Category Archives: London

Mark Pack

Should Lembit Opik be the Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor?

By Mark Pack | Tue 29th June 2010 - 9:20 am

The news that Lembit is interested in running for Mayor has produced a flurry of comment online from Liberal Democrats (such as Andrew Reeves’s piece) so over to you: what do you think?

Tagged and | 80 Comments
Mark Pack

Lib Dem MPs in the news

By Mark Pack | Sat 26th June 2010 - 2:20 pm

Lembit Opik is interested in becoming Mayor of London, while The Guardian has a round-up of comments from backbenchers about the Budget. Although all are anxious about one aspect or another, notably they all overall support is as with Annette Brooke:

I don’t like the budget but I dislike the economic situation we find ourselves in even more. The Lib Dems have done their utmost to address the fairness issue. In an ideal word I would not choose to put up VAT. But I was convinced, even at the hustings meeting, that the books were much worse than we

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in Conference and News | Tagged , , and | 16 Comments
Mark Pack

An unexpected consequence of opening up data

By Mark Pack | Fri 25th June 2010 - 12:20 pm

I blogged recently about the welcome moves being made to open up London’s transport data to wider use. A great example of what opening up data can produce is the map showing the locations of tube trains on the network in real time – available for free and produced thanks to the enthusiasm and civic-mindedness of volunteers.

But with the current tube strikes in mind, it also shows how opening up data can produce unexpected consequences. Because what is one of the standard parts of transport strikes? It’s conflicting claims from unions and management about how widespread the impact …

Continue reading »
Tagged | 4 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink: Mike Tuffrey on London air quality

By NewsHound | Thu 24th June 2010 - 8:43 pm

London Assembly member Mike Tuffrey has been writing for The Guardian about Britain’s poor record on air quality:

Your report on Britain being given a second and final warning by theEuropean commission to clean up the capital’s air (Clean up! Europe warns Britain, 4 June) quoted a spokesman for the mayor of Londonsaying that his air quality strategy will help to “address the concerns that triggered this legal action”. I am far from convinced.

Continue reading »
Tagged and | Leave a comment
Mark Pack

Welcome news as London transport data opened up

By Mark Pack | Tue 15th June 2010 - 3:20 pm

As Wired reports:

Transport for London has announced that it’s lifting all restrictions on the commercial use of its data. The move could fuel an explosion in mobile apps that need access to the datasets, making them more attractive to developers who want to charge for their apps.

Currently, TfL offers up a selection of datasets, including live traffic cameras, Oyster card top-up locations, pier and station locations, cycle hire locations, and riverboat timetables. Some new data has been issued, including live tube travel info and departure boards, and the transport giant also plans to release further information on bus stops,

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged and | 9 Comments
Helen Duffett

London Assembly to review May 6 polling problems

By Helen Duffett | Fri 11th June 2010 - 3:20 pm

The London Assembly has unanimously passed a motion calling for an investigation into how polling was conducted for the general and council elections in May.

From the BBC:

The review comes after hundreds of Londoners were unable to vote and left queuing as polling booths closed.

About 300 people were turned away in Lewisham and another 150 were unable to vote in Hackney. Long queues were also seen in Vauxhall and Brockley.

The review will look at the issues of overcrowding and as well as allegations of electoral fraud.

The review will be conducted by the Business Management and Administration Committee, …

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged | 2 Comments
Mark Pack

The police’s serious IT failures over stop and search

By Mark Pack | Fri 11th June 2010 - 12:50 pm

The use of stop and search by the police, particularly in London, has often come under criticism. Most often it’s been about ridiculous cases where someone has been stopped or, more seriously, the deeply held suspicion amongst many communities that their members are irrationally singled out by the police for far more searches than their numbers or crime rates justify. This argument about what is sometimes called disproportionality should not only be of concern in terms of wanting to see the police free of discrimination, but also of concern in terms of wanting the police to be using their time …

Continue reading »
Tagged and | 4 Comments
Chris Keating

Opinion: Do Labour pick Ken and their bedrock, or win back the centre ground?

By Chris Keating | Fri 4th June 2010 - 2:10 pm

There’s been some interesting discussion on LabourList about whether Labour should – yet again – pick Ken Livingstone as their candidate for London Mayor. Declan Gaffney has made use of some very interesting research into the demographics of London elections (published here).

That demographic analysis deserves a long second look; and once you do, the picture isn’t pretty for anyone who wants Ken Livingstone to be elected as Mayor of London.

