Taking Greater London Forward
By Boris Johnson

The Mayoral election on Thursday comes when we have been going through the toughest times that anyone can remember.

The big question is therefore blindingly simple – who has the best plan for the jobs and growth that will help bring prosperity to all?

It is about who will deliver the investment from central government that will take London forward.

It is about who you can trust to spend that money wisely – and who will be honest with you about where the money is coming from, and how it is spent.

I believe my 9 point plan is right for the future of the greatest city on earth. It secures Greater London’s future by cutting waste at City Hall, reducing council tax, creating 200,000 new jobs, protecting green space, investing in transport, cutting tube delays and ensuring a true Olympic legacy.

My ambition is to make London ever safer, greener, cleaner and more attractive to live, work and invest in.

By managing our budgets responsibly, we have abandoned the grandiose and wasteful approach of the previous mayor. This has allowed me to keep my promises to London over the last four years:

I have put 1,000 more police on the streets and now we are taking officers out of backroom jobs – putting 2,000 officers in Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
I have delivered a 24 hour Freedom Pass – and we will now make sure that everyone gets it as soon as they turn 60, and we will negotiate to put it on overground rail as well.
I got rid of the Western Extension Zone of the Congestion Charge, because it was imposed in defiance of people’s wishes.
I banned alcohol on public transport and put another 697 uniformed officers on the buses and Tube.
I have got rid of the bendy bus and introduced a new Routemaster-style bus for London, built in Britain, creating jobs in this country, the cleanest new bus in Europe – and each of them costs no more than a current hybrid bus.
I have saved billions in unnecessary expense at TFL, disposed of 23 buildings and 25% of the directors. I have sold two police flats and cut bonuses across the board.
And it is this relentless efficiency with your money that has allowed me to freeze the Mayoral share of council tax for four years. Now I am promising to cut it by 10%.

The choice is clear this Thursday.

It is between a Mayor who invests in our future – not the irresponsible proposals from Ken Livingstone that would put that investment at risk.

I know I am best placed to get the funds our city will need. I will use that money well – not waste it on schemes of no economic benefit to London.

I want to unite London – not try to divide one group from another.

I want to take London forwards – not back to the 1970s.

I believe I am best placed to lead London out of recession, to get real and lasting value from the Olympics, and to lengthen our lead as the greatest city on earth.

I hope I can count on your vote this Thursday. For Greater London. For the future.

BackBoris: For Greater London. For the Future.

posted by Jo (permanent link)

Happy Easter and Good Campaigning!

posted by Jo (permanent link)

I’ve had a great and crazy week! 3 nice dinners – Monday night – dinner with Eric Pickles and other property types. That was the day the mortgage indemnity scheme became reality, so he had a very busy day of it! Tuesday – out with the girls – agonising over which primary schools our nippers will get in to. Wednesday – honoured to sit next to Patrick MacLaughlin – the Chief Whip. He is originally from the West Midlands so we had plenty of news to catch up on! Thursday – went to the AGM of Selly Oak constituency – really encouraging to see how hard they are all working for the local elections. And tonight another AGM – Solihull. I have even been promised a glass of wine.
In between, I’ve had my business to run and family to organise, as well as keeping up with other Area duties, getting a team together to “Call for Boris”, and being invited, and accepting, the role of candidate coordinator for the West Midlands.
I might manage a lie-in on Mothering Sunday!!!!

posted by Jo (permanent link)

I am constantly amazed at the left in this country running down housebuilders. I’ll explain (and declare my own interest). House building is a big employer – both in the industry itself and in the allied professions. I have seen a lot of people hurting during this recession as house building has all but dried up. How many empty sites do you see every day? Getting loans as builders is frustratingly difficult – although sensible (said through gritted teeth) as those trying to get on the housing ladder have immense difficulty in getting mortgages, so noone can buy what we build!
But there is a deeper problem here. More young people are waiting longer to have children because they have nowhere they want to call home to bring them up in. Rents are rising, and there is a new buy to let boom. Whichever way you look at it society is being shifted by this problem.
Maybe the mortgage guarantee scheme will get us building again – I for one will go back to the bank and see how far their position has changed. My firm is small – but in contrast to what Labour are saying – by getting the big boys building – there will be increased confidence in the market and we will be able to get back to work. We need the homes after all.

posted by Jo (permanent link)

Late for New Year although we happily celebrate from 1 Jan to Chinese New Year in the Barker household.
It looks like we are in for some fun in Birmingham and the rest of the West Midlands in the next few months….super Thursday – 15th November will soon be upon us and we can all vote for some serious localism. Mayors are likely in Birmingham and Coventry and the Police Commissioner election is already set. Busy time coming up.
But the question we have to ask is how do we want our localism expressed? Do we want the West Midlands and particularly our country’s second city to become labour’s fiefdom? We need candidates who resonate with all sorts of people – not just because of their politics. We need a Boris or a Ken – who have we got who is recognised solely by their first name? That says a lot about the power which an individual can have as mayor or indeed police commissioner. The pay is not bad either!!!

