Neither Mr Dobson, nor the Conservatives' Steven Norris, nor the Liberal Democrats' Susan Kramer, would be disastrous.

ECONOMIST: Mayor Ken

If they really want to punish the control freak in Mr Blair, let them choose the competent Tory candidate, Steven Norris.

ECONOMIST: The trouble with Ken

After a recent debate with Steven Norris, his chief rival for the Tory nomination, Lord Archer won most support from party activists.

ECONOMIST: London��s mayor

But the former Tory transport minister and head of the Road Hauliers Association, Steven Norris described his meeting with MR O'Brien as constructive.

BBC: News | UK Politics | Truckers 'optimistic' about stowaway solution

Steven Norris, who was appointed by Mr Hague to improve the Tories' appeal to minorities, says the party needs to address this quickly.

ECONOMIST: On the up

Tory party managers were worried that the baggage of the two main Conservative contenders, Lord Archer and Steven Norris, could come back to haunt them.

BBC: City leader joins Livingstone's cabinet

Cabinet Office minister Ian McCartney said it was symptomatic of "William Hague's weak leadership and bad judgement and his hokey-cokey over Steven Norris shows just why the public don't trust them".

BBC: Norris back in Tory mayor race