Sound Like They Are Desperate For Alternative Benefits

Thousands of children switched to walking or cycling to school following the introduction of controversial Ultra-Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) in London, reveals new research.

Four in 10 youngsters in central London who previously went to school by car switched to more active modes of travel following the introduction of ULEZ, according to the findings.

In Luton, Bedfordshire, where there were no ULEZ, just two in 10 children made the switch during the same period.

Well, I'm sure that's an added benefit, but it wasn't the goal of the ULEZ, was it? The goal was to give us cleaner air. And it's failed. 

So just as climate change nutters are trying to move the goalposts, as Tim Worstall pointed out last week, so too, it seems are ULEZ fans desperate to find another benefit of their wretched scheme.

A Bit Selective, Isn’t It?

Sadiq Khan, the divisive Mayor of London, is claiming the recent unrest frightened him.

“What’s heartbreaking to me is my children’s generation had never experienced what I had,” he said. “And they, for the first time, were scared. I thought I’d be the last generation to be scared, simply for who I am. And it breaks my heart.”

Have you not asked any of your children's Jewish friends how they felt about the marches by Palestine protestors you've allowed, nay encouraged, on every weekend in London then?

“It’s difficult to explain the ripples when you’ve been targeted because of your religion or colour of your skin and you can’t change either of those things. And whether you’re seeing physical acts of violence taking place in the north-west or the north-east, you feel it in London.”

How must they feel about the ones that happen a little closer to London then? 

The scenes of anti-fascist demonstrators filling the streets in London on Wednesday night were a “source of pride”, he said.

Well, not entirely, Khan, not for Labour or Amnesty International!

One politician Khan is prepared to attack directly is Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister who is a frontrunner for the Conservative leadership. Jenrick said on Tuesday that he was angered with the policing of pro-Gaza demonstrations and questioned why protesters shouting Allahu Akbar – which means God is Great –were not arrested.

“I think somebody who aspires to be the leader of the Conservative party, who must, by extension, aspire to be the prime minister, should understand some of the basics about one of the major religions of the globe, one of the major religions of our country,” Khan said. “His remarks are so offensive, so hurtful, so dangerous. It’s akin to somebody saying we should outlaw the word hallelujah. Just think about the ridiculousness of saying that.” 

Maybe we would do, if it had been the last thing victims heard before bombings and massacres by fanatic Christisan terrorists? 

Got To Keep The Money Flooding In....

The London Climate Resilience Review (LCRR) has urged Keir Starmer's new Labour UK government to consider introducing 'stormwater charges' for people who have no natural run-offs in their gardens such as grass. It was ordered by Sadiq Khan following what his office branded 'increasing severity and frequency of climate impacts' in the capital, including flash floods in 2021 and the 2022 heatwave - and warns of a 'lethal risk' to Londoners posed by floods.

That 'lethal risk' has accounted for how many deaths in London? Would you believe, zero?  

In 2008 the government changed the laws on resurfacing gardens - meaning anything larger than five square metres was only permitted when the surface was rendered permeable. But the Greater London Authority says these rules are poorly enforced because of a lack of defined standards on the absorbency of the materials to be used.

Another piece of utterly useless legislation then?  

And the reasons people are thought to be paving over their gardens so they can park their cars off the street are twofold: to avoid parking permit charges from their local council, and to be able to charge the rising number of electric cars on the roads.

Ha ha ha ha! Can't anyone see beyond getting legislation passed and not accounting for people's responses to it?  

This Is A Good Thing...

...not a mark of disaster.

The YouGov survey for the Department of Politics at Royal Holloway University of London found 24 per cent of Londoners aged 18 to 24 were not aware of this legal requirement for local and regional elections in England and at the general election.

Because frankly, if they are so incurious as to have ignored all the adverts, the posters (one went up in my Tube station last week) and the mailshots, not to mention all the MSM and social media campaigns, then they are people who shouldn't deserve a vote, and if they are turned away, it can only improve society. 

This compares to four per cent of Londoners aged 65 and over having this lack of awareness about the need for photo ID, seven per cent for 50 to 64-year-olds, and 13 per cent for the 25-49 age group.

And these will have been people voting without it for most of their lives. They've managed. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?  

"These Are My Principles..."

