What a bonkers political statement by Tory AM Richard Barnes in the Ealing Times.THE Mayor of London is putting too much money into extra cops according to Ealing's London Assembly representative.
Richard Barnes, assembly member for Hillingdon and Ealing made the remarks in response to Ken Livingstone's announcement that he will fund an extra 1,000 officers in the next financial year.Mr Livingstone announced this week extra cash would be spent on the Met.He said £59m will fund additional security and counter-terrorism officers, £3.9m will fund officers to tackle specific community issues and £2m will be put into combating gun and gang culture in the city.
But Mr Barnes said he does not think so much money needs to be put into extra policing.He said: "More police in London are always welcome, but I don't think so much money should be spent on them."Better policing could also be achieved by restructuring in the organisation."
Mr Livingstone, said: "I am able to confirm that with this budget London will gain an extra 1,000 uniformed police, a major contribution to making our city safer and more secure."The results of more police on the beat on local streets are there for all to see, crime in London fell for the fifth consecutive year in 2007.""The successes in reducing overall crime levels must be extended to tackle the toughest problems like youth gun and knife crime, by providing the police with the resources they need and by investing in our young people through a massive injection of support for youth provision."
Ken Livingstone has responded:
‘This is an amazing statement, totally contradicting what most Londoners think about the need to fund our police service properly.
‘I give an absolute commitment that I will not cut the financial support to our police officers and the Tories in London should be ashamed for calling for this cut. Time and time again in London we have seen the consequences of cuts to our public services and we cannot afford to go back to ill-judged cuts which damage London in the long time.’
Richard Barnes AM - What a plonker?
12 comments:
Plonkers? How about Caroline Flint? A Labour ?!?! minister who thinks you get people into employment by making them homeless. I keep thinking it can't get worse, and of course it does.
Hi Owen
While I don’t think that Caroline’s comments were particularly relevant I note that this is a “discussion” document and the issue of the long term able bodied unemployed in social housing does need discussing. Also not a lot to do with GLA?
BTW I assume you are a Tory now?
Having been a Labour voter for most of my electoral life it's been a long struggle but I've finally fallen off the back of the lorry. Just too many issues. When Tories sounding more like the humanitarian left than their opponents that doesn't help.
The idea of council housing being rationed to the "modern worthy" has to do with the GLA in that the LCC and GLC at one time had a strategic role in housing provision in the capital before Thatcher, Major, Blair and Brown went down the road of sucking the capital's labour force into a housing market that fuelled inequality and insecurity.
And we end up with "the issue of the long term able bodied unemployed in social housing does need discussing". I had enough under Major and Blair of having to help out friends forced back to work, dropping out again and then having to cope with the ensuing financial chaos, thank you very much.
I was confused by your "BTW I assume that you are a Tory now?", I didn't know whether you were serious or tongue in cheek, but I guess you're serious. Labour's become the party of the in work, property-owning well-off, you don't seem to understand people outside the bubble.
My comment wasn't provoked by any direct connection between Caroline Flint's comments and the subject of your post but by sadness at the common spirit that seemed to inform them. Your minimalist report of Richard Barnes's comments gave me no idea whether his proposals on restructuring had any substance - do numbers necessarily mean quality? Your unsupported "plonker" comment seemed to come from the same innate conviction of rightness that Caroline Flint and fellow ministers, demonstrates.
It's sad think of Labour as the nasty party mark II. But don't worry, I'm not voting Tory.
I woke up to hear the Flanagan report being discussed - so whatever the balance of the argument Barnes at least had a case to be answered.
Hi Owen
May I point out again that this post is about the re-election of Ken Livingstone and the GLA? Attacking a Labour government is maybe one thing but attacking a pretty dam good by any standards progressive mayor and GLA who is facing a real challenge by an extremist right wing toff and Nazi’s makes me think what on earth are you going on about and why?
Don’t you realise that arch Tories such as Richard Barnes are instinctively against any public spending, never mind protecting London’s poor and vulnerable against violent crime?
Owen
I cannot work out from your links if you are just a Tory troll? however let us be very clear that Tory boy plonker Barnes is trying to cut police spending regardless, in the same way that he and his fellow Tories are trying cut the wages of cleaners etc employed by the GLA from a Living wage to the minimum wage.
You appear to support this?
It would appear that therefore that Barnes is not the only plonker.
No, I'm not a Tory troll. I came here today thinking I'd apologise to you if I'd sounded a bit abrupt in my reaction to your post, which I read on the heels of hearing Caroline Flint, but having read your reply, forget it.
I didn't say I supported Barnes, I simply suggested that calling someone a plonker is not an adequate form of political analysis. However good Ken Livingstone's proposals may sound, that's no reason not to examine them. For example there are arguments for and against having civilian statement takers. So why can't we think critically about whether simply increasing the number of police officers doing work that might (or might not) be done more effectively by someone else is the best way of improving policing in the capital? And why do you misrepresent me?
When I get called a plonker for asking for explanations, accountability and even humanity from a party that has had my vote for almost all the time I've been voting - up to and including the last general election - I know that the reason we're at risk of being lumbered with Boris Johnson doesn't lie entirely with the Evening Standard.
Don't worry, I won't intrude again, so I won't ask what links you're talking about.
Hi Owen
(Whoever you are?) Sorry but what ridiculous umbrage! Please look into the mirror from time to time as you rush back and forth on your high horse.
Ta, Ta
I think Owen has a point! Why can't labour fight the election on their record alone? By now it should clearly speak for itself? Instead they are desperatley trying to find any gap in the oppositions policies...law and order in the capital is a complete joke right now mate....instead of bleating on why don't you do something about it?
Hi Anon
A bit strange that you are supporting the Childish Trots?
But I think that Labour can fight on their record. Crime is actually down across London, while a lot more needs to be done to undo the on-going damage of 18 years of Tory misrule.
Crime is down in London..are you completely mad? Do you seriously believe this?
Hi Anon - ....as a hatter
Fifth year of falling crime in London
16-1-2008
Crime in London fell for the fifth consecutive year in 2007. And the rate of decline is significantly accelerating. Crime fell by 2.2 per cent in 2003, 1.9 per cent, in 2004, 4.4 per cent in 2006, and 6.1 per cent in 2007.
Particularly important is the decline in the most serious crimes. Murder is down by 28 per cent since 2003. The number of murders fell from 222 in 2003, to 194 in 2004, to 178 in 2005, to 172 in 2006, to 160 in 2007.
Rape is down 25 per cent since its peak in 2002.
There was a very sharp fall in knife enabled crime in 2007 – down 13 per cent. Overall, knife crime has fallen by 18 per cent since its peak in 2004.
In contrast to knife enabled crime gun crime rose last year by 4 per cent. However the overall fall in gun crime since its peak in 2002 is still 22 per cent.
Grievous Bodily Harm fell by 12 per cent last year.
http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=15294
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