You have to listen very carefully, but once in a while the truth pops out . This Council loves your money, and hates your car.
It is no surprise that cabbies think Islington is London’s worst borough for drivers . Answering them , Councillor Lucy Watt let the cat out of the bag . She said ,“ We get money from Transport for London to set up 20 MPH zones - this money cannot be used for anything else.”. Now we know .The real reason for more driver persecution is to get a new budget .Such things are like the smell of bisto to bureaucrats . They cannot resist.
The Liberals say the 20mph scheme was, “In the manifesto”. In fact, they are perilously close to losing control of the council largely as a result of tormenting motorists. This does not spell “mandate” to me.
Another truth that bobbed to the surface was Chief Executive Helen Bailey`s. In the Council’s prodigiously well funded propaganda magazine, she sighed, “Imagine Islington without any cars“ , continuing with the usual green liturgy . This is exactly what they would like. Actually, in the early medieval period, the climate here was about the same as in the Loire valley today. Getting a bit chilly isn’t it.! We obviously need more carbon emissions .
Speed bumps are irritating , sometimes justifiably, they do not collect revenue though and are therefore due to be replaced with surveillance technology. Consultation will be circumvented, as usual, by asking only the beneficiaries. Soon, yet another source of fine income will available . Gas guzzler taxes and , most importantly , the house price tax , are also on their way.
The Sterne report reassures us that the end of the world continues to be nigh. Having survived, mad cow disease, bird flu, dangerous dogs and the ice age ,due in the 70s, I am sceptical of apocalyptic prophecies. I will make one prediction though. For anyone who owns a house and a car in Islington, a 600% increase in local fines licences and taxation can be expected.
As we may all be obliged to holiday at home, perhaps it would be nice to get a tan .Keep driving; it’s worth a try.
As a lifetime atheist I have experienced of late what you might call a ,“crisis of faith”. There are a number of reasons for this , not least that it may be convenient for getting my son into a decent school . Apart from the obvious social benefit though, I notice , for example , the unreality surrounding the abortion debate as it proceeds outside a religious context .Nadine Dorries ten minute bill concerning the termination of pregnancy. It provoked much discussion centred on what science can tell us about drawing the line .
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/2006/10/nadine_dorries_.htmlTo me it seems clear it can tell us very little, so I made a “Reasonable proposal “ ,…
.” The relevance of foetal sentience seems to me to be fairly moot out side a religious frame work that draws an absolute distinction between a human being and any other sort of life. A fish, I suppose, is sentient, probably more so, and we are not yet seriously discussing banning anglers. The ability to sustain life outside the womb is similarly free floating. A three year old would not last long unaided.I suspect then, , that the discussion of medical or scientific boundaries is a code for religious or metaphysical beliefs which perhaps should be more explicit than they are .
The notion of allowing abortion after full term, might be justified scientifically, on the basis that the foetal stage in humans, as compared to our near relatives, continues long after full term. This is a very distinctive adaptive feature of humans, and key to some of the variant features we have, as compared to other apes.I would not make such an argument of course, but if science is the answer, I do not see any special reason, why one should not . I could scientifically construct numerous reasonable proposals, up to and including chasing miscreant teenagers down the street with a baseball bat, if they failed the boy David’s, “Adult “test. In fact he’s a bit young himself….. The Christian view says the unborn child has a Soul and would not countenance any sort of abortion. The non religious view might conceivably take us to a disgusting end point . As I am not able to find any good reason except squeamishness and mess to stop the culling of a three month year old child , less sentient than a cat say , I am inclined to the view that the Christians are right and its murder from day one .This will no doubt be a disaster for the mother on occasion , also the father and ,very possibly, the child. Shame ; the continued health of my current employer is quite astonishingly inconvenient to me and this brings me onto euthanasia.So here is my point , as Science is quite clearly not the moral point and nor is convenience , is this a question of morality , or is it something else . If so what ? “
Then this week , the Daily Mail ran an editorial Titled “Do animals deserve human rights ”, in which , “scientific proof “, shows the following:
“ Elephants can join the small elite of species that have true self awareness ".This is following “Happy , Maxine and Patty” , Asian Elephants, demonstrating full sentience by means of self recognition in a mirror . So, we can flush a three month year old baby down the toilet, but we had better leave the elephants alone . You might think this was an absurd extrapolation, but what do I see today ?….