In the emails, seen by The Telegraph, Ms Rodrigues said she was disappointed that Imperial College had published a study by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering that showed Ulez cut nitrogen dioxide by less than three per cent and had achieved an insignificant impact on ozone and particulate matter.

Such research undermined the London Mayor's policy, argued Ms Rodrigues.

Prof Kelly is said to have agreed to co-write a statement with her that contradicted the research and positioned Ulez as having helped to 'dramatically reduce air pollution'.

"...if you don't like them, I have others." 

But we should totally trust scientists on everything else, right?

Hey, Sadiq, Your Freudian Slip Is Showing...

The Mayor's spokesperson said: 'The photo caption was added by a staff member in error, and doesn't reflect the view of the Mayor or the Greater London Authority.'

Sure, sure, whatever you say...

No 'Quick Answers' For Mr Tuvi's Family...

...I guess Khan's too busy with the ULEZ expansion to chase them up?

At the time of the accident, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called for quick answers over Mr Tuvi’s death under the moving walkway, connecting the Jubilee Line to the Northern Line, so that lessons could be learned.

But a year later, in the midst of the pandemic, his family said they were ‘in limbo’, still waiting for a series of investigations to finish before an inquest could take place.

Or was it just a bit of the usual grandstanding by this jumped up little popinjay?

What's That Definition Of Madness Again..?

Isn't it 'doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting a different result'?

Police officers have said they “dread” working at Notting Hill Carnival amid calls for it to be moved to Hyde Park and become a ticketed event. Seven people were stabbed at the event on Monday evening, in what organisers called “horrifying behaviour”.

And what everyone else calls 'what other sort of behaviour did you expect?'...

“Every Tuesday after the August bank holiday, I have the same conversations about Notting Hill Carnival,” Ken Marsh, chairman of the Met Police Federation which represents rank and file officers, told The Times.

“I’ve done it year after year after year after year. It’s beyond absurd what’s going on.”

Correct! So what do you plan to do? 

Mr Marsh, along with many other police officers, believes that the event should be moved to a private open space, which would mean the police are no longer responsible for its security.

Gosh! I wish if I found part of my job really challenging, I could demand to have some other poor sod do it instead....  

Get The Popcorn Ready!

An official inquiry will find that the mayor of London wrongly ousted Cressida Dick as commissioner of the Metropolitan police, the Guardian has learned.

The findings come from a special commission conducted by Sir Tom Winsor, the former chief inspector of constabulary, after Dick’s decision to resign in February. A draft of the government-ordered report finds that Sadiq Khan did not follow due process and that Dick was unfairly treated, branding the mayor’s actions and decision-making as “irrational” and “unreasonable”.

A furious Khan is consulting lawyers, and believes the report to be biased and factually flawed. The report also says the mayor’s treatment of Dick was “oppressive”, and that she was placed under unfair pressure.

Delicious!

 

I’d Be Happy If...

...they could just successfully teach them to spell it.

“We’ve got to start in primary schools in relation to relationship education for boys. What is a healthy relationship? What is appropriate and inappropriate attitudes and behaviour?

“Going towards making misogyny a hate crime, making the sexual harassment of women in a public place a criminal offence, making sure there’s zero tolerance towards inappropriate behaviour and attitudes.

“And the reality is often inappropriate attitudes can lead to inappropriate behaviour that can lead to violence. That’s why it’s so important to take action.”

There are two sexes. Why is this targeted at only one?  

If It Wasn't For Double Standards, He Wouldn't Have Any At All...

London's inclusive Mayor:

London's famous riverside New Year's Eve fireworks display has been cancelled for a second year because of "uncertainties caused by Covid".

Explaining why this year's event was also being cancelled, a spokesperson for the mayor said: "Due to the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, our world-famous New Year's Eve display will not be held on the banks of the Thames this year.

"Last year's successful show took place in a slightly different way due to the pandemic, and this year a number of exciting new options are being considered as part of our New Year's Eve celebrations in London."

Also London's inclusive Mayor:

Hmmm....

"People, don't you understand, the child needs a helping hand, or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day?"

A tale of two deprived young black boys:

Today, David, 25, is a successful, eloquent civil servant. A private secretary in a government department, he holds a law degree and a masters in legal and political theory from University College London.

His friend Stephen Lansana, meanwhile, is serving life for murder at HMP Whitemoor, a Category A prison in Cambridgeshire. He will be in his 50s before he will be even considered for release.

