London is a Liberal City, That is Why We Need a Liberal Democrat Mayor

Who can forget the fiasco in which Ken Livingstone clambered to be taken back into the fold of New Labour when his principles and policy making resonated with the socialist guard which he accused Blair of sidelining to the touchlines of Labour's political field? Who can forget the rhetoric from Ken on how employment opportunities are better than they ever were, when the reality is that unemployment has grown in the last 6 years in the capital. Worryingly, Ken seems to have forgotten that London is not just about inner city boroughs and their problems, it is about those boroughs like Enfield who have similar concerns and issues and where inflows of migrant communities mean that the demographics of 'outer' boroughs are changing rapidly.

Who can also forget the Conservative candidate, Steve Norris - friend of big business and who, remarkably, seemed to be falling in line with the policy making of Ken at the last mayoral election. I for one found it disturbing that both candidates were agreeing to such a large degree with each other even though they came from polar political ideologies. Additionally, more recently the 'caring and sharing Tories' voted against the Tenancy Deposit Scheme which we as a Party supported in Parliament. This scheme is supposed to protect rental deposits on assured shorthold tenancies being used by landlords on the basis that there have been breakages in the property. Many landlords have also hung onto the deposit for more than 3 months after the tenants have vacated the property. Few reasons have been given to tenants as to why they have hung onto the deposit which on average is about £1,500.

As the Chief Executive of a Citizens Advice Bureau with 3 bureaux covering Enfield, this issue has had a real impact on young people. It has also meant that many have had to receive advice on how to take their previous landlords to county court to recoup the deposit. Yet, the Tories voted against something as basic as the Tenancy Deposit Scheme and they believe that they are in tune with the needs, desires and aspirations of Londoners? Clearly Cameron's spin machine has not caught up with the spirit and soul of the Tories which is pro-big business, anti-immigration and vehemently against the financially and socially excluded. As I like to say, the Tories remind me of a wolf in sheep's clothing and even then, the clothing just does not quite fit!
The time has therefore come for the capital to have a Lib Dem Mayor. That time is fast approaching and I hope that you like me, will work tirelessly for our Mayor to be at the helm of the most exciting, vibrant and dynamic city in the World. More than ever Liberal Democrat principles and policies are needed in a fast changing and complex environment and which are in tune with the needs of Londoners.

For God's Sake Musharraf, Free Imran Khan and Other Political Dissenters That You Have Detained

The fiasco in Pakistan continues. The strongman 'El Presidente' Musharraf continues to lock up anyone who dissents and the very basis of democracy is now gravely injured and lying on the side of the road somewhere between Lahore and Islamabad. The Analogy of Rome burning whilst we are all asleep is a very apt one. Who can forget history when today's 'friend' becomes tomorrow's rogue state and rogue administration. Yet, our own Foreign Office has not been robust in making it clear that dissidents like Imran Khan and the thousands of others detained need to be released and the General must never enforce martial law under the complete lie of an Islamist threat. It is clear that the Islamist threat was a smoke and mirrors routine where all opposition could be suppressed to keep Musharraf in power. What a manipulation of the powers of the State that was.

And for those who say that he is needed in the fight against terrorism, I say, what kind of an impression are we giving the world? One day we oust Saddam and then when democracy is trampled on in another country, we say that the leader is an ally and a 'trusted friend' in the fight against terrorism. The scourge of terrorism can be reduced (lets be real and stop lying to the public - terrorism can never be fully removed from the political landscape), though we should not do this at the price of our democratic principles. Yet, we are doing it again!

I therefore urge the Foreign Office to make representations to the Pakistani Government on those detained (for no other basis but on their political dissent). Today Mohammed Ali Jinnah (the Founder of Pakistan) must be turning in his grave at the militarism of the country and the way that State institutions have been turned against the people. Pakistan and it's people deserve better. Free Imran Khan should be our chant today, tomorrow and for however long it takes.

Remembering The Past For The Future

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, services right across the country took place to commemorate the fallen in the Great Wars and within others. It was a sombre occasion for many that brought home the horrors of war and the chance to reflect upon those not here since they truly had 'given their today's for our tomorrows.'

