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Paddick calls Ken a 'nasty little man'
Paul Waugh and Anne McElvoy16.04.08
Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Brian Paddick today launched a savage attack on Ken Livingstone, describing him as "a nasty little man" who treats voters with contempt.
In an interview with the Evening Standard, Mr Paddick said the Mayor's "appalling record of maladministration", his cronyism and his attempt to set up a "socialist republic" at City Hall all made him unfit for office.
By contrast, the former Met police officer said that Boris Johnson "appears to be somewhat eccentric but otherwise really harmless as an individual" - though he stressed he would never employ his Conservative rival to run a business.
Mr Paddick also declared that Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair was a "Stalinist" and said that he should not be given a second term at the helm of Scotland Yard.
He said that current Northern Ireland police chief Sir Hugh Orde should be Sir Ian's replacement because he was more of a "copper's copper" who could push through reforms.
Mr Paddick, who beat his target time of five hours in Sunday's London Marathon, made it clear that he was now ready for the final straight of the mayoral race.
With just over two weeks left until polling day, the former Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Met unleashed a vitriolic assault on the Mayor's character and record.
He said: "I am really trying to get my head around this. Do you want somebody who is a really nasty little man in the shape of Ken Livingstone, very unpleasant and rather nasty, or somebody who just appears to be somewhat eccentric but otherwise really harmless as an individual - except I wouldn't trust him to run anything for me?"
Mr Paddick said that Mr Livingstone's reliance on a tight-knit circle of Leftwing advisers meant that he had stopped listening to Londoners.
"He is someone who treats anybody who has any criticism of him with complete contempt - whether it is the Evening Standard or the young woman at a mayoral hustings, claiming she was on drugs because she dared to criticise the bus service."
Mr Paddick said he was not "equidistant" between his Labour and Conservative opponents and confirmed he seriously considered an approach from David Cameron to be the party's candidate.
"I didn't say I was equidistant between the two of them. It is very difficult to gauge where I am between the other two candidates because it is like comparing chalk and cheese.
"I seriously considered, for a few hours, the approach from the Conservatives. But on principle I couldn't stand for what the Conservatives stand for. I am a Liberal Democrat, that's where my heart lies." Mr Paddick said he would try to work with the Met chief if elected but stressed that his days were numbered. "I spent 30 years in the police and it became increasingly Stalinist in the restrictions that the Commissioner and Dick Fedorcio [director of public affairs] placed on senior officers and what they could say. This is what happens in times of trouble, you batten down the hatches, and Ian Blair was in a lot of trouble.
"Most Londoners now wonder whose side the police are on, when they phone up either the police don't come or they can't get an answer on the phone. Or even when the police do come, they don't seem to do anything when you are a victim of crime.
"No commissioner in the Met has ever had a second term, which is what Ken Livingstone has called for and I wouldn't support that. I think it's important to have a regular change of Commissioner and there is at least one potentially good candidate on the horizon."
When asked who that would be, he replied: "I mean Sir Hugh Orde. If Sir John Stevens and Sir Ian Blair had a love child, it would be Sir Hugh Orde in that he has the modernising, liberal approach that Sir Ian had, but he has the " copper's copper" style and approachability of Sir John." When asked if there was a "crony" relationship between Sir Ian and Mr Livingstone, Mr Paddick replied: "I think there is. There are examples where Sir Ian has been very obliging to the Labour Party to the extent that people were wondering whether they were related, Tony and Ian."
Mr Paddick said he had been more of a figurehead for London than the Mayor after the London bombings in 2005.
"When London faced its most serious test since the Second World War after 7 July, I was the figurehead for the police and arguably, bearing in mind I got more airtime than he did, even more of a figurehead than Ken Livingstone was on that occasion," he said.
LIB-DEM ON POLICY AND PERSONAL LIFE
MURDER 'EPIDEMIC'
The number of parents who have come up to me and said, "When our teenage children go out at night, we are on edge until we hear the key in the lock".
These are affluent parents, genuinely concerned their children may get involved in something that, with so many guns and knives about, either through accident or design they end up being killed.
It used to be gangs and then "maybe people within the black community on deprived innercity estates who need to carry a knife or a gun to protect themselves from the gangs". Now it's much wider.
We used to deal with murder on the basis that it was a tiny proportion of society. You were able to lock the people up for a long time and solve the problem. It's not like that any more - this is an epidemic, not a series of isolated incidents.
