Tag Archives: brian paddick

The Voice

Feat. Brian Paddick – preview of new London party tabloid

By The Voice | Mon 14th January 2008 - 6:59 pm

The Lib Dems’ Brian Paddick today launched his campaign to be elected Mayor of London – and the party has just taken delivery of its latest London-wide tabloid, designed to support his bid and the campaigns of the party’s GLA candidates. Want a sneak preview? You can download a PDF version here.

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The Voice

Paddick launches Mayoral campaign

By The Voice | Mon 14th January 2008 - 5:51 pm

Speaking at the launch of his Mayoral Campaign in Brixton Town Hall, Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate Brian Paddick pledged to put cutting crime in London at the heart of his bid to win the mayoral race.

Brian Paddick was accompanied by Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg as he outlined his key priorities for London: cutting crime by 20% during first term or stand down, chairing the Metropolitan Police Authority to hold the Metropolitan Police Service to account for its performance in reducing crime, increasing reliability of Tube and Bus, changing Oystercard to enable unlimited travel within 1 hour and using money spent on temporary accommodation to build new permanent ‘social housing.’

A new website has been launched at www.brianpaddick.org

Paddick said, “I have a track record of performance against Londoners’ number one concern: crime. Ken Livingstone has said he cannot do anything about gun and knife crime. I will make tackling crime in the capital a priority. I will cut crime in London by 5% every year over the course of my first term in City Hall. If I fail to reach my target after four years, I will not stand again.”

This is our uncritical cut’n’paste of an official launch mailing. We’re sure our readers will be critical in the comments below.

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Mark Pack

Why does Ken Livingstone need three times more press officers than Gordon Brown?

By Mark Pack | Mon 14th January 2008 - 11:14 am

This morning is the official launch of Brian Paddick’s London Mayor campaign, along with his new website. The headline story from Brian’s launch is his crime-fighting pledge:

“I will cut crime in London by 5% every year over the course of my first term in City Hall. And I will take personal control of ensuring this target is met by chairing the Metropolitan Police Authority. If I fail to reach my target after four years, I will not stand again.”

But this snippet also caught my eye:

The number of press officers working under the Mayor’s control is approximately three times bigger

…

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Posted in London and News | 2 Comments
Stephen Tall

ITV London mayoral debate: open thread

By Stephen Tall | Thu 10th January 2008 - 9:53 pm

The London mayoral contest is hotting up, and tonight ITV1 broadcasts a debate at 11.05 pm (London only; or Sky channel 993), with Lib Dem contender Brian Paddick, and the Tory and Labour candidates, Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone.

The London Evening Standard previews the debate here, reporting that:

Brian Paddick looked and sounded the part. He relied on notes but was polished. He ably deflected questioning of his “softly, softly” approach to cannabis possession while Lambeth borough commander.

He boasted about not being a career politician yet appeared as slick as the best. If TV debating is less about

…

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Posted in London | Also tagged | 29 Comments
The Voice

Brian Paddick interviewed by ePolitix

By The Voice | Mon 31st December 2007 - 5:19 pm

The interview is on ePolitix.com and covers topics such as Brian Paddick’s priorities for London, his views on Boris Johnson and what he would do with bendy buses.

Posted in News | Also tagged | 2 Comments
Stephen Tall

10 key Lib Dem questions for 2008

By Stephen Tall | Sat 29th December 2007 - 4:23 pm

Sky News’s Adam Boulton has posted his rather more worldly ’10 Questions for 2008’ over at his Boulton & Co blog:

A lot will happen that I can’t predict, but working from the known unknowns of next year’s calendar, here are ten questions which I believe will shape politics at home and abroad in 2008.

Forgive Lib Dem Voice for being a little more parochial, and concentrating on the world of Lib Demmery:

1. Will Nick Clegg become as well-known and respected/liked as Paddy and Charles became?

2. Will the party manage to stake out clear and mainstream liberal policy lines while asserting …

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Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 18 Comments
Mark Pack

Brian Paddick: senior police see themselves as untouchable

By Mark Pack | Sun 9th December 2007 - 8:55 am

Today’s Sunday Times carries a report based on a lengthy interview with Liberal Democrat London Mayor candidate Brian Paddick:

Brian Paddick websiteSIR IAN BLAIR, the embattled Metropolitan police commissioner, has been further undermined by claims that his force has become arrogant with power and that a group of senior officers see themselves as “untouchable”.

Brian Paddick, the former deputy assistant commissioner who is running for mayor of London, also claims that a senior civil servant, whose investigation of Met expenses has led to one high-profile resignation and two arrests, is regarded as a

…

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Posted in News | 5 Comments
Mark Pack

How close did Brian Paddick come to being the Conservative London Mayor candidate?

By Mark Pack | Mon 26th November 2007 - 8:04 am

That, and other questions, are answered in his Q+A session with The Independent, published today.

Posted in London | 2 Comments
Mark Pack

Brian Paddick interviewed in The Telegraph

By Mark Pack | Sat 17th November 2007 - 10:49 am

As pointed out by TimberWolf in the comments, today’s Telegraph carries a detailed interview with Lib Dem London Mayor candidate Brian Paddick:

Unusually for a former policeman, he is against ID cards and opposes the Government’s plan to extend detention without trial for terrorist suspects. “It’s ostracising Muslims.”

When it comes to “London issues” he is against bendy buses in the city centre and thinks delivery drivers should be exempt from the congestion charge. His favourite thing about the capital is the Thames.