In a world where conflict is caused by the lack of access to limited resources, there will I am afraid, be more wars that spark up across the globe. As populations rise, resources dwindle and arms are more readily available, the chances of war and armed conflict rise and we should all be aware that many more young people will carry arms and die in the heat of battle. I for one want to see diplomacy used more often than not and post Iraq, the information to go to war must have Parliamentary scrutiny and a vote within the House. Oversight and scrutiny committees need to do their jobs and not rubber stamp calls for war and I am afraid that the juggernaut for war under Blair mean that key questions by were not asked by scrutiny committees overseeing the intelligence evidence presented to them.

For those countries who choose the bullet rather than the soft pressures of diplomacy, we should make it clear that they will be harming their future and the future of their country. War and the terrible ravages of it need to be consigned to the past, yet the awful truth is that arms sales and the atrocities of war will continue. Yesterday was a chance to remember the courageous and the bold who should not be forgotten. Let us remember today those who were lost so many years ago. They may have gone, but they are not forgotten.

Pakistan is Convulsing Through Dictatorial Measures

The decision by General Musharraf to impose martial law has set back Pakistan in the eyes of other nations, especially when so many nations realise that military rule is not only socially counter-productive, it is also leads to economic disaster. Today, Pakistan is virtually overwhelmed by the economic powerhouse that India has become and frankly I cannot conceive that India would ever tear up their governance framework and turn to the imposition of martial law. In fact, India has moved on and does not spend the enormous sums of resources on being a counterweight to Pakistan and this position came about 5 / 6 years ago when India realised that constantly worrying about military conflict with Pakistan was actually damaging the nation. Since then, it has moved on, though Pakistan is still convulsing from one military dictatorship to another.

What is even more revolting about the imposition of martial law is that the Prime Minister has stated that it will be imposed indefinitely and where a ‘code of conduct’ for the State must be imposed. The Prime Minister also went onto say that Pakistan cannot have the media moving into ‘unchartered territories,’ a clear threat to the press suggesting that the State will censor and challenge press freedoms. Today, the very tiny shoots of democracy that were trying to grow within Pakistan have been trampled upon by the jackboot of militarism and dictatorship. In fact, General Musharraf in his public statement to the nation made it clear that Pakistan should not be judged by the yardsticks of democracy used by other nations. Such a nauseating statement should get only the contempt that it deserves and this medal clad dictator should be publicly berated for the illegitimate stance that he has taken.

Opposition leaders like Imran Khan and a whole swath of others have been put under house arrest and have been moved to detention camps whilst the Prime Minister and his henchmen spin the sorry tale that so many dictators have spun. “The nation is in danger from terrorism, it deserves the introduction of harsh measures for national security etc etc.” This rhetorical nonsense is a mere cover for the lack of governance and leadership that General Musharraf has shown and where he has resided on growing inequalities in Pakistan. Poverty levels and factionalism has grown exponentially under his administration as have sordid deals with the very extremists that he says he is fighting against. Today, Pakistan’s pride and standing globally has been severely injured and I am afraid that it will take at least a decade or two before it can be taken seriously by other nations.

General Musharraf certainly deserves an accolade as a leader who belongs in the 1970’s and 1980’s South American hall of fame for autocrats and dictators. Even South American leaders have moved on and are instigating social change for their people and trying to develop sustainable regeneration and national projects that drive economic development. Yet, Pakistan slips further into being a failed State and one which is far from the open and democratic society that its founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah wanted. This great man had a vision that must not die and which can and should be implemented. That vision can come to fruition if we now stand up and make our voices clear that we will not buy the spin of repression and political manipulation. I hope that we can all shout out loud at this time of change in Pakistan so that the nation does not have any more military leaders and clumsy wannabe politicians who make the lives of citizens unequal in a whole range of areas.

The Mayor's Strategy For Supporting English as a Second Language (ESOL Courses) in London is Bankrupt

The Mayor recently announced a £15 million injection for 9 further education colleges in London that were facing sharp cuts in funding for English as a Second Language courses. The announcement in May 2007 shores up provision and does not provide extra ESOL spaces in these colleges even though need has dramatically increased due to the migration of communities like the Somali, Turkish Speaking and Eastern European groups.