As teenagers, they were no different, except in one very important respect — the opportunities afforded to them.

David, you see, was given a scholarship to Rugby. So, is that the answer?

This week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans for a Violence Reduction Unit. Violent crime, he said, should be treated as a public health problem — a 'disease infecting communities' — requiring action to tackle the root causes.

But what are those 'root causes'? Is it simply lack of money? What does David say he noticed most at Rugby?

"But most poignant to me was the presence of both parents actively taking an interest in the education of their children."

David is still involved with EYLA, mentoring youngsters.

'I'm not sure what the long-term solution is, but what I see in my community is lack of aspiration and a here-and-now mentality.

'Young people tend to make their decisions in view of the short-term, quick gain, easy routes,' he says.

Since we can't retrospectively travel back in time and somehow ensure two parents stay together to raise a child, what can Khan do?

It's way too late to tackle the Loxodonta africana in the room...

Stalingrad? You Should Be So Lucky!

The Mayor has ‘called in’ Greenwich Council’s decision to refuse Rockwell permission to bulldoze buildings near Hope and Anchor Lane.

A call-in means Mr Khan will now act as the planning authority, taking control away from the council.

Funny, I thought he was against allowing developers to build luxury homes in the capital?

Residents were in uproar when Rockwell proposed bulldozing buildings to build 11 blocks of flats, up to 10 storeys tall.

Residents’ groups and campaigners objected to the height, density, and affordability of the scheme, fearing it would set a precedent for future developments. Squeeze singer Glenn Tilbrook was one of many residents who appealed to councillors to throw out the plans last month, claiming it would hinder access to his studio.

I wonder how many of those residents and campaigners and luvvies enthusiastically voted for Khan in the Mayoral election? Joke's on them now!

Chairing the meeting, in which the application was unanimously refused, Cllr Sarah Merrill said: “I think this application in absolutely no way resembles the spirit of the masterplan, in terms of height, massing and design. Some of the design is resemblant of Stalingrad.”

 With the Mayor involved, it's more likely to resemble Islamabad!

The Mayor has also called in a rejected plan for Eynsham Drive in Abbey Wood, which would have a 17-storey tower built at the site of a car wash and pet hospital.

London's high rises will soon be almost as high as its knife crime stats!

But They Mostly Seem To Be Aspiring Footballers And Rappers, Mayor...?

We need to get the message across to young Londoners that their lives are too valuable to risk by carrying a knife. They are our future musicians, artists, sportsmen and women, comedians, scientists, politicians, entrepreneurs and role models. Our city and our society need them alive.

Do we? I'm not too sure.

We need Londoners to hear this message from the people they most look up to, so I am delighted that some powerful voices are speaking out today. From leading grime artists, like Yungen, to the blogger The Slumflower, these are the people young Londoners listen to and look up to. They have used their talent to achieve great things and to realise their potential.

Now, far be it from me to rubbish blogging, but...'great things'?

And grime music? What the hell has that ever done to be described in those terms?

Yes, It Works, But....

The Met Police has scrapped a controversial risk assessment form for live music events after it sparked a race row.

Top DJs, promoters and venues held talks with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who asked the police force to look again at “form 696” amid concerns it was being used to unfairly target grime and R&B artists.

Yes, well, as has been pointed out, there's no corresponding link with violence at Seventies Disco Night events or Glyndebourne, is there?

The form was originally introduced in 2005 following several shootings at promoted club nights across London.

In 2009, two questions asking for the ethnic make-up of the audience and music genre were scrapped from the form following complaints of racism.

*rolls eyes*

The Met said that while “there is no doubt that over the last decade a number of serious incidents have been prevented” because of the form process, they recognise the recent concerns.

Translation: "We're terrified of the 'r' word, so bugger safety of the public.."

Superintendent Roy Smith, said: “It is clear that in recent years the landscape of the night time economy in London has changed and thankfully we have seen a reduction in serious incidents at promoted music events, particularly those involving firearms. We have also been working in close partnership with the music industry and others to raise standards of safety in venues and at events.

“We have taken the decision to remove the Form 696 and instead develop a new voluntary partnership approach for venues and promoters across London. This will provide an excellent opportunity to share information at a local level and work to identify any enhanced risk to ensure the safety of the public.”

That'll be worth the paper it won't be written on then...

