London

Olympic Torch Arrives in Britain

This is a picture of Ben Ainslie the triple Olympic gold medalist who received the Olympic flame carried in a lantern to Lands End by the Royal Navy. He was the first of the 1000 torch bearers to carry the torch in its 8,000 mile relay across Britain and should arrive in London to open the 2012 London Olympics in 70 days time.

The BBC and ITV News teams both filmed the event and the BBC also filmed what looked like a security incident where torch bearer security prevented a member of the public who tried running next to the torch bearer.

It is due to be carried through Cornwall and into Devon, where it’s expected to reach Plymouth Hoe tonight.

The relay torch bearers both young and old, are members of the public chosen for their achievements and community activity with each torch-bearer running  300m with the torch before passing the olympic flame to another bearer’s torch.

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Ken moved by Londoner’s plea

Ken Livingstone showed a very caring and emotional side of himself as he was overcome by watching a video by Londoner‘s backing his campaign. In the video members of the public implored  him to do the best for London, should he become London Mayor a second time. One member of the public saying in the promotional video ‘Go on Ken – do it for London!’

Mr Livingstone who was visably moved by the video, speaking to the Telegragh newspaper said that if he lost the electoral campaign that he would not stand again and that he would go back to doing his radio programme but added recounting his childhood :

‘if I lose the opportunity to help millions of ordinary Londoners for whom every day is now a terrible struggle. I grew up in that post-war Britain where parents had to count every penny, everything had to be used, it was a real struggle, and we are back in that world. If I fail to do that, it’s a guilt I carry to my grave. I want the chance to make life better for ordinary Londoners.’

He also has previously criticised Boris Johnson, the current Mayor, for not being present during the time that the London riots were taking place – as he had been on holiday – Mr Livingstone saying that he had failed Londoners at their time of greatest need as their Mayor.

Ed Miliband who was also present during the screening of the video patted an overcome Ken Livingstone in support for his campaign for mayor.

For more information and to support Ken Liivingstone in his campaign to be Mayor of London again please visit  http://www.kenlivingstone.com/home

Related articles

• Tears in his eyes – but will ‘underdog’ Ken Livingstone have last laugh on election day? (independent.co.uk)
• Ken Livingstone in tears at ‘huge responsibility’ for London mayor – The Guardian (guardian.co.uk)

Mayor Tax Debate Rages

After last nights promice on Newsnight – the four main (Conservative, LibDem, Labour and Green Party) hopefuls for the London Mayor election have each produced details of their income and taxes. There now however is speculation over the transparency of the details produced and in particular the delay in Ken Livingstone producing his tax and income details.

GuidoFawkes.com has implied that the figures produced by the Labour candidate are only a partial summary of his income/taxes stating that it is based on personal tax/income and not his company’s tax details in full (Guido Fawkes) and that the figures were not produced by an accountant but by a former member of his team; his Climate Advisor, when he was Mayor of London.

It also raises concern over why he is paying himself through dividends rather than a salary and questioning whether Ken has been taking advantage of the National Insurance exemption in doing this.

LibDem hopeful Brian Paddick not only produced his full tax return over the last three years but in a slight oversight in his attempt to produce these figures neglected to shield the details of his personal National Insurance and home address for the public to view. Boris Johnson also had produced his tax details  showing he paid 45.1 per cent of his income in tax in 2010/2011, a rise from 36.8 per cent in 2009/10.

On the Ken4London site the following statement has been produced to cut fares has been produced and a letter from his team to the parties concerning the details of Ken’s income and tax posted as this article goes to press.

The spectator online magazine have accused the Ken and his Labour team of silence in the delay of the details accusing his team of not answering the why the details were not ealier forthcoming. The Labour team had put out the following statement

‘We believe household publication is necessary for full disclosure as the question of Ken’s income and his wife’s income and their tax has been central the coverage of this issue. Publication of Ken’s returns alone will not address many of the questions that have been raised. The only way to answer all the questions about this issue and to move the debate on the real issues facing London is for full household income disclosure. This should apply to all the candidates equally to avoid any further questions about the income and tax affairs that may or may not be applicable to them through their households. The same principles need to be applied to all the candidates if this process is to be seen as open and fair.”

Related articles

• Team Ken Send Out Tax Lines to Tweet Script (order-order.com)
• London elections: Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone issue tax details – BBC News (bbc.co.uk)
• London mayoral candidates agree to publish tax details – The Guardian (guardian.co.uk)
• Boris and Ken in furious row in lift after radio debate (itv.com)

The Liver Run

Cromwell Hospital

This  enthralling piece of footage is the second part of the crucial delivery of a donor liver by the Metropolitan Police.

The liver was collected from Stanstead Airport by the Essex police on its first part of its journey – however the Metropolitan police had the unenviable task of navigating into London to the Cromwell Hospital

The journey begins from Junction 7 by two Metropolitan police Rover SD1 3500s. The two cars(one a back-up) speed Southbound into London. At times their speeds peak at  120 Mph .

The journey  was made in 30 mins with just 5 minutes to spare and described as one of the finest examples of police driving under pressure ever captured on video.

Around 50 police officers were used to help transport the liver. These were mainly posted in advance to road junctions to stop the traffic as the liver run approached.

When driving through The City area of London, two motorbikes from the City of London police helped escort the Metropolitan police cars.

Wheelchair Demo in London

Today protesters have gathered in the West End to campaign against the government’s welfare reform bill. Oxford Street, Regent Street and Oxford Circus have been brought to a standstill as people in wheelchairs chained themselves together.

Campaigners from disability groups and direct action group UK Uncut chanted and waved banners and banged drums blocking off Regent Street and the demonstration is believed to have caused traffic jams in London’s West End as fifteen people in wheelchairs chained themselves to railings and eventually were joined by hundreds of others to campaign against the Government’s Welfare Reform.

Campaigners believe that hundreds of thousands of families will lose their homes or become “imprisoned” inside them. Josie McDermott, a 32-year-old UK Uncut supporter, said: “The welfare reform bill is cruel and unnecessary”  and added “..this protest is an essential way to persuade the government to scrap its plans.”

Campaigners believe that the Government is choosing to pick on marginalised groups of people in the UK, in trying to pay back the economic UK deficit rather than focussing on the large bonuses and companies that they believe continue to avoid tax to the estimated amount of £25bn.

“It is typical bully tactics by the government to force marginalised people in society to pay for the economic downturn” one campaigner said.

A spokesperson for the Government said that they will continue to spend more than £40bn a year on disabled people, and that they are committed to supporting disabled people in the UK.

The bill will not affect households  where someone receives disability living allowance, as they will be exempt from the benefit cap the Government has pledged, and they have also said that an extra £190 million will be given to local authorities over a four year period to ensure vulnerable people are supported through the housing benefit reform to ensure that disabled people will not lose their homes.

Related articles

• National News: Welfare protesters plan occupation (coventrytelegraph.net)
• Protesters plan welfare reform demo (independent.co.uk)
• VIDEO: Protest over disability cuts (bbc.co.uk)
• PRESS RELEASE: Disabled activists and UK Uncut join to oppose ‘cruel and unnecessary ‘ welfare bill (victimsofatoscorruption.wordpress.com)

Children in Need

BBC Children in Need is now here again  – so give what you can afford!

If you can’t afford to give – try to do something to help  – remember every £5 raised and donated is given by the BBC to children both in the UK and overseas