We're getting very close to the election now, but it's good to know that there is a growing band of supporters right across the capital.
I was out at the Marathon on Sunday. I found a very good spot on Hungerford bridge that allowed me a good view of the runners on the embankment. I managed almost 2 hours in the pretty cold and windy weather, before it started really raining at 2pm and I had to head back home. I'm not a fair weather supporter normally, but after 2 hours I felt I'd done enough. And it was proper nasty rain, cold and wet, not at all summery. I guess the runners had the worst of it though.
Monday and I headed up to Edmonton for my first face to face with Ken supporters. (I can't remember whether I mentioned that I met "The Left List" supporters at the event on Euston road. The one guy I was talking to was very friendly and we discussed a number of issues in the gaps in the flow of people). I must admit that Ken's supporters were also on the whole very friendly and mostly young. We didn't get into any debates as such and they outnumbered me about 6 to 1! There wasn't much 'passing traffic' on the street outside the venue and by the time we arrived most people were already inside waiting in the bar. I bit the bullet and snuck inside and started handing out flyers and newsletters as far and wide as I good. It was quite exhilirating being in amongst a crowd like that, quite a few people who said they definitely wouldn't vote for Boris (or something like that) and I had a chance to make a couple of ripostes. The majority did at least want to read his newsletter. I did a circuit or two before returning outside to the cold, where I met the Ken supporters. We started into a bit of banter and before long they had amassed a web across the road to reach anyone who walked past. I joked that I would get fit running around between them trying to keep up, but in the end there really weren't that many punters.
Boris arrived at around 7. As he got out of his car, I let out an involuntary "Hooray for Boris" and he looked up suddenly and whacked his head on the door frame. Whoops, sorry Boris. I hope he didn't have concussion for the hustings. Ken stumbled in by himself at about 7:20.
The Ken supporters disintegrated at around 7:30 and I followed suit, because it was becoming freezing!
This morning (Tuesday) I was out at Oxford Circus again. It's hard to spot a trend, especially at a station that I have flyered before. I got rid of a good stack of leaflets and had a lot of comments of support. I didn't have as many hecklers as usual, but I did have my first slightly aggresive response, two in fact. One lady who told me I was a 'stupid idiot', to which I pointed out that at least I was getting involved rather than just complaining. The second I didn't really see but it was a guy who shouted "F** off" and I shouted after him, "That's a great political argument, come and have a debate if you think you're smart enough". Needless to say he didn't.
Maybe there is a slight polarisation now. I think also some left wing people who were laughing off Boris a few weeks back, now have seen the polls and are worried and have become slightly more vocal.
I have a huge amount of respect for the Ken and left list supporters, who like me volunteer their time to get out on the streets and support their candidate. As I mentioned to them, we all want a better London. But being on the street like this morning, you realise that there are a lot of people who don't have the same level of maturity or intelligence and who would rather just shout abuse. Well, let them. Sticks and stones, we're still going to win.
Two hustings this evening, should be fun. I'm going to be very very hoarse tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Mayoral Debate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mayoral Debate. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
The Other Candidates - Paddick
Brian Paddick started his speech by complimenting Boris on being by far the best entertainer, before going on to say that he didn't have any experience of actually running anything except the spectator.
Paddick's theme was very simple and he kept returning to it. I liked the simplicity and the structure. But at times it did sound more like a job interview. He just doesn't have that x-factor that a potential mayor is going to need. Yes he sounded competent, but he needed more.
His message was that he had demonstrated by his police career that he is able to deliver succesful results and that he has lots of experience. His promise was to listen to Londoners, like he had done when he was a police commisioner.
He said that crime was his number one issue, which you would hope and expect from an ex police officer! And on this issue he was able to savage Ken's figures with a lot more authority than Boris has/can manage. He spoke about the public's dwindling confidence in the police and quoted from the British Crime Survey and you believed that he knew what he was talking about. I'd vote for him for head of the Metropolitan Police Authority.
I did like the fact that he was pressing for more local control over police by local authorities and he did make an interesting point that police are always going to have to do more paperwork, so the best solution is to hire keyboard operators to input the paperwork more efficiently. He also criticsed the PCSOs saying that they were as much use as you or I. Yes and no, Yes they are just as powerful as you or I, but they have specifically stepped up to take on this responsibility. We should be encouraging more of this sort of personal investment, be it as PCSOs or other voluntary action that benefits the communities of London.
He ended by critising Boris's plans as being based on a 'magic wand' approach, which he said he was more practical. He also lambasted Boris for not knowing more about London and only knowing about the Henley Regatta. Critcisms that seemed weak and half hearted, as if he had to put something in to challenge his main opponent.
Paddick tried to make a few other points during the questions that followed, but largely remained on the outside of the battle between Ken and Boris.
One of the last questions was which book would you choose to guide you if you were Mayor. Paddick answered this obliquely by saying that there were rulebooks and that he intended to throw it away and listen to the people instead. He described the rulebook as ideology. Interesting sentiments from a one time upholder of the law.