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Developing a night-time economy that works for everyone is a key priority of mine but it’s also vital that live music events in London take place safely. I called for a review of Form 696 earlier this year because of concerns raised by promoters and artists in the capital that this process was unfairly affecting specific communities and music genres.

“By bringing together the Met and representatives from across the city’s legendary grassroots music industry, we have shown why having a Night Czar is so important for London. ”

The Mayor pictured with his Night Czar, shortly before she ate him

Mayoral Priorities...

Offered without comment.

Sounds Like You'll Be Having Some Interviews Without Coffee With The Met Later, Mayor...

...and not just because it's Ramadan, either.

They are literally refusing to even speak about the terrorist flags, our country is lost. pic.twitter.com/PRDCscE4bO

— Caolan Robertson (@CaolanRob) June 18, 2017

What have our police become? The arrogance and indifference conceal fear, fear that they might be shown up as what they are, impotent in the face of domineering aggression from a favoured minority.

Don't Mention The War Truth!

Zac Goldsmith’s mayoral campaign team is investigating a claim that one of their canvassers made an Islamophobic remark about the Labour candidate, Sadiq Khan.

Gosh! What did he say?

That Muslims are behind most of the wars in the world today? That their system of government is vile and misogynistic? That they increase tensions in communities with their incessant demands for capitulation to their (alien) culture?

The unidentified man was said to have been distributing leaflets for the Conservative candidate when he allegedly referred to Khan as “the Muslim” in a doorstep exchange with Perry Pontac, of Streatham, south London.

Ummm, so....isn't he a Muslim, then?

Are we supposed to not notice?!?

Pontac told the Guardian that the exchange occurred at lunchtime on 22 December. He said that as he returned home from shopping, he saw a white, middle-aged man standing in the front garden who indicated he was distributing leaflets.

Pontac said he opened the door and picked up the “Back Zac” flyers before offering to hand them back to the canvasser. “I told him: ‘You can have these back because I’m not voting for him, I’m voting for the MP for Tooting [Khan],’” he said.

He claimed the man replied in a disdainful tone: “You’re voting for the Muslim?”

So, it was his tone he objected to? Did he really expect any other response, when he mounted his high horse, strapped on his buckler of Righteousness and sallied forth?

Pontac, who was born in the US but is now a naturalised UK citizen having lived in Britain for 45 years, said he had never met Khan and lived just outside of his constituency.

He said he was a Labour voter and was once a party member but dropped out when Tony Blair took the UK into the Iraq war.

As a writer, he said, he was careful with words and was sure that he did not mishear the canvasser. “I am very careful about what I say because I don’t want any holes to be picked in what I say ,” he said.

No, I bet. I hope getting your name in the Guardian for this provides you with the warm glow of (self)satisfaction you're clearly searching desperately for, Mr Pontac.

In The Same Way, I Suppose...

... that Ebola has the lead over HIV.

Why Don’t We Import Some Good Ideas From The States..?

…instead of the bad and illiberal ones?

People who repeatedly commit alcohol-related crime will be forced to wear ankle tags that monitor if they are still drinking, under a year-long pilot scheme.

So, rampant alcoholics will be included?

Well, no. Of course not:

Offenders will be screened before being tagged, and the scheme will not be used on people who are alcohol-dependent and require specialist support.

So…what’s the point? Given that these are the most problematic? Are we going to simply use these tags on violent chavs who have just happened to have had a few shandies instead?

Oh. Right. It seems we are...

The scheme, being introduced by the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, builds on a similar scheme in the US and aims to reduce alcohol-related reoffending, ease pressure on the police and courts, and make streets safer.

Alcohol-related crime is estimated to cost the UK between £8bn and £13bn every year, while 40% of accident and emergency attendances are linked to alcohol misuse. Johnson said: "'Alcohol-fuelled criminal behaviour is a real scourge on our high streets, deterring law-abiding citizens from enjoying our great city, especially at night, placing massive strain on frontline services, whilst costing businesses and the taxpayer billions of pounds.

"I pledged to tackle this booze culture by making the case to government for new powers to allow mandatory alcohol testing as an additional enforcement option for the courts.

"This is an approach that has seen impressive results in the US, steering binge drinkers away from repeated criminal behaviour, and I am pleased we can now launch a pilot scheme in London."

I’m unconvinced. Deeply unconvinced.