Afternoon:
11°c
Influentials video - What does London need from the next Mayor?
23.01.08
Click on the links below to watch video highlights of the debate...
Clip One
Introduction to the Influentials Debate: What Does London Need From The Next Mayor?
Introduced by Veronica Wadley, Evening Standard Editor
Clip Two
Introduction to the panel by Anne McElvoy, Executive Editor of the Evening Standard
Panel consists of: Boris Johnson MP, London Mayoral Candidate, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Journalist, Michael Eboda, Editor, New Nation, Simon Jenkins, Columnist, writer, broadcaster, Nick Cohen, author and columnist.
Clip Three
Question from audience member Ivan Fallon (UK Chief Executive of Independent News and Media). Which single subject would each of the panel members like to tackle?
Response by panel members including comment on: people's sense of insecurity, safety in public spaces, crackdown on disorder, policing, accountability, assemblies having greater power, fixed mayoral terms, public transport, London's skills and employment strategy, youth, inequality and opportunity and the appearance of the city.
Clip Four
Question from audience member Winston McKenzie (Independent candidate for Mayor of London). With London's current gun crime situation, how do you intend to contact/communicate with youths?
Response from Boris Johnson. Comment includes: making gun crime and safety a number one priority.
Clip Five
Comment from audience member Gordon Taylor (Chairman of the West London Residents Association) including developing a fairer, flexible and easier system for Londoner's with regards to the Congestion Charge
Response from the panel including comment on: being told the real truth about the purpose of the charge/rationalising space/borough decisions/the need for new thinking/re-phasing traffic lights/opening up roads/reviewing the proposed West London extension/emissions.
Clip Six
Questions from audience members Henry Bonsu (Director and presenter of Colourful Radio) and Bevan Powell (Deputy Chief of the Metropolitan Black Police Association) regarding diversity and affirmative action
Response from panellists including comment on: affirmative action/LDA/funding localities/ethnicity and defining identity/London-ness/accountability and uniting the city.
Clip Seven
Continuation of the response.
Comment includes: equality of opportunity/quotas/cosmopolitan city/Operation Trident/intelligence-led policing/ethnicity and gender/modern London and the numerical approach
Clip Eight
Questions from audience members regarding roads and re-engaging London's youths
Response from the panel including: liaising with boroughs to re-open small roads/centralised country/need for more tax raising power at county, city and town level/democracy/localities/de-centralisation/changing politicians behaviour/a direct election system/personality in politics/ a mayor for every borough/referendums/ quiz show appearances and celebrity politics.
Clip Ten
The panellists respond to the comments made
Response includes: climate of visibility/CCTV/working with young people/conductors on buses/deterrents/education/management of police resources/localising police and working with families.
Clip Eleven
Questions from audience members including: Is Boris concerned with the exodus of key workers? How can we get better value for money within the mayoral system? How can we ensure that the Mayor doesn't duplicate the functions of the boroughs?
The panel members respond. Comment includes: accountability/unsatisfactory governing/spend/focusing on efficient services from boroughs/re-establishing the concept of neighbourhood and parish/keeping the city beautiful.
Clip Twelve
Michael Eboda questions Boris Johnson on previous articles that he has written concerning black people
Boris responds. The panellists give their final comments including: housing/racism/improving services and transport. Final comments from Boris Johnson and Anne rounds up the debate.
RELATED STORIES
I didn't mean to be racist, claims Boris
What the panellists said about tower blocks, transport and teenage crime
www.yougovstone.com
Reader views (1)
I was there last night. As to Boris' article about p's and watermelons, as Veronica Wadley described it to me afterwards, it sounded like it was a fulsome attribute to those who had welcomed him to Africa, and quite the opposite of derogatory. If not fulsome, then neutral. So okay. I want Boris to come across as more like a serious manager. He obviously has the brains, but has he the application? He was a management consultant, whatever that is, for just a week. Just an idea: Could he try managing some small organisation as a trial run to prove he can do it, in the run-up to the election? I like him enough to want him to get there. Incidentally, if he gets his hair cut, can he smooth it down a bit too please, so that it does not stick out at a funny angle? Dear Boris, we need you desperately. But you are up against a very smart operator who might easily outsmart you. I really like your idea of cutting the bureaucracy in City Hall. What you might need in order to prove it can be cut is a breakdown of how many staff are employed in the sections you would cut. Clearly there is serious duplication with local councils on planning, and Transport for London is mammoth. Livingstone is forever expanding his remit. As Simon Jenkins said, we need less, not more government. Please say that more loudly, Boris and follow it through consistently. I would be delighted to get a reply.
- Peter Scott, London