The most striking feature in the demographic facts and figures is the polarisation of London politics between 2004 and 2008. The study looks at the election results, ward …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 1 Comment
Mark Pack

London congestion charge: 2 August deadline for consultation

By Mark Pack | Wed 2nd June 2010 - 1:20 pm

Transport for London is running a consultation on Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s plans to axe the western extension to the congestion charge zone, increase the daily charge, change the exemptions and introduce a discount for automated payments.

At heart this is the sort of consultation which gives the word a bad name: the big political decision to axe the western extension has been made, the public had their chance to cast a verdict on it via the ballot box and now this ‘consultation’ is a bit of process that no-one really believes could change Boris Johnson’s mind.

However, there are also …

Continue reading »
Tagged , and | Leave a comment
Caroline Pidgeon

Opinion: Countdown to 2012 has already started

By Caroline Pidgeon | Thu 20th May 2010 - 12:20 pm

Harold Wilson’s phrase that a week is a long time in politics was never more true than the dramatic developments that took place last week.

The creation of a new Government, with Liberal Democrats at the heart of it and with so many of our policies built into the coalition agreement, has quite rightly dominated the media. I am sure these events will not easily be forgotten by many Liberal Democrats.

Against such as background it is far from surprising that changes that have taken place in town halls across London and at City Hall have not received a huge amount of …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Local government and Op-eds | Tagged | 1 Comment
Helen Duffett

Dee Doocey: London Mayor should not take over the Metropolitan Police Authority’s role

By Helen Duffett | Fri 14th May 2010 - 2:59 pm

Commenting on the statement by Theresa May, the new Home Secretary, that she intends to push through plans for directly elected police commissioners, Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly policing spokesperson and a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority said:

For ten years the Metropolitan Police Service has been accountable to Londoners through a police authority. To now place all that accountability in the hands of one person would be a serious mistake.

“Boris Johnson struggled to even chair the Metropolitan Police Authority, so the idea that he, or indeed any Mayor, could now do the

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , , , and | 3 Comments
Helen Duffett

Dee Doocey elected chair of London Assembly

By Helen Duffett | Thu 13th May 2010 - 9:01 pm

From a news release by the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group:

The London Assembly has today elected Dee Doocey AM as its new Chair for 2010/11. Jennette Arnold AM has been re-elected as Deputy Chair. At their Annual Meeting Assembly Members also re-established a number of committees to examine the Mayor of London’s policies and investigate issues of importance to London.

Chair of the London Assembly Dee Doocey AM said:

“I am honoured that my colleagues have chosen me to lead the Assembly for the year ahead. I will do my utmost to justify their confidence in handing me this additional opportunity to serve Londoners. I am also proud to be the first Irish person to Chair the London Assembly.

At this changing time in our national political landscape it is more important than ever that London has a strong voice and powerful advocates to make the case for funding vital projects like Crossrail. The London Assembly is determined to ensure that the sound arguments for investing in the capital’s future, and the benefits that will also bring to the rest of the country, do not go unheard.

In the months ahead the Assembly will continue to monitor the refinement of the Mayor’s strategies and measure what impact they do or do not have on the quality of life in London. We will also continue to challenge the London 2012 team to deliver not just an excellent Games but also the long term benefits the capital was promised in the bid.”

You can also listen to Dee’s acceptance speech via Audioboo, courtesy of Mayorwatch:

Listen!

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , and | 2 Comments
Mark Pack

Caroline Pidgeon is new Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group

By Mark Pack | Thu 13th May 2010 - 10:20 am

From a party news release:

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport spokesperson, has become the new leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group.

She takes over from Mike Tuffrey, who has led the group since 2006.

Commenting on future plans for the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group Caroline Pidgeon said:

“The concerns of Londoners are the concerns of Liberal Democrats at City Hall.

“We recognise the vital importance of tackling crime and the fear of crime that affects every area in London. We will continue to be at the forefront of the campaign to protect police numbers and ensure that there …

Continue reading »
Tagged , and | 5 Comments
Mark Pack

Labour falls silent over accusations of lies

By Mark Pack | Wed 31st March 2010 - 8:55 am

Adam Bienkov has the story:

Yesterday was the start of the local elections campaign here in London and the fight is already getting dirty.

One such scrap is taking place in ultra marginal Waltham Forest where the Lib Dems are furious at “Labour’s lies” about police numbers.

