n any election, candidates must have a secret weapon up their sleeves. Some dig out damaging dirt on their opponents. Others deploy a regiment of management gurus to focus-group the electorate. But in his bid to be re-elected mayor of London next year, Ken Livingstone has stocked up on something rather different: pierogi.

Realising that among the huge Polish community in London lie tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of untapped voters who could put a tick by his name on May 1 2008, Mr Livingstone has added the Slavic dumplings to the City Hall shopping list.

At a reception at his London HQ last month for the Polish community and media, the mayor put on an authentic spread to win the Polish vote.

“There were pierogi with mushrooms, red cabbage and kotlety schabowe [Polish-style pork chops],” said attendee Joanna Biszewska, deputy editor of Cooltura, a weekly magazine for Poles in the UK. Embracing Polish food is only one element of Mr Livingstone’s charm offensive, which began in March when his advisors organised a meeting between three City Hall representatives and the Polish media.

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