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Lily Allen becomes the Mayor's latest adviser
Katharine Barney and Danny Brierley17.07.08
Boris Johnson today promised to tackle gun and knife crime by giving those who missed out on education a second chance.
The Mayor has also met pop star Lily Allen to discuss London's knife crime epidemic. The Smile singer, who wrote an appeal on her internet blog, spent 45 minutes talking to the Mayor about her ideas to combat the problem.
Mr Johnson said after the City Hall meeting yesterday: "Lily Allen has already proved her commitment to help address this problem.
"There is nothing romantic or glamorous about knife crime and I'm delighted Lily will be using her considerable profile and fan base to spread that message."
And in another new move the Mayor might be given control of the Metropolitan Police under plans being outlined in a Green Paper by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. He would have personal responsibility for crime and police in London, ending the role of the Metropolitan Police Authority.
Launching London's Future, the capital's first skills and employment strategy, to improve job and skills opportunities for Londoners Mr Johnson said the scheme would be a important tool for reaching out to those Londoners who have been failed by the education system.
The strategy is intended to be a second chance for many to gain the skills to get them into employment and to help prevent those on the margins of London society from gravitating towards crime.
It follows the Evening Standard's knife charter which calls for children to be educated about respect and the danger of knife crime.
Mr Johnson said: "It is simply not good enough in a city as prosperous as London that we have such high levels of unemployment and such a large number of people bypassed by the education system.
"The link between unemployment and crime is clear. There is money and political will out there and I want to harness both."
James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: "London is one of the most vibrant and successful cities in the world and we need to make sure everyone is able to share in its success. Driving up sustainable employment within disadvantaged communities is the best way to make sure everyone can benefit."
Reader views (6)
Good news then, assuming she is doing it on a voluntary basis, which the article suggests she is.
She passes out drunk, she gets wasted so she is not a role model ... what do teenagers tend to do or aspire to do? Oddly the same huh. Go figure, she must be one of them. So why do the comments think she can not be of any help?
I can understand the ire if she receives a salary and is a paid 'Adviser'.. though that point was not in the article.
- Step, Windsor
Lay off, Lily! Sure she doesn't know anything about knife crime but she probably knows more than Boris...judging by the look on his face!
Time to stop looking for photo-ops and knuckle down to some seriously hard work. Sort out the hot-spots; get kids off the streets and into community centres and give parents, teachers and youth workers the confidence to be able to deal with the difficulties of growing up in London.
- Mike Kennedy, London, UK
Lily Allen!!... please explain to me what LA knows about knife crime??
The look on Boris's face says it all.
- Mic, bromley, kent
Come on Boris, don't spoil it. Is a celeb that you generally see passing out a parties really the right way to solve the problem. The young may engage with her, but a role model she is not.
- Samuel Lewis, London WC2
What type of advice can she give? Maybe Boris need tips on how to embarrass himself (even more), fall out of nightclubs, act like a spoilt chav, etc, etc...
Why doesn't he sign-up Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse too...
What an absolute joke!
- Stephen, London
Who will his next adviser be? How about Kerry Katona for parenting or Jade Goody for global warming/climate change?
- Anon, London