His main pitch, however, is that with 30 years of frontline policing experience he knows how to make Londoners feel

…

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Posted in News | 3 Comments
Stephen Tall

‘Rocket Man’ Brian attracts Elton’s backing

By Stephen Tall | Thu 15th November 2007 - 8:38 am

Sky News’s Jon Craig has the exclusive:

Brian Paddick, the controversial former top cop chosen by the Liberal Democrats as their candidate for London Mayor, is being backed by rock legend Sir Elton John. …

Revealing his celebrity backing from the superstar whose hits include “Rocket Man”, Paddick told me: “Before I got the nomination, I got a text from David Furnish (Sir Elton’s partner) saying ‘We’ll support you’.” He says there has been no pledge of financial support so far. But I’m sure big-spending Elton can afford to donate a few bob to a political campaign.

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Stephen Tall

Brian calls on Blair to quit

By Stephen Tall | Wed 14th November 2007 - 11:42 am

Lib Dem London mayoral candidate Brian Paddick has called on Ian Blair, the under-fire head of the Metropolitan police, to quit.

There were some eyebrows raised a couple of weeks ago, when Brian stopped short of calling on his former police colleague to step down in the wake of the Met’s conviction by the courts for endangering the public over the fatal shooting of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes. Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg had already called for Sir Ian’s head.

But the former deputy assistant commissioner is quoted now as saying: “I reluctantly …

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Posted in London and News | 4 Comments
The Voice

Brian Paddick selected to be London Mayor candidate

By The Voice | Tue 13th November 2007 - 8:05 am

Congratulations to Brian Paddick for being selected as the Liberal Democrat London Mayor candidate, winning 73% of the first preference votes. The party’s website has the story as does the BBC.

PS: The Wimbledon Guardian reports the story under the intriguing headline, ‘Former Gay Copper Picked For Lib Dems’. We knew Brian had retired from the police, but…

Posted in News | 24 Comments
Mark Pack

London Mayor shortlist published

By Mark Pack | Mon 10th September 2007 - 11:01 am

The Liberal Democrats have just announced their shortlist for London Mayor. The final choice will be made by party members in London in a postal ballot.

The people are:

  • Chamali Fernando
  • Fiyaz Mughal
  • Brian Paddick

    • More details, including hustings, over at the party’s website.

    Posted in Selection news | 26 Comments
    The Voice

    Brian Paddick tops our online poll

    By The Voice | Thu 9th August 2007 - 2:44 pm

    The mouse clicks are in, the votes have been counted – and Brian Paddick has been the pick of Liberal Democrat Voice’s readers to be the party’s London Mayor candidate.

    The results were:

    30% Brian Paddick
    18% Lynne Featherstone MP
    10% Greg Dyke
    9% Lord Navnit Dholakia
    8% Lembit Opik MP
    8% Sarah Teather MP
    3% Paul Burstow MP
    3% Simon Hughes MP (the party’s 2004 candidate)
    2% Susan Kramer MP (the party’s 2000 candidate)
    10% A N Other

    Lynne Featherstone was running top of the poll until she ruled herself out.

    Posted in News and Voice polls | 5 Comments
    The Voice

    Daily Mail: Paddick wants to be Lib Dems’ London Mayor candidate

    By The Voice | Fri 3rd August 2007 - 11:56 pm

    The policeman who pioneered the “softly-softly” approach to cannabis use is being lined up as the Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor. Brian Paddick, 49, has held talks with the party about standing against Labour’s Ken Livingstone and the Tories’ Boris Johnson.

    Full story here, which echoes an earlier story in Pink News.

    Brian Paddick is currently running second in our online poll, behind Lynne Featherstone, who has ruled herself out of the running.

    (Hat-tip: Duncan Borrowman.)

    UPDATE: The Times has more on the story along with some authoratitive looking quotes from a party spokesperson.

    UPDATE 2: and now …

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    Posted in News | Also tagged | 18 Comments
    Richard Huzzey

    Lynne backs Brian for Mayoralty

    By Richard Huzzey | Fri 3rd August 2007 - 2:30 am

    Top MP, blogger and former GLA member Lynne Featherstone has soared into the lead on Lib Dem Voice’s poll for a London Mayor candidate.

    But before anyone gets excited at the prospect of Mayor Lynne, she’s already said on her own blog that a mayoral run’s out of the question, and encourages our readers to support cop Brian Paddick instead…

    Posted in News | 7 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    New poll: who do you want to be the Lib Dems’ London mayoral candidate?

    By Stephen Tall | Thu 2nd August 2007 - 8:12 am

    After yesterday’s brief flutter of excitement – when Ed Davey hinted Lembit Öpik might consider running as the Lib Dems’ London mayoral candidate – it seems we’re as we were, Lembit having ruled himself out.

    So, over to you – which of the following do you want to be our mayoral hopeful? (And, yes, I know a couple of these have said they won’t stand, but, frankly, no such poll would be complete without Greg, Simon, or indeed Lembit, in the mix.)

    Your 10 choices are:

    Paul Burstow MP
    Lord Navnit Dholakia
    Greg Dyke
    Lynne Featherstone MP
    Simon Hughes MP
    Susan Kramer MP
    Lembit Öpik
    Brian Paddick
    Sarah Teather MP
    A …

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    Posted in Voice polls | 26 Comments
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