posted by Jo (permanent link)

Please have a look at this youtube clip – this is what Christmas is all about really!
Nativity

posted by Jo (permanent link)

So in my last blog I said it was time the Euro crisis was sorted. Well DC certainly stood up for Britain when he used the vero. What was good for us in signing the new treaty? Very brave I think he was. The Euro crisis is still going on, other premiers are now not so sure about the treaty, any decisions won’t really be implemented until after a meeting in March! How does this sort the crisis? Only decisive action does that – just as DC has shown.
For once I agree with Romano Prodi – we have more freedom but less power. I would add – what is power worth without freedom?
I hope for the sake of all those using the Euro – and for GB that the Euro does not fail – but maybe it is time to start thinking about it? Nothign doing ’til March – how does that help?

posted by Jo (permanent link)

Over the last few months we have seen civil unrest, growing discontent between the haves and the have nots in the UK, businesses in trouble, falling living standards and a complete lack of confidence in ourselves.
There are those who think that GB plc is doomed – I am not one of them. Out of difficult circumstances come those with the resilience to innovate and the motivation to do so. I know when my back is to the wall that is when I get thinking because my family rely on me and that is my responsibility.

That word again – responsibility. The British people are once again, according to a recent survey, more likely to take personal responsibilty and stop relying on others – particularly the state. I know that there are many people who cannot stretch their cash for the whole month – with increasing fuel prices this has hit many.
However, there are reasons to be cheerful – we are not living in either W Africa or the Horn of Africa where there is strife and famine.
We can blame others but – we all borrowed too much and lived too well – look at the things which we regard as essential (holidays, Sky tv, ready meals – need I go on?) and now we need to learn again a bit of kitchen table economics. In fact start in the kitchen and see how much you can cut your budget!

Now – to Brussels! Oh, please Euro leaders, stop messing about and sort the Euro crisis. If the post war settlement is worth anything then get on with it quickly so that we Europeans stop blaming each other and descending into the kind of anarchy which the grand project was designed to prevent.

posted by Jo (permanent link)

I’ve lived in two of the areas affected by rioting – Toxteth/Wavertree and Brixton. My husband asked me if I though things would kick off in Liverpool – I said no! Oh dear – despite the money and interventions there is still a group of people who will trash their community. I am proud to have lived in Liverpool and to know something of the grit and detemination of her denizens. It wasn’t long before the community came out and started the clean up. Just because you have it tough you don’t have to be a rioting, looting destroyer of lives. Most people aren’t.

Brixton – last riots in 1995 – just before Christmas – in 1981 there were some legitimate grievances being aired. Last time and this there was an air of greed – sports shops, electrical stores…But Brixton is a hardy community – and community it is. I can think of a few Mum’s who will have hard words for their lads after this.

Now as to Lee Jasper – be ashamed – what has Curry’s done for people – well provided jobs for a start. BUT what about Lord Harris being so appalled at the destruction of one of his stores – and the flats above – he immediately offered to do all he could for the people made homeless. Now that’s what a real community leader does – he was brought up in Peckham and made good – and is putting plenty back – like this and with his academies and colleges. Lee Jasper, what have you ever done for these communities, except bleat?

People have stepped up to clean up, youth workers, street pastors and others have been out doing what they do best. David Cameron is right – there is more than a brokenness in our society. There is a malaise of entitlement mixed with impotence; lack of moral fibre and discipline. We have a chance to define NOW what we mean by the Big Society by getting out there and being counted. Get involved – don’t just rant from the sidelines. I was really moved by a lad in Manchester who when asked whether he would get involved said yes – not in the disorder but if he was listened to – in local politics – where he can properly inform the debate from the inside. I hope Manchester Conservatives were listening and have found him, talked to him and got him on board! That’s where the Big Society becomes the “Big Tent” – where all parts of our communities work together.

posted by Jo (permanent link)

First the politicians, then the journalists, the papers and the proprietors, the police and the judiciary……where do Britons now put their faith? OK, so obviously there is a pun in there relating to the Church, but what sort of societal shift have we witnessed in the last week?
My fondest wish is that politics as normal (Blair’s sofa style and cosiness) is never resumed and that the balance returns to the Commons – to those we elected to serve and represent us. Nice to see some teeth being bared and MP’s saying enough is enough.
On a really philosophical point – the end of a civilisation is often characterised by the kind of hubris see until this week of moments in time. Is it also the end of the European project as we know it – Italy is in trouble; Ireland junked; even the US may face a change in loan status. Who benefits? The lean and lithe economies of the new world order – with whom the PM and Foreign Secretary have assiduously sought to do business; India and China!

posted by Jo (permanent link)