Brian Paddick, Where Art Thou?

Alas poor Brian, I did not know him well. But I think he’d agree that we built up a decent rapport trawling through the streets of London from husting to husting, hustling, hustling for a policeman-friendly face that never really came. Since his mayoral election defeat, I have wondered how Brian was doing - but haven’t been brave enough to pick up the phone and contact either he or his PA. Maybe he no longer has a PA. Maybe Elton gave him a job (although he didn’t find that line of enquiry quite as funny as I did in April, as the cold rain of reality started to soak him at a Trafalgar Square meeting). ‘What will you do if you don’t become Mayor?’ I asked him the day before the election; ‘I am making no plans for life after May 1st!’ he had barked back. I remember thinking it was a little over-dramatic, but true to form – the man has certainly shunned the public life recently (if that isn’t being too assuming of media interest!?) Anyway back to Brian’s PA. I personally blame him for the Lib Dem’s spectacular cementing of third place. That guy had the look of the Titanic in his eyes, early doors. He made ‘shy and retiring’ seem like admirable fighting qualities for a boxer, which made me nervous – but only for them. And so this was the awkward car crash material that sparked a bio-chemical process that kick-started my superhero complex and ‘public duty’ compulsion to protect the needy and keep Boris’s entourage in public check. I remember how Boris always arrived a little later than Brian, but late enough to give Brian a false sense of media clearway - only for the church doors to fling open with biblical gusto, Johnson standing there in loin cloth holding staff; sucking all the light; a thousand improbable supporters singing and dancing trance-like. This was Jerry Springer: The Opera to Brian’s Christian sensitivities. The Boris camp had devised ways to distract, obstruct and ‘hog’ (US-presidential-style) publicity. And it has to be said that the tactics and levels of co-ordination were seminal – catching the old guard off guard. Muhammad Ali should have patented his ‘Rope-a-dope’ strategy a long time ago. But back to Brian: To every nearly-man, every 3rd umpire or referee (always behind the tv, never on it) every media-shy PR guy, every ‘Well Done Brian’ t-shirt wearer - we salute your initial endeavour. For you Brian, get well soon and let’s have a chat about getting you back into the spotlight on better political ground. Here’s your archive material. Let me know if I should keep it. Interview with Brian Paddick

Re Ethnic Minorities

conducted by Davis Mukasa, 30th April 2008 DM: Brian, how will you tackle the social-economic gaps that divide the people of London? BP: I will encourage regeneration of areas like Deptford, Stratford and Peckham by building a new network of trams and by completing Phase II of the East London Line which will provide fast and direct transport links to the City and central London. £3.5 million will be spent on giving free insulation to 10,000 of the poorest homes to combat fuel poverty. I will also push for all businesses in the city to pay their workers at least the London Living Wage of £7.20 per-hour. For the longer term I will work with London Boroughs, voluntary groups, and other tiers of government to push for more money for London schools, especially early years schooling, and to develop a co-ordinated approach against truanting. I will also work to expand schemes such as giving taster sessions of university life to children from disadvantaged backgrounds so as to encouraging them to go onto some form of education or training when they are 16. 2. In your eyes, what contributions do ethnic minorities make to London? The diversity that ethnic minorities have brought to this city have made it what it is today: the greatest city in the world, a city where you can experience almost all the World’s cultures in one place. 3. In what capacity will you work with ethnic minority groups? I will work with ethnic minorities in all my roles: as Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority in fighting crime, as Chair of the Learning and Skills in helping members of the ethnic minority communities receive the training they may need to advance in the job market, and overall as Mayor I will listen closely to all Londoners to make sure that the Mayor’s resources are directed towards their priorities. 4. What will your flagship policy as mayor be? I pledge to cut crime by 20% in my first four years and if I fail I would not seek re-election. I will achieve this target by restoring the public’s trust in the police and getting them to share the street-level knowledge they have of local crime with the authorities. Two measures to help do this are firstly making police more visible and having more of them walking the beat, and secondly having Stop and Search being intelligence led, instead of being led by the crude racial profiling which has alienates so many people. 5. This year’s contest has been exciting, but when will London see a ‘Barack Obama’? I am very keen for there to be more participation from ethnic minorities in London’s government. The Liberal Democrats are working hard to support ethnic minority candidates within the party and this year two of our most prominent candidates for the London Assembly, Meral Ece and Merlene Emerson, are from minority ethnic communities. 6. What will you do if you are not elected as mayor? I am making no plans for life after May the 1st! Interview conducted by Davis Mukasa, 30th April 2008

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