The most important thing to do is to take the guns and knives off the streets.
BUSES
What we have is all the bus drivers encased in Perspex who only get out of their cab for a pee or a cigarette.
You've got sometimes relatively harmless but very boisterous children making life a nuisance for all the other passengers.
All it would take is for the bus driver to stop the bus and go upstairs and speak to the young people and say, "If you don't behave yourselves, this bus isn't going anywhere". In appropriate circumstances, they should intervene.
CHILDREN/PRIVATE LIFE
When I was married I did regret that my wife didn't want children. Dear Mary thought it would spoil her figure.
She now has a child and I'm very happy for her. I'm getting a bit too old and selfish to have children - even adopted ones.
Politicians should be allowed to choose how much of their private lives they give away.
Reader views (13)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
The only nasty little man is Ken - Londoners, do me a favour - don't give the man the pleasure of a 3rd term or we're all doomed! Think long & hard!
- James, London
The tone of Paddick's remarks makes me wonder whether he's been offered a job by Johnson in the event that the Tory candidate wins the election. Boris Johnson certainly isn't simply "eccentric but otherwise really harmless" - he's a real danger to the fortunes of this city. Why, of all the candidates, does Paddick feel the need to get so personal with Ken? Could it be that he himself is just a nasty little loser?
- Bob, London, UK
Given Ken's so keen on the environment did I just imagine seeing him yesterday in a large chauffeur driven Merc with a personalised number plate - 1 Ken?
- Phillip Graham, London, UK
Not only is Ken a nasty little man but he believes he has made London a top international city, typical politician with a big ego. It's like when Gordon Brown was taking credit as chancellor for the unprecedented boom, funny how it's now the global economy that's to blame for the downturn!
Ken should know - it is Londoner's that make this city great- not him.
- Oliver Wright, London, England
Mr.Paddick is being very generous with Red Ken isn't he? I wouldn't be that nice, personally.
- Rogan, DFW Texas
So the Liberal Democrat’s candidate is really a Conservative in disguise. What a surprise, what a shambles. Will he be giving his first preference vote to the harmless eccentric Boris?
- Mick, London, England
Ian Blair should of gone a long time ago. Crimes up and Ken is now trying to stir up racial tensions. He is dangerous, vote him out May the 1st.
- Diane Benjamin, Stockwell
I think that Brian Paddick is "bang on the money" with his description of the "very suspicious" current Mayor, Mr Ken Livingstone.
- Fraser, Telford Park
Ken Livingstone is certainly a peculiar man. No one - not even someone on the Left - should be cuddling Hugo Chavez, a man who tried to undermine democracy by having himself made President for Life. But there he was; it's as if his instincts drag him in the direction of absurdity on a consistent basis.
- Christian, West Sussex
A truly absurd contribution to the mayoral 'debate'. But this is what happens when a debate between three so-called 'main' parties avoids much difference on policy...the debate then has to concentrate on personality-based attacks. In all my years disagreeing with the Mayor at the London Assembly - and our One London Group voted against his initiatives more than any other group - I can only say that the Mayor is what I always expected he would be. He's a politician - if you start to hurt him or his plans/policies in any way, and use your position to get your point across, he'll hurt you back. Anything wrong with that? We are all of us involved in this bizarre election playing a role in public life and Brian is heard more than any of the candidates who have no hope of being elected because he is one of the 3 'statutory' parties with Westminster representation in England. There really is no room for sensitivities like this, even as a desperate throw as part of the campaign. Is Brian really saying that he can't cope with someone having a go and scoring a political point against him?
- Damian Hockney Am, London
Ken Livingstone has been very complimentary to Paddick in the televised debates - last night on the BBC for example. There's a waspish streak in Brian Paddick that I find distasteful and these personal attacks on both Livingstone and Ian Blair are underhand, vicious and show an unpleasant side to the Lib Dem candidate. Why do the Lib Dems always personalise election campaigns - an absence of policies perhaps?
- Tony Mcmahon, London, UK
Ken "a nasty little man". For the first time ever I agree with a Liberal!
- Paul, London
Has Brian Paddick gone mad? I thought no-one dared bring up the old allegations from the Dispatches program (e.g. creating socialist city state: um great but, where is it?) anymore at the risk of looking ridiculous. But Brian does! What a strange man.
Desperation to be noticed perhaps?
- Jason Plessas, London