I have investigated and talked to ESOL providers in the last 4 weeks. I found severe shortages in some areas and further Government pressures by the introduction of heavy fees to cover administration costs, other expenses and overheads. Also, support and assistance from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) used to be regarded as being a qualifying benefit for free ESOL courses. More worryingly, this is not the case now and more and more people are ending up on waiting lists, some of whom cannot afford the courses and others who simply cannot get a place.

The Mayor has prided himself on work around integration and gave himself a pat on the back for finding money to shore up ESOL classes in 9 further education colleges in London. The reality is that asylum seekers who need English as a basic tool for integration cannot afford the courses and NASS support is now no longer a qualifying benefit for free ESOL classes. The Mayor has also given the impression that he is throwing further resources to support ESOL provision. The fact is that waiting lists are getting longer and places are limited, especially at low level ESOL classes. How this helps integration baffles me and this shows that the Mayor is out of touch on integration issues.

It is time that he left his office, move out of Zone 1 and listen to further education colleges in outer London Boroughs where outward migration from Central London is having major effects.

The Chinese Community Marches in Soho!

China Town

was awash today with the young and the old, the angry and the sad, the shopkeepers and the restaurant owners. They were marching side by side and for the first time, Chinatown was awash with placards. ‘Don’t target the Chinese community’, ‘don’t penalise migrant workers’, said the voices of this normally silent community.

And what had brought them out! It was a raid by the Home Office with the police and the BBC who were filming. Yes, the BBC came in on the act and were filming the arrest of migrant workers who were thought to be illegal. Restaurants were raided in Edgware in North London and employers also suddenly found themselves looking at the potential of being in prison for over a decade! Five restaurants were raided last week in the middle of the lunch hour by over 130 officers in body armour and helmets and 52 people were arrested and taken away on suspicion of being illegal immigrants. 3 were later released though the rest have pretty much been deported to Vietnam and China.

Immigration rules mean that the shop owners who had employed the migrant workers may be liable to 14 years imprisonment. Yes, you heard me right, 14 years of imprisonment, a longer sentence than some sexual offenders get! Those who were arrested were refused access to lawyers and the Police’s Chinatown unit was not informed of the raids which undermined years of support and community liaison that had been built up. In addition to this, the Chinese community felt that it has been humiliated through the filming of the raids. So you can see why they were all out in force and why I was there, marching with them.

So why did I decide to march when the voice and supportive actions of our current Mayor were missing. Well I will tell you why? Since when have we decided to overlook the basic rights of people to get access to legal support when in detention? And when have we overlooked the community police liaison groups so the first that key leaders in the community learn about the raids is when they have taken place and where individuals have been placed into custody? This goes against the norm of community policing which informs key community leaders if there are to be a series of raids in a certain area. And why was the basic dignity of people undermined by a BBC camera crew being there? These are the reasons that made me turn out in solidarity with the Chinese Community today.

After the rally, it was clear that the Deputy Director of the Borders and Immigration Section was genuinely sorry for the BBC crew being there and made clear that in future, there would be no documentary crews and he confirmed that allegations around the lack of access to legal advice would be fully investigated. He also suggested working more closely with the Chinese community and a system to check documents with employers will also be set up. So, today was a landmark for a normally quiet and hard working community. Today, they realised that the power of peaceful demonstration can make a difference and they exerted that right. I am proud of everyone who took part in the demonstration that was around the protection of the dignity of human beings and around the protection of employers who in many instances do not know how to tell the difference between forged immigration papers and the real ones.

I would like to thank Neville Farmer and Merlene Toh Emerson for standing up with the community. Chinatown will never be the same again and the community has had its first taste of political success.

Ramesh Kallidai - The Hindu Forum of Britain

A few days ago I received a phone call from Ramesh Kallidai who is the driving force behind the Hindu Forum of Britain. A charismatic and driven individual, he has single handedly helped to form and create the Forum and has recently been appointed onto the Commission for Equalities and Human Rights.

