Forum Topic

Blow for Local Democracy

From the Queen's Speech.....Red Ken is being given more power - can you believe it? Greater London Authority BillThe Greater London Authority Bill will increase the power of the Mayor of London, devolving powers over planning and housing and elements of climate change policies.  It will allow the Mayor to set out a housing strategy, take a more strategic approach to planning in the capital lead the way in combating climate change. The Bill will also enhance the Mayor's ability to meet future challenges, including the staging of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

John Kennedy ● 6849d12 Comments

My assumption is yes...as the proceeds are supposedly going to improve public transport.  I don't have any figures to prove it, though.Do you think the CC is a good thing ?  I do.

Andrew Broadbent ● 6846d

With respect, how would any of us know "just what a precarious financial state would we be in now had the GLC not been abolished" ?  It seems a strange thing to say, IMHO.I'm afraid I'm not familiar with how Ken has held out the begging bowl in Venzuela, but I don know that the CC and increase in bus priority has made travelling into central London much better than it was.  Would you prefer that it had not been implemented ?  Also, do you think that the biggest sporting event in the world (which I presume the Olympics to be) would be coming to London without a Mayor to make it happen ?personally, I think that the office of Mayor of London is doing a lot to make London a better place and improving its profile worldwide; is it the office that you object to or the incumbent ?

Andrew Broadbent ● 6846d

Guts! Shameless is the word I would use - holding out the begging bowel in Venuezuela, a country where the majority live under the poverty line, and his sycophantic behaviour towards Fidel, spring to mind. Well just what a precarious financial state would we be in now had the GLC not been abolished.

John Kennedy ● 6847d

Has the congestion charge actually made money, taking into account the setting up expenses and the cost of running it?

Caroline MacMillan ● 6847d

Ken is one of the few politicians that we have who has any guts, unlike almost all of the others who are slaves to their party whip.  He was proved right about the congestion charge, when almost everyone else said that it would be an expensive failure.  Travelling around in Central London is now much easier than before, IMHO.London needs someone to co-ordinate activities in arenas like transport rather than letting individual Councils act independently. It's undoing the chaos which has reigned as a result of the GLC being done away with all that time ago.  The Mayor is democratically elected; whether the power to do something lies with the Mayor or a council is a moot point - in both cases you have the power to vote against them if you don't like it.I'm happy to see the Olympics coming to London, it will be something to tell the grandchildren - "I was there" !  Is there clear evidence anywhere of the alleged delays and overspend on the Olympics that the evening rags seem to take such delight in reporting ?

Andrew Broadbent ● 6847d

But we still got lumbered with him.  And he just keeps getting more and more authority.  It really is unbelievable.

Caroline MacMillan ● 6847d

Interestingly, Hammersmith & Fulham did not vote for Livingstone at the last Mayoral election in 2004. He got 14,592 votes, but Norris got 15,153 votes here.

Mark Loveday ● 6848d

Just seen headline in evening paper saying Olympics cost reaching 1b.  I haven't the heart to read more.  Much too depressing.

Caroline MacMillan ● 6849d

Lets hope so.Think that the Olympics will hit new heights in the long list of project management disasters.The political infighting there is reputedly unreal 'You haven't seen nothing yet'.Given that he draws his inspiriation from a dictator, Fidel, it's no suprise he didn't listen about WL Tram. Any canvassing of opinion, was only ever going to be a sham.

John Kennedy ● 6849d

Perhaps they will when they see their council tax rising due to the increased cost of the Olympics and contribution to build the tram in West London (or rather the contribution to cover the cost of the consultation which he completely disregarded).

Caroline MacMillan ● 6849d

Sadly you're right. Well he's been elected twice, so don't see what will stop him winning again - unlikely the people who voted for him in the last two elections will have gotten wiser.

John Kennedy ● 6849d

I can believe anything of this Government.  Any chance that Ken will be re-elected?

Caroline MacMillan ● 6849d