London’s Labour politicians forego allowance rise

* Labour members of the Metropolitan Police Authority forego 2.6 per cent rise in their allowances.
* Politicians of other parties urged to show same restraint.
* Contrast with Conservative-run London Fire Authority pay rises.

Labour members of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) have today written to the authority’s chief executive Catharine Crawford to reject a 2.6 per cent increase in their annual allowances, arguing it’s “the only appropriate thing to do in the current economic climate”.

Joanne McCartney, Jennette Arnold and John Biggs – all London Assembly members – took the decision in light of the two-year pay freeze announced for public sector workers. The scheduled rise was due to go ahead this year as it was agreed before the pay-freeze was announced in the April budget.

Last month Boris Johnson refused to criticise Conservative members of the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority LFEPA when they voted to award themselves a 25 per cent pay rise and voted down a proposal from Labour members to forego the increase.

London Assembly members force ticket office cuts cancellation

London Assembly Members expressed their frustration today after a motion in support of keeping ticket offices open at London Underground stations was abandoned when Conservative members left the meeting before a vote could take place – forcing it to be abandoned.

A motion to the Assembly, proposed by Labour Assembly member Valerie Shawcross and seconded by Liberal Democrat member Caroline Pidgeon, called for a review of proposals to cut up to 800 ticket office and gate line jobs from up to 245 tube station ticket offices, which has given rise to safety and security concerns.

Labour’s transport spokesperson, Val Shawcross, said: “I’m dismayed that the Assembly was cynically denied the right to vote on the future of ticket offices. The impact of Boris Johnson’s proposals is not clear and it could that stations will only have one staff member on duty at a time, making them threatening unsafe places.

“A majority of those stations worst affected are in outer London – many in areas represented by those politicians who chose to sabotage the meeting – so I’m surprised by that.

Boris makes London’s streets less safe for pedestrians

Labour’s transport leader on the London Assembly responds to Transport for London’s changes to traffic lights in London.

Labour Assembly member, Val Shawcross, said: “The Mayor should be extremely cautious about taking out pedestrian crossings and reducing crossing times from London’s roads. Pelican crossings are there for the safety and convenience of people on foot but they make up half of the lights proposed for removal. If anything we need more safe places to cross busy roads; not fewer. Pensioners, those with disabilities and parents of young children might not shout as loud as car drivers but they’re ones who stand to lose out under these plans. I’ll be supporting any Londoners across the city who feel their local roads are about to get more dangerous.”

Dangerous motorbike experiment “should not be repeated” by Boris

* New figures show cyclist collisions in bus lanes up 173%.
* Motorbike collisions in bus lanes up 133%.
* 10% increase in motorcyclists speeding – now up to 47%.
* Labour’s London Assembly transport lead warns Mayor not to re-run the dangerous trial.

London Mayor Boris Johnson today ordered a new trial of his dangerous proposal to allow motorcyclists to use bus lanes. Results of the trial so far reveal a worrying increase in accidents since the trial begun.

Labour’s transport lead on the London Assembly, Val Shawcross, said: “The results of this ill-thought through experiment show what all sensible people feared would happen has happened – bus lanes have become more dangerous for cyclists and ironically for motorcyclists as well. If the Mayor really wants London to become a cycling city he should accept that the experiment has failed rather than re-running it in the hope he gets the result he wants.

London Mayor’s Arts Council appointment “dishonourable”

Labour’s leader on the London Assembly says Boris Johnson’s decision to appoint Veronica Wadley to chair the London Arts Council, despite her failing her first interview for the job, as “dishonourable”.

The Mayor today announced that the former Evening Standard editor, a close ally and key supporter of Boris Johnson during his campaign to defeat Ken Livingstone, would get the high profile arts job. The Mayor’s office said last year he had “no intention” of recommending anyone else for the job and would “sit it out for a new secretary of state” before appointing someone. The new secretary of state today approved the appointment of Ms Wadley.

E-mails released under the Freedom of Information Act and various letter exchanges revealed that Veronica Wadley was:

* described as having “almost no arts credibility” by the Chair of Arts Council England (a member of the interview panel);

* interviewed and recommended for appointment by Boris Johnson despite the interview panel agreeing she did not meet the standard required and would not go forward to the next interview stage;

* rejected for the post by the previous Secretary of State for Culture on the grounds that her appointment breached government anti-sleaze rules.