Roy Nikkah ( DT) “A leading medical college has called on the medical profession to consider euthanasia for seriously disabled new born babies ." Sounds ghastly doesn’t it but their point is more subtle . They point to the fact that late abortions ,which sometimes are based on incorrect prognostications, might not proceed with this possibility of post birth"abortion" ,and some healthy babies saved .
Strangely then, what I intended as an irreverent conundrum, turns out to be seriously problematical ,and out there in the real world . Richard Dawkins is currently number one in the best sellers list
http://richarddawkins.net/godDelusion#firstChapter with the God delusion. He has pointed out the continuum between us and animals ,“scientifically” , so has Desmond Morris .
Scientifically we are atoms and forces and one set is much as another . Is it not obvious that in any discussion where you admit there is a moral problem we must look elsewhere for guidance? For the modern man there is no obvious home for these doubts to rest in. Mathew Arnold’s exquisite corpse is all that is left of Christian certainty.“A beautiful ineffectual angel beating in the void his luminous wings in vain”
Its has sentience . So what ?
I rather like the idea of a Dick Whittington theme to the Archway development . The consultative schemes , I have seen are , resolutely ugly and modernists , as you would expect , and this would be a welcome relief. Thanks for your efforts Councillor Stefan Kasprzyk .
I wonder what Richard Whittington (1350-1423 ) would make of Islington today . His tale in one of inspiring independent business enterprise . He arrived at Highgate Hill with nothing but a cat , as many still do , made a fortune and became three times, Lord Mayor of London . Like most celebrities, he ended up in “panto”, for what feels like centuries.
I `m not sure he would like the anti business dispensation of modern Islington. His licence to catch rats would be denied on ,“elfansafety”, grounds. His shop could not survive Islington’s draconian parking policy. Between completing endless council forms and paying flabbergasting local taxes , it is likely his domestic arrangements would suffer . Before long the social services would come to take tiddles. .
Richard Whittington was a real and generous man . His philanthropic will, still benefits disadvantaged Londoners today . By contrast The “Whittington” Hospital , with other London hospitals , profits to the tune of £12,000,000 per year, by taxing illness, through its extortionate parking charges. You can still make a fortune though . Bob Kiley the notably unsuccessful London transport commissioner ,was paid £1,000,000 in his years tenure .Perhaps Dick would have followed suit , become a government “rat “commissioner “ sat on his hands , and taken the money .
Don`t be such a kill joy Kate Calvert of Archway Forum , let us have our statue of Dick . Councillor Kasprzyk might like to consider why, today ,ghostly imprecations to ,“turn again”, not withstanding , our hero would have trudged straight back home to Gloucesteshire
Good old Coucillor Stefan Kasprzyk , well half of that is true , is trying to get Dick Wittington some sort of shrine ,in the new Archway development . It is an inspiring story isn’t it . A man arrives in London with nothing but his wits and , possibly , a cat , makes a fortune, and becomes Lord Mayor of London. There really was a Richard Wittington, but the pantomime character probably accounts for most of his continued fame . What is Stefan up to then . Just the usual Lib Dummery I `m afraid ;advertising some vague niceness with no substance behind it . The real Dick Wittington , an independent small businessman , would have loathed the sort of politics Stefan believes in with its high taxes, busy bodying and anti individualism .
I `m afraid the way to become Mayor now is rather different . A career starting in Lambeth Council and avoiding economically productive activity at all is the way the current incumbent chose . I `m not all that keen on the Tory suggestion either, at the moment . Nic Boles is absolutely not what we need and it was as a protest I submitted my own application . I really don’t take myself that seriously but who knows , it might be interesting seeing what they have to say.
