Honest hypocrisy

John Cruddas has started to support the calls for a change in the voting system. Here is a youtube video where he says that he liked First Past the Post back when it helped get Labour elected but he doesn't like it any more because it is going to get them kicked out.

At least he's honest.

A Bexley day today

After my regular catch up with the Tony Dawson, the police borough commander for Bexley, I went to The Business Academy in Erith.

As part of the GCSE Citizenship course some of the students are making a video on youth gangs and how to stop them. They invited me to be interviewed for their DVD and I was impressed by how well thought through the questions were.

It was the first time that I have visited the academy and it was very impressive, like City Hall it is a Norman Foster building so the was plenty of light and space. I've never been convinced that the building is all that it takes to make a good school, but it helps. The school has a real buzz about it and it was great to see so much enthusiasm from both the staff and pupils.

I had the chance to pop over to the Europa Gym in Erith this afternoon to see the plans for the new gym that they are hoping to build in Crayford. The plans look very impressive and it would be great to see some of the Olympic legacy stretching to this side of the river.

Oh Brian!

My colleague on the London Assembly, Brian Coleman, has been getting himself in hot water again.

In an era when many politicians refuse to have an opinion on anything for fear of a bad headline, Brian's candour can be refreshing. The by-product of that candour is the occasional gaff.

And his recent comments about expenses, transparency, bloggers and the work rate of fellow Assembly Members sits squarely in the gaff side of the equation.

I have no doubt that Brian will see the light over expenses and with both Roger Evans (group leader) and I (dept group leader) being regular bloggers you might even find Brian taking that up too.

Only don't hold your breath on blogging front.

Livingstone, still talking but saying nothing.

"Act now or Paris will overtake London as Europe's capital city!" This is the headline from today's Evening Standard. Ken Livingstone gives us a terrible warning, beaten by the French. The FRENCH!!!!!

Naturally I read the article to find out what had triggered this apocalyptic prophesy. It was a speech given by President Sarkozy where he said that he wanted Paris to be a bigger financial centre than London. And that's it.

Livingstone claimed that there had been no major investment in London's business supporting infrastructure between 1977 and 1999. Basically blaming the Conservatives for Paris' ability to creep up on us.

Clearly Mr Livingstone's sight isn't what it once was because most Londoners will have noticed a load of tall buildings, a major conference centre and a light railway line in the docklands area. A major regeneration project initiated by the Conservatives.

Docklands now rivals other world business districts on its own. Poor old Ken, desperate to be seen as a credible candidate for the 2012 mayoral elections but increasingly sounding shrill and out of touch.

Sir Paul comes to Bromley

Sir Paul Stephenson, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police visited the Bromley Community Engagement Forum AGM this evening.

He spoke to the meeting about his priorities for the Met, the challenges of the recession and the changes that he plans to make. It was clear that Sir Paul's brand of front line first, no nonsense policing was exactly what the audience wanted to hear.

Questions from the floor covered everything from the number and distribution of police stations to the effect on UK policing of the Lisbon Treaty. I don't even get questions that diverse!

Pictured are (left to right) Howard Clarke (Chairman of the BCEF), Sir Paul Stephenson, me, Chief Sup. Charles Griggs (Borough Commander).

Centre fo Social Justice Awards

While the news is dominated by Labour's transport spending cuts, Government U turn after U turn and Gordon Brown's inability to tell the truth, I'd like to highlight something else.

Last night I was at the CSJ's Awards. Awards dos can be very formulaic and dull but listening to the work that the voluntary sector does in tackling poverty, addiction and crime is something which deserves greater exposure.

The effort put in by organizations large and small genuinely saves lives and saves the tax payer £millions. I think that Ian Duncan-Smith, the SJ and all those people who work in the voluntary sector deserve a huge vote of thanks.