What Does London Need From The Next Mayor?
Monday 21st January '08This debate was held at Cadogan Hall, Sloane Terrace, London, SW1
Size: 404kb
Type: Adobe PDF
Size: 338kb
Type: Adobe PDF
Size: 461kb
Type: Adobe PDF
Size: 741kb
Type: Adobe PDF
What sort of Mayor does London need? In the run up to the mayoral election in 2008, Labour's Ken Livingstone is preparing to vie with the Conservative candidate Boris Johnson and the Liberal Democrats' Brian Paddick. It will be the most exciting City Hall race to date.
A new contest confronts us with the question of what we want from a Mayor for London.
What should the successful candidate seek to do or not to do? And, as it is the rest of us who foot the bill, how does a Mayor ensure that he provides value for money in the capital and a vision for the next term? Our panel included Boris Johnson debating on what the priorities of the next Mayor for London should be.
Panellists; Boris Johnson MP, London Mayoral Candidate, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Journalist, Michael Eboda, Editor, New Nation, Simon Jenkins, Columnist, writer, broadcaster, Nick Cohen, author and columnist. In The Chair was Anne McElvoy, Executive Editor Evening Standard.
Click on the headers to view video clips from this lively debate
Debate Video Clips
Introduction to the Influentials Debate: What Does London Need From The Next Mayor?
Introduced by Veronica Wadley, Evening Standard Editor.
To view this clip click here
Introduction to the panel by Anne McElvoy, Executive Editor of the Evening Standard.
Panel consists of : Boris Johnson MP, London Mayoral Candidate, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Journalist, Michael Eboda, Editor, New Nation, Simon Jenkins, Columnist, writer, broadcaster, Nick Cohen, author and columnist.
To view this clip click here
Question from audience member Ivan Fallon,UK Chief Executive of Independent News and Media. Which single subject would each of the panel members like to tackle? Response by panel members including comment on: people's sense of insecurity, safety in public spaces, crackdown on disorder, policing, accountability, assemblies having greater power, fixed mayoral terms, public transport, London's skills and employment strategy, youth, inequality and opportunity and the appearance of the city.
To view this clip click here
Question from audience member Winston McKenzie,Independent candidate for Mayor of London.With London's current gun crime situation, how do you intend to contact/communicate with youths? Response from Boris Johnson. Comment includes: making gun crime and safety a number one priority.
To view this clip click here
Comment from audience member Gordon Taylor, Chairman of the West London Residents Association including developing a fairer, flexible and easier system for Londoner's with regards to the Congestion Charge. Response from the panel including comment on: being told the real truth about the purpose of the charge/rationalising space/borough decisions/the need for new thinking/re-phasing traffic lights/opening up roads/reviewing the proposed West London extension/emissions.
To view this clip click here
Questions from audience members Henry Bonsu,Director and presenter of Colourful Radio and Bevan Powell,Deputy Chief of the Metropolitan Black Police Association regarding diversity and affirmative action. Response from panellists including comment on: affirmative action/LDA/funding localities/ethnicity and defining identity/London-ness/accountability and uniting the city.
To view this clip click here
Continuation of the response. Comment includes: equality of opportunity/quotas/cosmopolitan city/Operation Trident/intelligence-led policing/ethnicity and gender/modern London and the numerical approach.
To view this clip click here
Questions from audience members regarding roads and re-engaging London's youths. Response from the panel including: liaising with boroughs to re-open small roads/centralised country/need for more tax raising power at county, city and town level/democracy/localities/de-centralisation/changing politicians behaviour/a direct election system/personality in politics/ a mayor for every borough/referendums/ quiz show appearances and celebrity politics.
To view this clip click here
Questions from audience member regarding providing services, provisions in 1978, 24 hour London and having a voice.
To view this clip click here
The panellists respond to the comments made. Response includes: climate of visibility/CCTV/working with young people/conductors on buses/deterrents/education/management of police resources/localising police and working with families.
To view this clip click here
Questions from audience members including: Is Boris concerned with the exodus of key workers? How can we get better value for money within the mayoral system? How can we ensure that the Mayor doesn't duplicate the functions of the boroughs? The panel members respond. Comment includes: accountability/unsatisfactory governing/spend/focusing on efficient services from boroughs/re-establishing the concept of neighbourhood and parish/keeping the city beautiful.
To view this clip click here
Michael Eboda questions Boris Johnson on previous articles that he has written concerning black people. Boris responds. The panellists give their final comments including: housing/racism/improving services and transport. Final comments from Boris Johnson and Anne rounds up the debate.
To view this clip click here