In the press room afterwards I noticed that Ken and Paddick were there first. Ken quaffing wine usually with a couple of jornos or PRs. Paddick was looking around for people to speak to (there were only about 30 people in the room or so) . Boris marched in and was immediatley surrounded by a coterie of women journalists before being glad handed around the room. Encouraged by my fiance I went up to the big man and re-itereated my support. He thanked me and then moved onto a photo opportunity with a person I didn't recognise. It was interesting to note how the assembled journalists gravitated.
Boris left in a flash of PRs almost as soon as he had left. It felt like a well managed exit. Waiting on the tube platform we saw Paddick waiting by himself. Presumably Ken was still quaffing wine at the Standard's expense late into the night and Boris was cycling home.
Paddick's theme was very simple and he kept returning to it. I liked the simplicity and the structure. But at times it did sound more like a job interview. He just doesn't have that x-factor that a potential mayor is going to need. Yes he sounded competent, but he needed more.
His message was that he had demonstrated by his police career that he is able to deliver succesful results and that he has lots of experience. His promise was to listen to Londoners, like he had done when he was a police commisioner.
He said that crime was his number one issue, which you would hope and expect from an ex police officer! And on this issue he was able to savage Ken's figures with a lot more authority than Boris has/can manage. He spoke about the public's dwindling confidence in the police and quoted from the British Crime Survey and you believed that he knew what he was talking about. I'd vote for him for head of the Metropolitan Police Authority.
I did like the fact that he was pressing for more local control over police by local authorities and he did make an interesting point that police are always going to have to do more paperwork, so the best solution is to hire keyboard operators to input the paperwork more efficiently. He also criticsed the PCSOs saying that they were as much use as you or I. Yes and no, Yes they are just as powerful as you or I, but they have specifically stepped up to take on this responsibility. We should be encouraging more of this sort of personal investment, be it as PCSOs or other voluntary action that benefits the communities of London.
He ended by critising Boris's plans as being based on a 'magic wand' approach, which he said he was more practical. He also lambasted Boris for not knowing more about London and only knowing about the Henley Regatta. Critcisms that seemed weak and half hearted, as if he had to put something in to challenge his main opponent.
Paddick tried to make a few other points during the questions that followed, but largely remained on the outside of the battle between Ken and Boris.
One of the last questions was which book would you choose to guide you if you were Mayor. Paddick answered this obliquely by saying that there were rulebooks and that he intended to throw it away and listen to the people instead. He described the rulebook as ideology. Interesting sentiments from a one time upholder of the law.
In the press room afterwards I noticed that Ken and Paddick were there first. Ken quaffing wine usually with a couple of jornos or PRs. Paddick was looking around for people to speak to (there were only about 30 people in the room or so) . Boris marched in and was immediatley surrounded by a coterie of women journalists before being glad handed around the room. Encouraged by my fiance I went up to the big man and re-itereated my support. He thanked me and then moved onto a photo opportunity with a person I didn't recognise. It was interesting to note how the assembled journalists gravitated.
Boris left in a flash of PRs almost as soon as he had left. It felt like a well managed exit. Waiting on the tube platform we saw Paddick waiting by himself. Presumably Ken was still quaffing wine at the Standard's expense late into the night and Boris was cycling home.
Evening Standard Debate - Introductory Speeches
This was the third Evening Standard debate that I've attended and the first to see all candidates pitched against each other, on the platform. The first debate was with Boris (a fairly busy Cadogan hall c. 600 people), the second debate was with Ken (a packed RSA c. 300), today's debate was back in the Cadogan hall and the place was heaving, both downstairs and upstairs (c. 800). I'd thought I'd be pretty near the front of the queue, arriving at 5:50 when the doors were meant to open at 6:15, but there was still an impressively sized cue. As we waited a few local campaign groups were unfurling banners; Local shopkeepers, Anti-Western Extensioners, no congestion charge.
Once through the increasingly tighter security (named tickets and photo ID required) we raced to the front of the room to find 4 rows of seats reserved for VIPs.
The evening started with an introduction from the editor of the Evening Standard. A tombola was used to decide who should speak first from the 3 candidates. Each candidate pulled out a number and as they were read out cheers went up, hoping that these numbers would be prescient.
Boris - 1
Brian Paddick - 2
Ken Livingstone - 3
The debate started very amicably, with Boris complementing Livingstone on raising awareness of the office of mayor. A bit m0re banter followed, but when some of the audience shouted requests to remove the now redundant tombola from the desk, because it was obscuring their view of Boris, it was only the ex-policeman who not only listened but also had the gumption to act.
I was pleased to see a bit of humour creep back into Boris's performance as he reminded us of two of Ken's more famous quotes (Only a de-humanised moron would remove the route-master and I'll only run for two terms). He's rightly had to focus on his serious nature and reveal this side to those who doubt he has one! But the odd joke now and then reminds us of his personality.