Labour leaflets claim that the Lib Dems “want to cut the number of police in Waltham Forest” whilst being “in cahoots with Tory mayor Boris plans to cut police numbers.”

The Lib Dems deny this, pointing to their fervent opposition to Boris’s police cuts on the London Asssembly.

The piece goes on to provide more evidence from …

Continue reading »
Tagged , , and | 4 Comments
Mark Pack

Glenda Jackson: Labour’s worst ever transport minister?

By Mark Pack | Tue 30th March 2010 - 10:20 am

Current Secretary of Sate for Transport, Lord Adonis rightly gets praise from across the political spectrum. Although there’s by no means cross-party agreement on some transport issues (think Heathrow for a start), Adonis is generally respected even when he is disagreed with. Whilst he has an extremely strong claim to have been the best Labour transport minister since 1997, some of the competition for that accolade is not exactly stiff.

Indeed, the publication a few days ago of another cross-party Select Committee report into the failings of part-privatisation on the London Underground reminds me of just how bad Labour MP Glenda …

Continue reading »
Tagged , , , , , , and | 5 Comments
Caroline Pidgeon

How long can Boris Johnson carry on defending the indefensible?

By Caroline Pidgeon | Sat 27th March 2010 - 10:20 am

Caroline Pidgeon is a Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and member of the London Fire Emergency and Planning Authority (LFEPA)

Walking out of a meeting as a protest is something I would not normally recommend, but last week I felt had no other option and left a key budget meeting of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). Both the Lib Dem leader on the Fire Authority, Councillor Ed Butcher from Haringey, and I knew we had to make a protest at the decision of the Conservative Chair Brian Coleman to prohibit TV cameras from filming the meeting, and Coleman’s decision to …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , , and | 2 Comments
Mark Pack

Boris Johnson: condensed

By Mark Pack | Tue 23rd March 2010 - 2:20 pm

With due deference to our non-London readers, here’s an ultra condensed version of London Mayor Boris Johnson and the roadworks:

Two years ago Boris Johnson promises to do something about the number of times London streets get dug up with a “holy war on holey streets”.

Two years on, the holy war has yet to start and instead it’s been reconfigured.

Now he’s promising one meeting a year.

But not just any meeting. It’ll be A SUMMIT.

A rather peaceful and slow moving kind of war really.

Tagged | 1 Comment
Caroline Pidgeon

The grit in the Oyster

By Caroline Pidgeon | Sat 27th February 2010 - 12:50 pm

London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon sets out how the Mayor of London’s approach to problems with the London Oyster travelcard is a demonstration of Boris Johnsons wider approach to addressing issues that face Londoners:

This week at City Hall I was accused by Boris Johnson of being a “negative Liberal Democrat” when I dared to question him over some of the problems that have happened as a result of the extension of Oyster Pay as You Go to national rail services across London.

Well I stand by my questioning of the Mayor as there is no …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 7 Comments
Mark Pack

Innocent people deserve better treatment from Met over DNA database

By Mark Pack | Thu 25th February 2010 - 11:49 pm

A party news release brings the message:

Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly policing spokesperson and member of the MPA, has today called for the Met to address its poor record of meeting requests by innocent people for the deletion of their DNA records held on a national database.

At present only 24% of the requests from innocent people to have their DNA removed are granted by the Met.

After questioning the Met Commissioner at today’s full meeting of the MPA Dee Doocey said:

“The current situation is totally unsatisfactory. The Met Commissioner has the power to delete the records of innocent …

Continue reading »
Tagged , , and | 11 Comments
Helen Duffett

Cable: “Liberal Democrats committed to Crossrail”

By Helen Duffett | Tue 19th January 2010 - 6:20 pm

Not exactly breaking news, but a reaffirming today of the Lib Dems’ backing for Crossrail, with a financial caveat:

Vince Cable has told the Evening Standard that the Liberal Democrats are backing Crossrail, the east-west railway now under construction in London:

The Liberal Democrats are fully committed to the Crossrail project and we certainly have no plans to scrap it.

However, as with all projects involving public sector money it is critical that Crossrail stays within its agreed budget.

Caroline Pidgeon, Chair of the London Assembly’s Transport Committee told Lib Dem Voice:

The Liberal Democrats have always been fully committed to

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , , , and | 2 Comments
Helen Duffett

Senior Labour councillor defects to Haringey Lib Dems

By Helen Duffett | Tue 19th January 2010 - 5:33 pm

Councillor Brian Haley, one of the country’s most senior black Labour councillors, resigned from the Labour party today and joined the Liberal Democrats. He had been a Labour member for 16 years. His move comes after Haringey was rated one of the worst councils in the country.

