Tracey Ullman's daughter joins Ken's team in push for City Hall

 

(left) Team Ken: lining up with his London Assembly candidates

Peter Dominiczak, City Hall Correspondent
13 Jul 2011

Tracey Ullman's daughter is part of the team unveiled today by Ken Livingstone for the mayoral battle against Boris Johnson next year.

Among the 25 Labour Assembly candidates bidding for seats in City Hall in May next year is 25-year-old Mabel McKeown.

She was born in Los Angeles but moved to Britain when she was young with her mother and father Allan McKeown.

Speaking at the official launch, Ms McKeown said: "My whole family is from London - I'm very rooted in this city. I'm excited to be part of Ken Livingstone's campaign." She went to school in Dorset and studied politics at Leeds University and is one of the youngest Assembly candidates.

No laughing matter: the daughter of comedian Tracey Ullman was today unveiled by Ken Livingstone as one of his team to contest the London Assembly elections

Ms McKeown is one of Harriet Harman's top advisers and will continue to work for her until the election.

Her mother appeared in UK sitcoms before moving to America in the Eighties and starring in the Tracey Ullman Show. It gave The Simpsons its TV debut for which she is said to still receive royalties.

In 2006 it was reported that Ullman's total wealth was around £75million. Neil Kinnock once appeared in one of Ullman's pop videos.

Ms McKeown said: "I've always been an active campaigner. I stood in a council by-election in Kensington and Chelsea and came extremely close." Other Labour candidates standing for the £54,000-a-year posts include Assembly members Val Shawcross and Joanne McCartney. Mr Livingstone said: "We have a fantastic team here.

"In contrast to the Tories who look like they are in a meeting of some old City club, our team looks like London." Mr Livingstone once again attacked the Mayor over cuts to the number of sergeants on the Safer Neighbourhood Teams from 630 to 330. Some sergeants will have to re-apply for their jobs.

He said: "Police officers should be spending their time on the streets catching criminals, not filling in application forms for their jobs." Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse insisted: "The purpose of this redeployment is to strengthen the number of officers we see on the streets."

Tracey Ullman's daughter, Mabel McKeown, was today unveiled by Ken Livingstone as one of his team to contest the London Assembly elections


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