Boris presented first his plans for housing, speaking about joint ownership as the way to give first time buyers a help onto the property ladder. He also spoke about obtaining more GLA land for redevelopment (similar to his idea to use more brown field sites) - none of which I must admit sounded that radical, and made me think that there must be a very good reason why they have not done that so far. Boris also circled his policy of preventing 'garden grab' across the capital and re-iterated his vision of an aesthetically pleasing (ie. restrictions on sky scrapers and architecture), locally planned London.
Boris then moved onto the environment and talked about the uselessness of the 25GBP congestion charge, suggesting that the amount of Co2 it will save is equivalent to a herd of cows. But his main point was to say that there is more congestion with the charge than there was before and that traffic sitting at lights, rather than flowing is the biggest generator of pollution.
Boris also talked about creating penalties for utility companies if they go over the allocated time to take the roads up (although later Ken tried to blame Thames Water for all the congestion in central London, and Paddick reminded him that it wasn't just the utility companies who were to blame).
Boris's 3rd plank (after housing & environment) seemed to be the most important to him, Security. It is a simple message, that is getting slightly lost amongst all the other policies and manifestos that he is putting out (even when challenged to give his vision, unfortunately there was so much, this got lost again).
Boris stopped short of saying 'zero tolerance' but that is the direction that he is moving in, saying that a crack down on small crimes would help combat the rise in more serious crime and discourage offenders. Boris also shifted the responsibility towards the voluntary sector, indicating that not only individuals but also large companies should be involved in working with and possibly funding community projects.
And of course Boris mentioned one of his strongest (public friendly) policies of doing away with all the advertising and publicity that the mayor's office constantly generates and using the budget instead for more Police Community Support Officers.
Overall, Boris was talking nine to the doze. He started off sounding like an impassioned speaker, energetic and excitable, and making the audience think that he has so much to say, so much to do. However, by the time he was reminded by the chair, Anne McElvoy, that he should be wrapping up he tried to squeeze in his final words, by speaking at double the rate. On anyone else it would have sounded a little bit unpolished and maybe desperate, but on Boris it sounded eager, just.
Once through the increasingly tighter security (named tickets and photo ID required) we raced to the front of the room to find 4 rows of seats reserved for VIPs.
The evening started with an introduction from the editor of the Evening Standard. A tombola was used to decide who should speak first from the 3 candidates. Each candidate pulled out a number and as they were read out cheers went up, hoping that these numbers would be prescient.
Boris - 1
Brian Paddick - 2
Ken Livingstone - 3
The debate started very amicably, with Boris complementing Livingstone on raising awareness of the office of mayor. A bit m0re banter followed, but when some of the audience shouted requests to remove the now redundant tombola from the desk, because it was obscuring their view of Boris, it was only the ex-policeman who not only listened but also had the gumption to act.
I was pleased to see a bit of humour creep back into Boris's performance as he reminded us of two of Ken's more famous quotes (Only a de-humanised moron would remove the route-master and I'll only run for two terms). He's rightly had to focus on his serious nature and reveal this side to those who doubt he has one! But the odd joke now and then reminds us of his personality.
Boris presented first his plans for housing, speaking about joint ownership as the way to give first time buyers a help onto the property ladder. He also spoke about obtaining more GLA land for redevelopment (similar to his idea to use more brown field sites) - none of which I must admit sounded that radical, and made me think that there must be a very good reason why they have not done that so far. Boris also circled his policy of preventing 'garden grab' across the capital and re-iterated his vision of an aesthetically pleasing (ie. restrictions on sky scrapers and architecture), locally planned London.
Boris then moved onto the environment and talked about the uselessness of the 25GBP congestion charge, suggesting that the amount of Co2 it will save is equivalent to a herd of cows. But his main point was to say that there is more congestion with the charge than there was before and that traffic sitting at lights, rather than flowing is the biggest generator of pollution.
Boris also talked about creating penalties for utility companies if they go over the allocated time to take the roads up (although later Ken tried to blame Thames Water for all the congestion in central London, and Paddick reminded him that it wasn't just the utility companies who were to blame).
Boris's 3rd plank (after housing & environment) seemed to be the most important to him, Security. It is a simple message, that is getting slightly lost amongst all the other policies and manifestos that he is putting out (even when challenged to give his vision, unfortunately there was so much, this got lost again).
Boris stopped short of saying 'zero tolerance' but that is the direction that he is moving in, saying that a crack down on small crimes would help combat the rise in more serious crime and discourage offenders. Boris also shifted the responsibility towards the voluntary sector, indicating that not only individuals but also large companies should be involved in working with and possibly funding community projects.
And of course Boris mentioned one of his strongest (public friendly) policies of doing away with all the advertising and publicity that the mayor's office constantly generates and using the budget instead for more Police Community Support Officers.
Overall, Boris was talking nine to the doze. He started off sounding like an impassioned speaker, energetic and excitable, and making the audience think that he has so much to say, so much to do. However, by the time he was reminded by the chair, Anne McElvoy, that he should be wrapping up he tried to squeeze in his final words, by speaking at double the rate. On anyone else it would have sounded a little bit unpolished and maybe desperate, but on Boris it sounded eager, just.
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