Ramesh had called to inform me that there was a young man of Muslim origin who had been robbed of his life savings and who was now desitute. The young man was sleeping on the streets and was living off charity. Yet, Ramesh had taken it upon himself to help this young man and had consistently called around trying to get someone to help.

In the end, it was Ramesh's perseverence and insistence to help a fellow human being in trouble that shone through. I assisted in trying to get the young man out of his dilemma and this incident showed me how people from different faith traditions can work together.

You know, when I campaign and work on social programmes in London, I also hear about divisions between the Sikh, Hindu and Muslim communities. Yet, I have to shout out loud that the more people like Ramesh there are, the better! Our common humanity, respect for each other's narratives and a desire for social change can act as a glue to bringing us to common ground.

Levels of Poverty Need to be Addressed

Spent last night at Edgware Road where many were celebrating Eid Al Fitr, the end of the fasting period for Muslims. There were many people who had come to celebrate and there were many young people hanging around the streets laughing, smiling and greeting one another - far from the ASBO generation promoted by some sections of the press.

The sheer diversity of Muslims and Islam is positive and something that is wonderful to see and what was also exhilarating to see was the sheer vibrancy that comes out from such religious events. The vibrancy is something that I also feel when I attend Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Buddhist and Christian celebrations since I am one of those who believes that spirituality can be felt within all faiths and especially where many people congregate to praise.

However, last night I was also struck by something else. The levels of poverty within communities like the Somali community! It is clear that this community is one that has been hit particularly hard and integration has been difficult. High levels of poverty, family breakdowns and a gang culture has hit the community head-on and more needs to be done to assist in giving young Somalis a vision of hope and inclusion.

The Somali community nationally and internationally is a hard working one; it always has been and it has survived through some of the toughest periods of its nations history. No doubt, it will be able to play a strong pro-active role in London's development, though it needs local authorities to look at solutions of what works well with other such communities and implement it with young people. That is why I am suggesting that new innovative approaches be taken in policing in London for example.

One of these bold innovative approaches is to place seconded detached youth workers with Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT's). What a difference this would make to the work of these teams. It would help penetrate youth groups and reduce the juncture between the Police, Community Support Officers (CSO's) and young people. It will also help to tackle the causes of crime as well as criminal incidents. Together we must think about integrated approaches and one that will build for the future through simple common sense solutions. Detached workers with SNT's is one of those common sense solutions.

Nick Clegg is Certainly a Formidable Force

Having spent this evening with members of the Liberal Democrat Youth & Students, I was privileged to hear Nick Clegg talk about the openess, transparency and vibrancy within the Party. Nick talked about this being a strength and it is this strength which means that we will always be the Party to talk straight and to make policy decisions that are relevant to people and communities.

It is clear that Nick is more than a 'rising star,' he is a formidable force and leadership oozes out from every word that he utters. And what a formidable group of Parliamentarians we have; Sir Menzies Campbell, Nick Clegg, Simon Hughes, Chris Huhne, Lynne Featherstone and there are many more. I am clear about one thing. The future holds many successes for the Liberal Democrats. God knows, if we ever needed Liberalism in politics, it is now and there is no stronger team than Liberal Democrat Parliamentarians.

Ken and His Posturing?

The Mayor of London is going to be making a trip to India very soon and no doubt his visit will be used as a posturing opportunity in a vain attempt to garner support from Asian communities in the UK as the London mayoral elections draw in. Interestingly when there is an election, Ken starts to travel to far flung places in a vain attempt to gather support though this is not a knock box against Ken since he has stood up on minority issues and has been vocal on them. What I object to is the use and abuse of the same communities that he states he supposedly stands up for. Come on Ken, don't do it and should you not be campaigning in London instead of enjoying the delights of India.

Avtar Lit to stand as Mayor for London?

Rumours are abound that the King of Sunrise Radio (Avtar Lit) is to stand as an independent candidate for the Mayor of London elections. Avtar who has singularly built up the station and who now owns numerous stations across the country, has stood for elections before at a national level. He stood as an independent candidate for Ealing Southall a few years ago and has a core voter base within the Asian community.

I personally like his style and manner and he is warm and very receptive. He is also incredibly politically able and I salute anyone who has the guts, strength and ability to try to be a candidate. I can tell you that it pulls on all of your skills and abilities.

