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A rant that was blind to Ken’s achievements
MARTIN Bright, political editor of the New Statesman, went hunting for Ken Livingstone on Monday night with his documentary on Channel 4. He threw allegations at him from all directions – he was a supporter of an anti-semitic, homophobic, misogynistic Muslim preacher, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a disciple of the Venezuelan “dictator” Hugo Chavez, he was guilty of cronyism and had surrounded himself with political buddies from a far left fringe group from the 1970s. Bright went further in the Evening Standard. Don’t vote for Ken, he urged readers.
Was it a “hatchet job” as Ken insisted?
It certainly had the feel of a rant, and was nowhere near a balanced piece of journalism. Perhaps, that wasn’t Bright’s intention. But, surely, somewhere in the hour-long documentary, Bright could have credited Ken with some of his achievements.
What about the astonishing improvement to the bus service in London? For the first time in living memory, it has become what it should be – something approaching a taxi service!
At a guess, it has attained heights of efficiency other mayors of capitals throughout the world would envy.
Ken has also made sure the Freedom Pass stays where it is – safe for the elderly to use. Now, he is behind the campaign for a 24-hour pass.
Ken, constrained by central government, has, nonetheless, raised the percentage of “affordable” housing in all new developments to 50 per cent. This won’t solve the housing problem – but it’s a commendable step forward.
While Bright worries about the political games Ken gets up to, voters are more interested in bread and butter issues, and that’s where Ken is scoring at the moment.
PM’s privatised hell
GORDON Brown is caught in a trap. He fears the N-word – nationalisation – when it comes to the Northern Rock debacle. He’ll do anything to avoid building council homes.
Last year he promised developers would build three million homes by 2020 or so, 50 per cent of which would be “affordable” run by housing associations.
That was the plan. Now, it looks like a lost dream. With property in the doldrums for sometime ahead how can Brown rely on the private market to provide millions of homes?
It simply cannot happen.
Meanwhile, Camden tenants plead for their homes to be renovated (see page 2). Why should they be punished for wanting to remain council tenants? Holborn MP Frank Dobson wants the government to give way. But will Labour ministers listen? Will Gordon Brown?
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