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Showing posts from April, 2012

On a serious note:

http:///www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000KKNQBK/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending Sit back comfortably and read the extensive user feedback. Give this all the time it deserves. With thanks to Amazon.

And on the final straight....its...

Boris with a mighty eight point lead — 54 to 46 according to a ComRes survey. The poll of 1,024 Londoners found 45% of voters would give Boris their first preference vote, compared with Labour on 36%, Green candidate Jenny Jones was in third place on 6%, while Lib-Dem Brian Paddick fell back to 5%. He is overwhelmingly the most popular candidate for second preference votes. Mr Watson, the deputy chairman of the Labour party, admitted that Labour voters tell him they are considering voting Tory because they either “like Boris Johnson” or “don’t like Ken”.

Tube Strike?

Mr Johnson said it was his opponent's "union cronies", including RMT leader Bob Crow, who are to blame. Mr Johnson's spokesman said: "Londoners are under no illusion that these needless strikes have been called by Ken Livingstone's union boss supporters as part of his strategy to be re-elected. "Having already promoted Bob Crow to the board of Transport for London once, this is (the) risk if Ken Livingstone returns to City Hall, his union cronies running London's transport."

Weather forecast this week.

It's going to rain everyday this week.

Who're you going to trust?

In a poll for The Evening Standard - one in four Londoners said they would most trust Mr Johnson to pay them back if they lent him money, while 18 per cent said Mr Paddick and 17 per cent said Mr Livingstone. The tax issue has still not gone away for Mr Livingstone as 39 per cent said he had not paid as much tax as he should.

Hose Pipe Ban?

We should have them more often - it's done wonders for rainfall. This way - who needs a hosepipe when it rains everyday - saves me having to water the garden anyway.

Oh no - it's falling apart.

Labour's Mayoral re-election campaign suffered a double blow today after Lord Sugar ruled out voting for Ken - while George Galloway offered his endorsement. Labour Lord Sugar, who has donated huge sums to the Labour party, slammed Mr Livingstone. “I don’t care if Ed Miliband is backing Livingstone. I seriously suggest NO ONE votes for Livingstone in the Mayoral elections,” he wrote. Meanwhile, MP George Galloway threw his weight behind the Labour candidate’s re-election bid. “He’s a friend of mine ..... insofar as I have influence in some communities in London I’m using it. I am already in East London.”

Private medical care is great - official - Labour

It was revealed by the Labour Mayoral candidate, an opponent of NHS privatisation, earlier this week that he had been having a yearly check-up for a decade with private health-care providers.

You judge

http://www.notkenagain.com/home/2012/4/20/ken-go-ken-makes-6-false-claims-during-sky-news-debate.html You judge.

Boris in Stanmore

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Boris will:

Reverse the decision by the previous Labour government to raise the age for which people were eligible for the Freedom Pass and ensure every Londoner aged 60 has one, from 1st September 2012. Lobby the suburban rail companies to allow its use before 9.30am. Protect the roll out of step free stations as part of the Tube upgrade from Ken Livingstone’s plans to take £1.14 billion out of the transport budget. Give older Londoners a greater voice in neighbourhood policing through new Safer Neighbourhood Boards with substantial increases to Safer Neighbourhood Teams in every ward in Greater London. But above all, Boris will continue to keep the Mayor’s share of council tax low, which has put an average of £445 back in Londoner’s pockets since he was elected.

Labour will cause TfL to "run out of cash" within three years

Re-produced from www.notkenagain.com " The Times has seen internal Transport for London (TfL) correspondence that show Ken Livingstone's plan to cut fares will cause TfL to "run out of cash" within three years. In order to plug the financial gap that taking £1 billion from the investment budget will create, a huge fare increase of 38% over inflation will be needed in 2015. One senior TfL official, according to The Times, said of Livingstone's plans: "TfL would run out of cash during 2015. To prevent this happening, and to return to the cash levels our business plan assumes by the end of 2015-16 financial year, it would require across bus, Tube and rail, either: RPI plus 38 per cent increase in January 2015, or RPI plus 12.5 per cent increases in both January 2014 and 2015". Ken Livingstone has promised twice before he would cut fares allegedly in order to try and get elected and then raised them above inflation. " Tony Travers said the mone