I also believe that the more people should put themselves up for selection processes. If you live in London, want to make a change and believe that you have the inner strength and skills, go for it. And more than ever, we need more women candidates and those from Black and Minority Ethnic communities to put themselves forward

An Open Letter to Baroness Sayeeda Warsi

Dear Sayeeda,

Firstly let me congratulate you on your elevation and I am sure that you will meet many challenges ahead in the rapidly changing portfolio around communities. You have clearly worked hard in the Conservatives and are seen as a mentor to some. Well done!

On a separate note, it seems that your statements that supporters of the British National Party have ‘very legitimate views’ is I am sure a slip up since people who support the British National Party may have fears around immigration, employment and possibly community safety. Yet, many of the concerns arise from resources and a perceived lack of resources for indigenous groups. It is also a fact that there are pockets where young white men are socially stuck in an environment where there are housing issues, no real employment and low aspirations and certainly they must be assisted to bring them from the margins into the mainstream. They should have the opportunities to make a life for themselves, feel empowered both socially and financially and more than ever, an increase in income and life chances will reduce the anger and exclusion that they may feel.

Some of these fears need to be addressed and quick. And many of them are not based on facts and to legitimise perceptions is not helpful, nor constructive. I personally think that it is important to respect the views of people whether I agree with them or not, though it is a duty on us all to engage and inform those who are disaffected. Our country needs sanity in politics, less of the emotional and more of the factual, less of the knee jerk and more of the well researched (political positions). So may I ask that as we move towards an election, that race does not become a major topic as it seems to have done in the last 2 elections.
Rational politics – yes! Irrational debates – no!

Believe It or Not! We are Natural Allies

So where has it all gone so terribly wrong? Why have two minorities that should be natural allies so fundamentally moved in different directions? What am I talking about? Muslims and the Lesbian/Bi/Gay and Trans communities.

I remember marching in anti-Nazi Party rallies and in calling for racial equality in the capital in the 1980's and 1990's with fellow marchers who were gay and bisexual and I used to leave with a feeling that London was the most varied and the most exciting city on earth. One where you could find anyone, from the farthest countries of the globe and from any background, and get along with them. We still had a lot to do in those bad old days, but there was no mistaking the warmth between us. Not only was there a common bond in being seen as different, I also felt secure and safe that those from the Lesbian/Bi/Gay and Trans communities would understand some of the prejudice that is thrown against minority groups - which is still taking place now against migrant groups. You see, there was a natural alliance, a common bond, between my fellow campaigners and I. They were also fighting for my rights as a British Muslim of East African and Pakistani heritage.

This common bond has rapidly deteriorated with those crude separationists and religious zealots who have done much to damage relations between all communities. Christian, Jewish and Muslim fundamentalists alike have attacked the personal choice of individuals which frankly has nothing to do with them. I say that and shout out loud about it since my beliefs as a Muslim do not mean that I should denigrate or attack another group of people. That is not what Islam is about and it certainly isn't what London is about.

Moderate British Muslims get shouldered with a lot of responsibility - do more, stand up to the fanatics. No rest for them from me, for this is one more issue we need to take a stand on! Enough is enough. No more perverse and farcical attacks on the Lesbian/Bi/Gay and Trans communities. To each their own and live and let live. And I would go further than that and say, I reach out to those from both communities and ask whether we can march again. We never dreamed ten and twenty years ago that our communities would be split but that is what has happened and we need to arrest it and reassert our natural alliance. That is what Islam has taught me, respect for the individual and the respect for human life, not anger, intolerance and the rocky road that leads to stigmatisation.

A United London Against Fear

The recent terrorist bombings in London and the terrorist events in the Capital in the last 2 years (since the 7th of July 2005), have made us all feel on edge in London. We have been and will be resilient against the terrorist and extremism threat. Whilst extremism is prevalent in all religions and in various guises, (obviously the most dangerous is violent extremism), the purveyors of hate and the 'anger message mongers' need to be targeted and ousted from communities.

