Comments on: The Home Secretary has decided I’m not a person

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:54:21 +0000

Perhaps we should ask Londons Mayorial candidates to comment….

By: James Schneider

James Schneider — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:16:57 +0000

Its pathetic scare mongering from Smith so that she can then do “something” and look like she’s dealing with the “problem”. The big story about London, is that while there is crime and it can, should, and must be limited, it is really comparatively very low. We are very lucky indeed.

By: Eastender

Eastender — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:38:54 +0000

It’s worth remembering the thousands of Hackney’s citizens who have to work in jobs which require them to go to and/or leave work in the middle of the night. They have no choice in the matter.

Most of the area is passable at night – I am walk back from the night bus stop (opposite my house) normally, but there are places (Clapton Park, New North Road, the whole of Hackney Wick etc) that are just too bloody scary to contemplate at night. Admittedly, I am saying this as 16 stone of 6′ tall bloke.

The root of this problem is the Labour council’s utter disinterest in giving the youth of the borough anything legitimate to do – if you leave kids in a crime ridden area with nothing to do but hang around on street corners, they are going to continue the cycle of falling into crime.

We proposed increasing funding enormously for youth clubs, schemes etc., and for schemes to break the cycle of gangs, drug related crime and prostitution. And do you know what? Every Labour councillor voted against it.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:16:16 +0000

London is well safer than my home town after midnight, no question.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:35:18 +0000

I think she’s completely wrong. I think London feels far safer than a lot of provincial cities at night. At least we tend not to have teenage yobs vomiting everywhere and getting into fights over taxis home. Enough of the anti-London bias already.

By: Peter McGrath

Peter McGrath — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:09:47 +0000

Being one of them pesky liberals and opposed to ID cards, you soon won’t be a person. A mere shadow.

By: MatGB

MatGB — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:47:25 +0000

“I’m no longer (or perhaps never was?) a person”

I think she might have a point there you know Mark…

But seriously, wat she seems to be saying is that she’s never gone for a walk after midnight in Hackney, and by implication anywhere urban.

Which strikes me as odd, I love walking the streets late at night, you get a much better atmosphere. But then, Labour Home Secretary, you have to be odd. How long do we give this one?

By: Rob Blackie

Rob Blackie — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:39:00 +0000

I wonder what she thinks people on the Night bus are doing after they get off?

Flying home? Hailing a cab? Or does Hackney have night bus stops outside every door.

Bizarre – she must have seen all the people at Trafalgar Square after midnight – maybe she thinks they’re demonstrating?!