How Labour hid Youth Unemployment figures

Employment Minister Chris Grayling said that at any one time up to 40,000 young people were on a training scheme under Labour so did not show up on claimant count figures, even though they were still unemployed. Around 1.3 million people were on a training allowance scheme under Labour so they 'disappeared' from the jobless register, added Mr Grayling. Under the coalition’s work programme, no one disappears from the system because they continue to receive jobseeker’s allowance, said the minister, adding: 'What you see is what you get. That was not the case under the New Deal (Labour’s employment programme).' Mr Grayling said that because people no longer automatically leave jobseeker’s allowance when they start a work programme, the number of long-term claimants, especially young people, had 'inevitably' risen. 'We’re giving a true picture rather than an artificial one.' A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: 'This Government i

Boris for Mayor - again

A YouGov poll shows Mr Johnson has consolidated a lead over Labour. The Mayor is on 53 to his Labour rival’s 47. Londoners are also calling for every future Mayor to reveal the details of their finances following the “tax dodging” allegations surrounding Labour politicians.

Who has done a better job of running the underground?

See what Channel 4 found out: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-more-tube-delays-under-ken-or-boris/9304

Boris comes to Stanmore

The Boris Battlebus hit Stanmore this Sunday 11am. The Mayor met local shop-keepers, drinkers at the local pub, Sainsbury supporters (including me) and members of the public. The incredibly popular Boris left everyone in jubliant mood and we can't wait for Boris to re-visit us. My camera battery has run out - so once it has recharged I'll upload some photos.

An unreal tear jerker

Labour admitted the party political broadcast that moved Mr Livingstone to tears featured paid Labour party members reading a script. The Labour candidate’s campaign team said the “political broadcast on behalf of ordinary Londoners” featured party supporters recruited by a top ad agency and paid expenses. Thanks for the warning – I’ll be sure to give it a miss.

519,276 more reasons to support Boris.

Mayor Johnson has published figures that show in his first 3 years as Mayor he earned £1.3m in taxable income and paid a total of £519,276 in tax. Mr Livingstone said on BBC Newsnight “I am happy to publish details of everything I’ve earned in the last four years’. But the next day he issued a statement saying he would only offer ‘full disclosure’ if his rivals published their partners’ financial affairs.

It’s a wonderful life.

The Labour Mayoral candidate’s previous expense claims were recently published and contain the following gems: £256.98for a new pair of shoes £130.73 for taxi trips (for the dentist) £629.31 for dinner for 14 at the 2007 Labour Conference £466.35 for dinner for 2 in – wait for it – Havana ! £334.07 for dinner with the Economic secretary to the Treasury + 2 (Ed Balls?) £282.38 for dinner with Ed Balls + 1

Happy Easter everyone

Closed for Easter - well maybe not....

Boris stands up for London

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Mayor Boris said: “London is the powerhouse of the UK economy and it is time to look at formally recognising that and make sure hard-pressed and hard-working Londoners get the benefit of their contribution” as he unveiled plans for Londoners to keep more of the tax revenue they generate to spend on better public services. Mr Johnson said he would argue for funding to be allocated “without ring-fencing” so he could have total control over how it was spent. Asked about his conversation over tax with the Labour candidate yesterday, Mr Johnson said today: “He knows the truth and he knows what he’s saying is nonsense... I think you’re entitled, after you’ve taken the trouble to explain that he’s wrong, to get your message through to that person in a robust way.” Friends of Mr Johnson today said it is “incredibly rare for Boris to swear in anger”, and that he only does it when people are “sly and underhand”. Mr Johnson has repeatedly said he has never “used a company to minimise my tax

Boris says it loud and clear for Labour

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Mr Livingstone has faced a series of allegations that he avoided at least £50,000 in tax by channelling his media earnings through a private company, Silveta Ltd. During a radio debate today at LBC Mr Livingstone accused Mr Johnson of using his own private company, Finland Station, to do the same. Mr Johnson replied: “...I’ve paid income tax. I think it’s pretty reprehensible ... it’s pretty disgraceful to be attacked by Ken Livingstone .....’ Mr Johnson said after: “In relation to my business affairs and tax arrangements, specifically do I have any company or other arrangements constructed to enable me to pay less tax, and do I, as has been claimed ...have the same arrangements as Labour’s Mayoral candidate? “The answer is simple and unequivocal in both cases. No.” Mr Johnson’s team today called Mr Livingstone’s comments over the Mayor’s tax arrangements as “shocking” and a “disgrace”. A source close to the Mayor said: “This was a personal, nasty attack. Ken .... knows he is in