In 2005 after the 7/7 bombings, I was invited to be part of the Communities Working Group, a group that had been set up as part of the Extremism Task Force. That invitation was based on my experience of running community cohesion programmes and alternatively, by virtue of being a Muslim, I have also found myself interested in, yet sensitive to the safety and security needs of others. Allied to this, I have also been sensitive to the needs of those large numbers of law abiding and peaceful Muslims who just want to get on with their life and practice in peace. Yet I have also found myself angry at those who have committed terrorist crimes against my fellow citizens, whether they be Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists or members of any faith or none. I have found myself angry at those who commit terrorist atrocities against my fellow citizens who happen to be gay or bisexual and against those innocent bystanders that get caught up in such atrocities. You see, for me, those who carry out terrorist acts of violence not only attempt to kill innocents just getting along with their life, they also do a great dis-service to Muslims and to Islam. In fact, they are a real threat to Islam and to us as British Muslims and this is also the case with those extremists in other faiths. They do an injustice to their respective faiths which are based on tolerance, respect and the protection of human life.

This country has had a deep history of interaction with Muslims and whilst the history has not always been positive and productive, it nonetheless has been a fact of life. Yet, those voices of segregationism and isolationism that come from polar positions have no place within a modern Britain. And what are these polar positions; these include those xenophobes who want 'Islam and Muslims' banished from the UK and those who attempt to speak for Muslim communities and who talk the language of hate, isolation and destruction. Funnily, they both politically come from similar places though with opposing ideologies.

So, I say to those who take the line of extremism, ENOUGH! You are the problem and not the solution. To those who talk of a unicultural Britain, I say, the strength of Britain today is its diversity. Through the mixing of different communities, can we learn tolerance and mutual understanding. Through segregation, we only learn to caricature one another.

The Real Undercurrent in London

I spent Friday afternoon walking the streets of Central London wondering how politicians can all be so blind to what is taking place in this great City. Do they choose to purposefully delete out what is taking place right under our noses? You might think that I have lost the plot and that too much Lib Demmery has meant that I am on the slippery slope to joining the ranks of the sentimentalists and idealists.

Well, what triggered this introspection? About 2 miles down the road from where I was (Holborn), 'suits' were continuing to make their fortunes, buying commodities, selling them and playing the roulette wheel of 'buy. sell, buy, sell.' Yet in the room in which I had just sat in for 2 hours, all I saw were broken people, broken families, broken relationships and no hope. Just a blank black hole which would lead to early death and an epitaph in history that would read, "so much hope, yet so little achieved."

I sat for 2 hours listening to social security appeals of people who were overpaid, people who did not manage to turn up to interview appointments at the Job Centre Plus and those who had not disclosed information. And what was the undercurrent through each case? Depression, drug-induced psychosis, alcoholism, domestic violence and divorce and separation. These were broken people whose survival depended on the State, who had been caught up in bureaucratic measures meant to 'strengthen and develop people' for the world of work. Yet, whilst I agree with the principle and practice of getting people to work, these were the people that would not be able to hold down steady jobs. Not only had worklessness become part of them, their self esteem had also reached a point that the only thing that kept them going was alcohol and the poison of drugs.

You see, we talk about London and wealth creation. We all want to be wealthy or happy in other ways, yet I can tell you that I joined politics to help make changes for the poor, the dispossessed and the sick and downtrodden. Time and experience has taught me that we also need the wealthy, the successful and the entrepreneurs who keep the beating heart of the City pumping. They are one valve of many that pump the oxygen round our City. Yet, we do not see the broken people who need our help. They need a voice, they deserve social justice and they deserve a chance!

I want London to be theirs as much as it is for a wealthy man or woman living in St Katharine's Dock. I want London to be for the young Black man and for the Eastern European migrant who works in a food catering store. And I want London to be for the white young man who has lived on an estate for most of his life and who now feels excluded. For in his exclusion, we can all play a role in pulling him out, in giving him a chance, in giving him a vision. Will you stand by me and walk with me towards this vision? I hope you will, I hope you care, I hope you will act with me.

Sir Menzies - Blazing a trail!!!