Here is what I wrote ( I had really no idea how to do it so no laughing…)
9. LONDON’S TOP PRIORITIES
In no more than 600 words state what you consider to be the most important challenges facing London, and explain how you would approach them in your role as Mayor.
KEY POINT
The legend is that Margaret Thatcher said "There is no such thing as Society". but in fact she added "Only Community" My vision of London is not of a Grandiose single entity but as a series of communities. These communities may be geographical, religious or virtual for example but it is London’s ability to include difference that I would like to re -emphasise. This would have a number of implications only some of which I have room for here.
1)
In my own Borough we have recently been the subject of GLA bullying over the number of new and Social accommodation to be inflicted on Islington. The Mayors targets are nothing short of a new Hells Kitchen and this is repeated throughout the Capital. I do not agree with much our locally elected Liberal Council do, but I deplore the Mayors creeping influence over planning and strategic decisions. My vision of London is of one that has a less important Mayor. I am entirely happy with the paradox.
2)
The acceleration of net migration into the Capital for example is not sustainable and to pretend it is, is to sacrifice all commonsense in order to dance around the politically correct maypole. As many who worry about immigration, unfortunately, are racists, those who worry but are not, must be crystal clear about their ground. It is quality of life within communities for Londoners, all Londoners, that is a stake. My own family will, I hope, demostrate, this is a workaday problem for us all.
The effects of Home Office blunders and Policy in this area are felt disproportionately in London, we have little control. The role of Mayor is highly plastic however, as we well know, and my ideas for a new type of Mayor would enable him to speak effectively for London against Central Governement when required.
3)
The use of any Regional authorities has been chiefly to confuse the voters, esepcially with regard to national planning strategy. I would like to unravel the Central Government, Regional Authority, Local Authority knot and engage in continual transparent debate. This debate would include, vitally, a direct, formal and strong decision making role for London’s Boroughs. It may be counter intuitive, but increasing the Mayors paper powers leaves him powerless to affect London’s real problems which to a large extent are the remit of national Government. A population the size of Scotland with much larger tax revenues should be able to wield political power. We call Ken Livingstone "King Ken" but he is a King of America, a nonentity in representing us to the outside world . To speak for London the Mayor must be more Presidential, a conduit for democratically expressed wishes. Not a Dictator or worse still an apologist for New Labour mistakes.
KEY POINT
The Mayor is currently too powerful, we know. That he is, as a consequence, isolated and powerless is a problem that deserves our attention as well.
4)
The problem, encroaching state coercion. Measures? For example, I would remove the pointless congestion charge and press hard for less draconian and anti car local policy, where possible. I would try to work with Local Authorities in adjusting their increasingly intrusive policies on the use of CCTV and I would leave cyclists alone. The logic of public safety is capable of infinite extension.
KEY POINT
William Pitt "Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the arguement of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves".
5)
I have the space for a mention of crime. Until such time as the police are properly accountable to the "local" people they serve I would use the position to apply whatever pressure I could for greater value for money. It is my belief that of all the institutions we rely on this is the worst performing and local Councils are currently fobbed off without proper information or any real input . Again my imagined City is locally empowered. Improving trust and performance here is a vital balancing strut to the Libertarian agenda but we should not forget the role of strenth in earning respect.
KEY POINT
A politically powerful but formally weak Mayor will about face to represent all of London against Central Government policy not to its liking. My London would have been recognisable in some ways to its Medieaval citizens, free, plural, local, independent and on occasion a nuisance to its National Rulers.
10. TIME AVAILABILITY
How much time could you give to the role as Conservative Mayoral Candidate? Please be as specific as possible.
I have full time job. Other than that all my time. In many ways this is the heart of what is partly a protest application . David Cameron has encounterd the problem a lot of reformers do . Unitl he mentioned it we hadn`t noticed how bad things were . ...... ( I call it "Now you`ll have to do the whole thing syndrome").