Cameron and Clegg coalition is a serious threat to local government

Labour’s Leader in Local Government, said: “Behind warm words about local government in The Coalition’s programme lie serious threats to its role. Proposals for directly elected police commissioners and members of health authorities would fragment responsibility and accountability for key local services. ‘Free schools’ would diminish council’s capacity to drive up educational standards and create costly surplus places.

“It is disappointing that little is said about expanding social and affordable housing with more council building, nor is there anything to strengthen councils’ hand in dealing with the bus industry.

“A two-year freeze on council tax, coupled with probable heavy cuts in government grant threaten services and the local economy. The LGA and member councils will need to study the document and consider detailed responses taking into account the June budget proposals.”

Local Government excluded from ‘Big Society’ launch

Responding to Cameron-Clegg’s Big Society speech today, Sir Jeremy Beecham, Leader of the LGA Labour Group said:

“The Tory-Lib Dem coalition has effectively bypassed local government in today’s Big Society Launch. Whilst announcing that councils would be given a general power of competence, it’s striking that no representative of the LGA was invited to No 10 alongside representatives of voluntary and community groups.

“The fact that Messrs Cameron and Clegg have chosen to exclude local councils from what they regard as a major policy launch, however flawed, is a very worrying signal of their attitude to local government.”

Peter Mandelson: “Crossrail is on the ballot paper”

Labour’s Business Secretary Peter Mandelson today issued an eve-of-poll warning that the Conservatives’ failure to give a commitment to complete the Crossrail link is a sign to business leaders that David Cameron’s party does not understand the needs of the London economy. He said that only Labour is committed to Crossrail as part of its overall commitment to securing economic recovery and growth.

Peter Mandelson said: “The Tories’ failure to commit to Crossrail in this campaign is a warning sign to business that they do not understand what is needed to grow London’s economy.

“On Thursday, the future of Crossrail is on the ballot paper. Only Labour is committed to Crossrail as part of our bigger commitment to securing the recovery and investing in future growth and jobs for Londoners.”

The east-west Crossrail link will add ten per cent more rail and tube capacity for London by 2012. It will bring 1.5 million people within sixty minutes of London’s main business districts and will link the major centres of economic activity, jobs and opportunities with high speed services. It will mean 14,000 jobs during the peak of construction alone and will provide a £1.2 billion annual boost for London’s economy.

Boris branded a failure at half time

Mid-term in Boris Johnson’s mayoralty, London Labour today published ten examples of how Boris Johnson’s administration is letting Londoners down.

Labour’s London Minister Tessa Jowell said Boris Johnson’s decisions to cut police numbers, failure to guarantee frontline services and hikes in costs like bus fares were a clear indication of the way a Conservative government would act.

Tomorrow, May 1st, is the second anniversary of the 2008 London mayoral election.

Labour’s London Minister Tessa Jowell said: “Boris Johnson is the most senior elected Tory in the country and his decisions are a pointer to what a Conservative Government under David Cameron and George Osborne would be like.

“Exactly half way into Boris Johnson’s mayoralty people are rightly now turning to his record in office, which is fewer police, no guarantee about the future of our local police teams, above-inflation fare increases with a single bus fare up by a third, and a failure to get David Cameron to commit to completing Crossrail.

London’s Tory candidates quizzed on Mayor’s Tube ticket office closures

Labour’s London Minister Tessa Jowell today issued a challenge to Conservative candidates in the capital on whether they back Boris Johnson’s planned cuts to tube ticket office opening hours.

Labour’s Deputy Leader Harriet Harman was campaigning in Westminster North today, highlighting Boris Johnson’s broken promises on tube ticket offices at Warwick Avenue station, which is threatened with significant cuts to opening hours.

At the same time as reducing the opening hours of ticket offices, it emerged this week that the Mayor’s proposed new bus for London involves squandering £7.8million on just five new buses for London – over £1 million for each vehicle.

Labour’s Minister for London Tessa Jowell said: “We are challenging Conservative candidates to tell Londoners whether they back the Conservatives’ plans to cut Tube ticket office opening hours, imposed by Mayor Boris Johnson.