do not.

I hope to be tasting a Conservative victory on Thursday and I thought I’d outline my reasons for why I’m voting for the party’s candidate, Boris Johnson, for London Mayor. So here they are:

1. I’m a member of the Conservative Party, so I should be backing my man

2. I have conservative values…I feel he is the candidate that best understands my beliefs and best protects my interests

3. I think Boris really cares about the city and its people, and I honestly believe he thinks he can make a better London. I believe in his ability to do so

4. Ken has become autocratic in his leadership of London and thinks he can get away with not being held accountable. This shouldn’t be allowed to happen

5. In my humble opinion I believe that in the last 8 years under Ken’s leadership London has become a worse city and I’ve experienced its problems first hand. Do we really want another four years of more of the same or things getting even worse?

6. Ken has professional relationships with people of suspect values. These people potentially hold influence over him, so it is hugely risky to vote for him

7. Ken never wanted to be an executive mayor or serve more than two terms, so voting for him is going against what he stood for at the start. I believe in conviction politics and people doing what they say they are going to do

8. Boris’ policies show that he wants politicians to be more accountable to the public, where as Ken does things because he wants to do them. I believe Boris holds a less bureaucratic and ultimately more democratic position

9. Ken is willing to compromise democratic and liberal principles to get a vote, I don’t agree with this

10. London has a major crime problem, there is no doubt about that, and I believe Boris will bring fresh thinking. Being an ex-copper Paddick would do a good job, but he can’t win and voting for him will lead to a Livingston victory

11. Ken has failed to deliver on his manifestos of his last two campaigns, so why should he be allowed to have a 3rd go?

12. I believe that Boris isn’t racist or prejudice, despite what Ken and his campaigners say. Anyway Ken can’t exactly talk after his outrageous Nazi slur

13. London is a great city with so much character. It deserves a leader that reflects that personality trait and Boris fits it more than Ken

14. People don’t seem to like Ken, and no one has really outright endorsed him, and I wonder…is that good?

15. Boris is amusing , and I’ve always viewed humour as a bi product of superior intellect, a good thing if you want to run London. Boris is also an all round good egg, so surely that counts for something?

If you haven’t decided who to vote for thus far I hope you take on board some of my thoughts outlined above. Don’t look at the polls, just decided who’s policies you agree with, who do you think holds your and London’s best interests at heart and who you think will do the best job. It really is either Ken or Boris, so who do you prefer?