This brings the number of Liberal Democrat Councillors in Haringey to 26 – well on course to take control of the council in May – while Labour now have 30.

Councillor Brian Haley, of St Ann’s Ward said:

Over the last few months it has become ever clearer that Labour has absolutely no vision to lift Haringey out of its current mess.

It is for this reason I have taken the difficult decision to leave Labour and join the only party that has the ideas and ability to turn things around.

The Liberal Democrats in Haringey are the only party with the drive and determination to provide local residents with the quality of service they deserve.

I would urge anyone wavering in their support for Labour to join me and back the Liberal Democrats which offers positive local change.

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , , , and | 5 Comments
Helen Duffett

Does Richard Tracey understand his own recommendations?

By Helen Duffett | Tue 15th December 2009 - 6:28 pm

London Assembly Member Richard Tracey has past form on writing odd letters to local newspapers in London. In August I reported on his claims that a Tory mayor and Tory boroughs were responsible for London not seeing a rise in unemployment – when in fact unemployment, sadly, has soared across the whole of London.
Now he has sent this letter to Southwark News:

“The introduction of speed cameras to enforce 20mph zones in Southwark, Waltham Forest and other London boroughs is bad for London’s hard-pressed motorists.
There are already too many revenue-raising speed cameras on the capital’s roads, London does not need more.

Furthermore, there is a danger that large areas of average speed-check cameras will encourage drivers to concentrate on their speedometers instead of the road; which would have a counter-productive effect on safety.

Many road-users feel that congestion means journeys in London already take too long and 20mph speed limits will force people to spend even longer in their cars. Not to mention that driving at 20mph causes even more pollution and higher CO2 emissions than driving at 30mph.

Richard Tracey, London Assembly Conservative Transport spokesman”

Richard Tracey might have a point that speed cameras are not popular, but he does seem to be exaggerating just how many would be necessary to ensure that 20 mph zones are effectively enforced.

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , , and | 4 Comments
Mark Pack

Boris Johnson gets a touch of the Gordon Brown

By Mark Pack | Tue 8th December 2009 - 11:10 pm

The Guardian, today:

Boris Johnson today signed City Hall up to the 10:10 climate change campaign.

Mayor’s Question Time, two months ago:

I supported the 10:10 campaign when it was launched in September, and have signed up City Hall to the initiative.

Re-announcing something you’ve already announced previously? How very Gordon Brown.

Mind you, it’s often been rumoured that Boris Johnson has his eyes on 10 Downing Street, so perhaps he’s just putting in some practice 🙂

Tagged and | Leave a comment
Mark Pack

Electoral Commission heavily criticise report into plans for 2012 London elections

By Mark Pack | Fri 2nd October 2009 - 8:55 am

The Electoral Commission has published a report laying out a series of detailed and powerful criticisms of the cost-benefit analysis carried out for the Greater London Returning Officer into the use of e-counting for the 2012 London Mayor and Assembly elections.

However, the Greater London Returning Officer (GLRO) appears determined to go ahead with electronic counting, having told a meeting he had made this decision before even hearing the Electoral Commission’s views and despite even the flawed cost-benefit analysis showing that e-counting is more expensive than manual counting.

Continue reading »
Also posted in Election law | Tagged , , and | 2 Comments
Helen Duffett

Boris Johnson’s attitude to breaches of expense rules

By Helen Duffett | Fri 4th September 2009 - 5:34 pm

Seems that the Mayor of London has a talent for picking the “wonderful”, “brilliant” and scandal-prone when it comes to expenses.

The BBC reports that Boris Johnson claimed on his MP expenses for a website which promoted his mayoral campaign and the sale of his books:

Mr Johnson claimed the £500 from his MP’s communications allowance for redesigning his website homepage in December 2007.

In a letter obtained by BBC London under the Freedom of Information Act, a parliamentary official told Mr Johnson that his claim was rejected because his website fell “significantly outside” the allowance guidelines.

The House of Commons guidance on the Communications Allowance couldn’t be any clearer –

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , and | 2 Comments
Helen Duffett

Ian Clement charged with fraud

By Helen Duffett | Fri 4th September 2009 - 2:29 pm

Ian Clement, one of Boris Johnson’s former Deputy Mayors, has been charged with five counts of fraud “in connection with alleged misuse of expenses.”