Sir Menzies - having sat behind you in Brighton today - I see why you stated that experience and age over rides youth. The press have suggested that the 'Young Turks' are waiting in the aisles, but with your gravitas, your delivery and the strong messages that you belted out, there are very few in the Party who can command an audience like you did today.

I was proud of the Bill of the Rights, I was proud of you mentioning the financial and social disparity between London Boroughs only a few miles apart (Hackney and Hampstead) and I was proud of the manner in which you promoted tolerance and social inclusion through liberal values. You mentioned our strong multilateralist interventionist approach through the UN as opposed to the unilateralist disaster which is Iraq. You also gave the Party a steer on the role we play; that of social justice and protecting the rights of all individuals against an overbearing state.

Sir Menzies, lead us to the general election and beyond and all we have to say is: Gordon, bring it on; we as a Party are ready for the battle of ideas. In the end, Liberalism will win the war.

Post to Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur

I have the highest of respect for this hard working Assistant Commissioner who is a dedicated officer with a great deal of integrity. I have met with the Assistant Commissioner at various functions and have always known that he would be heading for the top! His recent portfolio includes looking after the security for the Olympics in 2012.

However, recent comments made by Tarique raise some questions as to whether foreign police forces will be armed and on the streets of London during the run up to the Olympics and whilst it actually takes place. He seemed to confirm that this may be the case and he stated that he wanted to bring about a public debate on this issue.

My response to this is that within an increasingly integrated network of police and military intelligence, work programmes undertaken with international police forces are fine as long as these forces are not armed on the streets of London. The only armed individuals I am willing to have on the streets of this great City are those of the Metropolitan Police Service and our own intelligence services and even then, I would like the armed presence to be hidden and out of sight.

Having armed police from international forces means that we will have officers trained to different standards within London and they will have the potential to exert lethal force.

I have therefore started a petition on my site, www.fiyazmughal.org.uk where I call upon Sir Ian Blair and the Mayor of London to ensure that our law enforcement officers are the only ones capable of taking armed action if needed during the Olympics.

Brighton Calling!! It's that time of year - Conference time!!!!

"Off to Brighton tomorrow night! I truly wish I could have got down today but it's a measure of how busy I've been this past week that on Saturday night about half past six it suddenly dawned on me that... oh yes, today is my birthday isn't it!

Very excited by some of the discussions we will be having in Brighton around constitutional change (surely requires a whole conference in itself if Iknow my fellow party members), the Middle East (my special subject) and particularly by Tuesday's 9.00 debate on the devolution of
planning powers to local authorities. This is really in line with what I've been putting together in thinking about the mayoral candidacy. There's nothing quite like living in London. We have such a dense population, and such incredible social and economic variations within tiny areas that it is imperative our planning strategies (a) look to the long-term future and (b) take the greatest possible account of the micro-circumstances on the ground. And what we're seeing at the moment is actually decreasing powers in local authorities to make those critical planning decisions and an increase in the Mayor's powers. Partly this is a result of the autocracy which has become a feature of this mayoralty, but it is also coming through operationally from the Housing Strategy.

The central aim of the Strategy is to build large numbers of cheap homes, which I applaud. Shortly before the whole mayoral race started I had justbeen appointed onto the board of Homes for Haringey, our local scheme for assisting first time buyers and Londoners on lower incomes with their housing, and I am committed to the principle. But urban planning in such a unique place as London just has to go beyond a panic response to the housing crisis. The consequences of the housing policies we are pursuing in this city now might be with us for hundreds of years. There isn't a dialogue on how London should look in thirty years time and there should be one. Tuesday's debate is bound to spark off ideas and tap into expertise that I look forward to co-opting into my policy-building. So off to the seaside.
Looking forward to seeing all there!!

Starting with what you have

I've always been interested in promoting transparent and managerially efficient governance in whatever forum I've been operating in - whether as a councillor or in my professional role in charity work - and my vision for London was always going to be informed by that. But it's only as I run around putting together notes and preparing for conference that a related point occurs to me with full force - I realise just how much you can get done with even a skeletal team helping you. Ken Livingstone has built an industry around recruiting his army of advisers. Many of them are brought into office from his Labour days, and these are people who wield power in both shaping policy and implementing it. At what point do his recruitment processes become led by who he wants to bring in, rather than what he needs to help him do his job?

