There are elections for the Mayor and the London Assembly on Thursday 3 May. The Mayor and the London Assembly make decisions that affect our everyday lives in London, including on transport, policing, housing and the environment.

For the first time, the new Mayor will also become London’s Crime and Police Commissioner and will be accountable for how crime is tackled in London. In the polling booth you will be given 3 ballot papers – a pink one, a yellow one and an orange one.

On the PINK ballot paper, you vote for Mayor and you can make both a first and second choice. Your second choice does not reduce the chance of your first choice being elected, but will only come into play if your first choice is not in the running. The London Lib Dem candidate for Mayor is Brian Paddick www.brianpaddick.com

On the YELLOW ballot paper, you vote for a member of the London Assembly that represents the Merton & Wandsworth constituency. The London Lib Dem candidate for Merton & Wandsworth is Lisa Smart, find out more about her here: www.lisasmart.org.uk

On the ORANGE ballot paper, you vote for “London-wide” members of the London Assembly, choosing from a list of parties. If you like straightforward London Lib Dem ideas like: targeted cuts in the cost of public transport – with One Hour Bus Tickets, and part-time Travelcards; or town centre police teams and the “You break it, you fix it” approach to crime; or a Clean Air Zone in central London and the “Big Switch” to electric buses and taxis  – then voting for the London Lib Dem team on this ballot paper will ensure that these good ideas get brought to the Mayor’s attention – whoever that is!