APART from being amused by the distractions thrown up by both major parties' tribulations over choosing a candidate for the race for Mayor of London, voters in the rest of the country have only an academic interest in the outcome.

But those with a regard for democracy will be concerned about the lack of it in the process by which former health minister Frank Dobson emerged as Labour's runner ahead of maverick MP 'Red' Ken Livingstone.

For his victory by the narrowest of margins was through a fix, designed by the party leadership to hinder loose-cannon Livingstone's chances.

But more than this it demonstrates once more a two-faced outlook towards democracy and fairness on the part of Tony Blair.

It is an approach that may yet reap a backlash among voters and his own party's grassroots since it signals the Prime Minister's distrust of them and his reluctance to truly devolve power from the centre.

The Downing Street-anointed Mr Dobson was chosen by the clumsy system of an electoral college consisting of Labour's London MPs, MEPs and Greater London Assembly candidates - by and large, compliant Blairite foot soldiers - and trade unions and party members.

But this had nothing to do with the holy one-member-one-vote mantra that was an essential element of Tony Blair's reforming creed when he was trying to rid Labour of unfair practices and curb the overweening power that the trade unions were wielding within the party by virtue of the notorious and often-dubious 'block vote' system.

Yet here was Tony Blair depending on such discredited methods to ensure that the entrant whose politics he does not like was obstructed. Livingstone is crying "Foul!" - and quite rightly.

As a result, he may yet become a bigger thorn in the Prime Minister's side by standing as an independent and drawing an embarrassing amount of Labour support away from Mr Dobson among Labour voters who do not like being bossed about by a leadership already tainted by a control-freak tag.

Mr Blair has already found that people will not tolerate this.

In Wales identical interference in the selection of Labour's leader in the country's new assembly ended up with his chosen candidate being kicked out of office and the people's choice taking over.

But it is not a question of how much redder the Prime Minister's face may become in a similar backlash in London, it is about fairness and integrity. Tony Blair says he is a straight sort of guy. Pah!

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