I do not believe the current number of advisers is necessary. I would reduce the numbers, and radically overhaul the process by which advisers are appointed. I would introduce open recruitment panels with Londoners invited to sit on them alongside GLA staff to assess the people who will help to run their city.

Why will it work for London in particular? London is small. It's one of the few places in the UK where we can practice genuine inclusive government by the people, getting the community together in the same room, and I want to see that advantage used. People have a natural instinct for efficiency - certainly when they're paying for it! - which will keep the Mayoral office functional as well as accountable. You can get a surprising amount done with the right materials, though admittedly I am finding this cold comfort as I deal with the complete malfunction of my printer!!

A Brotherhood - a People Linked Together

The last 3 years has seen me work towards trying to bridge divides between Muslim and Jewish communities both here in the UK and within Palestine and Israel. This task has moved me, made my heart grow heavy with the pain that I have seen, allowed me to see the beauty that is possible (as the sun shone on the Dome of the Rock and the light rays reflected off Jerusalem - Al Quds!) All three faiths of Islam, Christianity and Judaism together physically , yet cracks against this cohesion are always under the surface.

My heart has grown heavy since Muslims and Jews have so much in common, so much history intertwined; so much to gain from a natural alliance and so much to mobilise together on in the common interest of the protection of civil and human rights that are fundamental to faith (and also to those who choose to have no faith). When I see some of the poverty and hopelessness within areas like the West Bank, I can but only be thankful of the basic things that we take for granted in the UK. Clean water, freedom and security are regular buzzwords that we use but when you are trying to eek a living out of the harsh enviroment, day to day existence is the only aim.

I hope to continue to travel to Palestine and Israel in the future and to work on conflict resolution programmes especially ones that try to provide common points of dialogue and discourse. That is the basic action that I can take, to get out of my comfort zone and to do something that tries to give people the basic opportunity to talk to each other and to turn away from the gun. God knows, if ever we need to talk, it is now!

Working for You, Working for London

The World of the Blogosphere! And what a challenge ahead – being selected as one of the last three in the Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidacy process! It has been a tough selection process and one which has been testing, though I relish the challenge ahead. I guess 7 years of work around campaigning both locally and centrally have meant that my skills to deal with intense pressure have been honed and developed and more importantly, the ability for me to pick up on things quickly has also been fine tuned.

So what does the road ahead look like? As the Lib Dem one liners say – it is a two horse race between Brian and me. Thoughts resound in my head to put ‘boxing type’ names against both of our names though this is not a contest where the best man or woman wins, it is contest which has with it luck, how to work the media and teams of people who are dedicated to see their candidate through.

As I said earlier, I relish the next 6 weeks. However, I do feel a bit like someone in the ring having trained to get to this point. The Vaseline is on the face, my jaw guard is in and the gloves are on! The only problem is that the real focus should not be at each other, but on the other two candidates. If anything, London needs a Mayor that is not divisive but someone who can UNITE. I believe that I can do that and the starting point is within the Party as we move forward to greater success!

What a Day!!!

The phones started ringing early this morning! Calls from media agencies asking for comments. The thing is, I had got to bed at 3:30 am after getting through an array of work related e-mails and political contacts that had seen me on the TV and on various web-sites. Well, here was the rollercoaster, the rock and roll of politics and a chance to show the metal of political gladiators! And to top it off, there was no cereal in the morning!

Leaving the house at 9 am, by the time I reached the office, I had taken 4 calls from media sources all asking for an array of comments. (Where was the agent now to field off the calls - you just can't get the staff nowadays!!!). And what a start to the day it was. A union meeting for 90 minutes followed by staff meetings and a mad dash to Enfield CAB for a one to one with my Enfield CAB Bureau Manager. Another hour later and another operational meeting. I was ready to get the horlicks followed by a line of caffeine infused into my bloodstream. And yet the day was not finished; it was finally rounded up at 8 pm after 3 hours of catch-ups with my e-mails and reports. Then more calls.

So this is what it is all about; Ken, after this - I think your job is well within reach.