Clement was forced to resign in June over allegations that he used his City Hall corporate credit card to pay for private meals and groceries.

Adam Bienkov at Tory Troll has the full story, including the statement issued by the Metropolitan Police, and a statement from Clement’s lawyer in the Bexley Times who accuses the Crown Prosecution Service of “political expediency” for deciding to prosecute. 

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , , , , and | 1 Comment
Helen Duffett

Richard Tracey: Tory triumph or tall tale?

By Helen Duffett | Wed 19th August 2009 - 9:20 am

A Tory London Assembly Member wants his party to take the credit for a brief drop in London’s unemployment figures, while the annual results show a different picture.

Richard Tracey, Conservative London Assembly Member for Merton and Wandsworth (and a former Conservative Minister and MP for Surbiton) proudly wrote to the South London Press in March 2009:

“London has bucked the tragedy of rising unemployment – it fell between November and January, whereas the UK as a whole saw a rise.

It is no coincidence that unemployment in London has actually fallen in the last three months, given taxpayer-focused Conservative administrations run so much of it.

Richard Tracey

London Assembly member for Merton and Wandsworth”

In a rather desperate attempt to make a political point he grabbed at the very limited unemployment figures between November 2008 and January 2009 for evidence. The letter was even titled ‘Tory Triumph.’

Well, five months later, the Tories must be less triumphant.

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , and | 2 Comments
Helen Duffett

Ian Clement claimed for “expenses paid” trips

By Helen Duffett | Tue 11th August 2009 - 4:55 pm

Ian Clement, former leader of Bexley Council, has been ordered to repay more than £2000 which he claimed in expenses for trips which had already been paid for.

From the Local Government Chronicle:

Bexley LBC had paid for Ian Clement’s accommodation at a BT conference in the United States, which brought together politicians, academics and businessmen.

More than half of the £2,087.85 the council has asked to be paid back was spent on this trip.

Mr Clement, who was council leader between May 2006 and May 2008, claimed £1,270.50 in overnight subsistence allowances for the trip.

Mr Clement has previously paid back £1,220 he

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , and | 3 Comments
Helen Duffett

Boris Johnson brings the house down

By Helen Duffett | Sat 8th August 2009 - 11:50 am

The Mayor of London, who is in charge of the capital’s planning issues, was told to remove a wooden summer house at his Islington home because it was built without planning permission.

From the Times:

Council officers ordered Boris Johnson to remove the shed from a balcony at his home, a Grade II listed building in a conservation area of Islington, North London.

Islington Council wrote to Mr Johnson to tell him that the shed required planning permission because it was within the curtilage of a listed building.

“Planning enforcement officers advised Mr Johnson that the shed did not have planning

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged , and | 1 Comment
Helen Duffett

Passengers demand return of bendy buses – after a week

By Helen Duffett | Sat 1st August 2009 - 3:45 pm

From the London Paper:

Commuters on the first route to get rid of the controversial bendy buses today declared: “Bring them back.”

Passengers on the 507 complained that the single-decker replacements were overcrowded and failed to provide enough seating.

One told of chaotic scenes when around 100 people crammed on to a Waterloo to Victoria bus during rush-hour.

Another, Andrew Cooper, 39, of Westminster, said: “There are hardly any seats. I’m not sure why they got rid of the bendy.”

Maureen Pullen, 48, of Winchester, said: “The bendy buses’ three doors allowed people to board much faster and brought down journey times.” Sine Msomi,

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in News | Tagged and | 14 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • David Allen
    A clear, credible, principled strategy from the Yorkists! Makes a welcome change. Sadly, followed by twenty below-the-line posts, providing nearly twenty ve...
  • Simon McGrath
    so we get a permanant increase in costs for these subsidies based on ( alleged ) windfall profits. Its another big increase in spending -how is it to be paid ...
  • Peter Davies
    @Kira CollinsThat assumes we want to help people more with their energy bills than with all the other bills they may be struggling with. There is no reason why ...
  • Rob Heale
    Agree that we need to focus on strategy and have clearer messaging:- 1. We MUST prioritise membership recruitment in all we do, including PPB's, most leaflets...
  • Kira Collins
    Disappointed. The most obvious means of reducing energy bills is to remove VAT. Relatively straightforward to do and does not adversely impact on the attractive...