16th Sep, 2008

Silence Speaks Louder Than Words

Here, as well as my oral question, are the “answers” to my written questions submitted to Mayor Boris for the London Assembly meeting on September 10th. As you you can see the response can at best be described as “evasive” and I must say I am rather disappointed.

It appears that Mayor Boris doesn’t like interacting with me at all and perhaps I remind him of what he should and desires to be rather than the politician he is currently having to pretend to be. I’ll let you all make your minds up about this, but as the old adage goes, sometimes silence speaks louder than words.

Notting Hill Carnival
Question No: 1697 / 2008
Richard Barnbrook

Can the Mayor comment on the shocking level of violence and intimidation directed towards Metropolitan Police Officers during this year´s Notting Hill Carnival? Considering the astronomical costs, the policing bill alone exceeding £6 million, which falls upon the taxpayers of London, can the Mayor assure the people of this city that the suspension of this event is an option available to him?

Notting Hill Carnival (2)
Question No: 1698 / 2008
Richard Barnbrook

In the light of the fact that the total budget for next year’s London St George’s Day celebrations amounts to £100K, can the Mayor provide us with the total amount of public money that this year was directed towards the Notting Hill Carnival?

The total public money (GLA/LDA) that was directed towards the Notting Hill Carnival was £125k. This GLA spend was a funding agreement towards supporting the stewarding operation of Notting Hill Carnival, an integral part of this community delivered event.

A separate, but related, event to Notting Hill Carnival (Panorama/Carnival in the Park), which was held in Hyde Park over the ‘Carnival weekend’, received funding of £150k. This event aimed to relieve some of the ‘pressure’ of audience numbers, by enabling people to enjoy elements of the Carnival experience in a less crowded and intense environment.

Carnival attracts in excess of ¾ of a million visitors from very diverse backgrounds, from London, nationally and internationally. The event also has a wider economic value, as one of London’s largest outdoor events and its international appeal, being the largest Carnival in Europe and second largest in the world. This is much more than a community event and should be celebrated as one of London’s cultural and tourist assets.

The £100k budget for St George’s Day is in line with GLA funding given to other major community events we hold on Trafalgar Square, such as St Patrick’s Day and Chinese New Year.

Metropolitan Police Officers
Question No: 1699 / 2008
Richard Barnbrook

Considering the Mayor´s previous condoning of the banning of law-abiding British National Party members from the Metropolitan Police Force does the Mayor think that supporters of extreme left-wing or radical Islamic groups are acceptable as Metropolitan Police Officers?

As I have previously said I support the ban on BNP membership of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Religious celebrations
Question No: 1700 / 2008
Richard Barnbrook
From December 7th until December 31st City Hall has announced that it will be celebrating a minority religious festival. Will the Mayor explain what provisions he is making in order to celebrate Christmas - the main festival in the Christian calendar in the capital city of a traditionally Christian country?

I have asked officers to ensure there is a suitably jolly Christmas tree at City Hall.

Curriculum
Question No: 1701 / 2008
Richard Barnbrook

Labour Minister for Children, Kevin Brennan, has recently announced plans for a new curriculum that focuses on ethnic minorities and their impact on British history, which in my view amounts to the indoctrination of London schoolchildren. Besides teaching the children of London about the spread of Islam in Africa, Mr Brennan has also issued the following statement: `immigration, the Commonwealth and the legacy of the Empire put into a clear historical context… This can help pupils prepare for life in a diverse and multi-ethnic society’. As a former teacher, does the Mayor agree with me that focussing on the traditional 3 Rs approach to education is far more productive than what in my view is politically correct indoctrination?

Education policy is currently a matter for the government.

Olympic Tickets
Question No: 1702 / 2008
Richard Barnbrook

Can the Mayor assure the population of London that since a massive burden of the cost for the 2012 London Olympics will fall upon London Council Taxpayers concessionary tickets to the event will be made available to London Council Taxpayers as well as subsidised access to the ex-Olympic sports facilities after the event?

I am determined that tickets for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be accessible and affordable for Londoners and I am working closely with the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to explore all the options for achieving this.

Posted by: Richard Barnbrook

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Responses

As Boris supports the ban on British National Party members joining the Metropolitan Police, it must therefore follow that he is an opponent of, and willing to disregard, the European Convention on Human Rights, specifically:

Article 9 Item 1:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”

Article 10 Item 1:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. this right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises. ”

Article 11 Item 1:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests. ”

and I would specifically draw Boris’s attention to Articles 13 and 14 which state that:

Article 13:
“Everyone whose rights and freedoms as set forth in this Convention are violated shall have an effective remedy before a national authority notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity.”

Article 14:
“The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.”

As he has publicly stated his support on such a ban, presumably he is ready to be held accountable under the above Convention?

By: Legend on September 16th, 2008
at 4:52 pm

“As I have previously said I support the ban on BNP membership of the Metropolitan Police Service”

Can Mayor Boris give his reasons why the BNP shoiuld be banned from the police force.
If he’s supporting a ban, he must be able to give proof of his reasons surley?

By: bertie bert on September 16th, 2008
at 8:19 pm

It is disappointing that Boris is so silent on so many issues that are of immense important to Londoners.

Notting Hill carnival:

6 million on policing the Notting Hill carnival.

That was no carnival but a full scale riot.

What was the riot about ? Oh nothing, its just the way that certain Foreign Nationals seam to enjoy themselves of an evening, and all at our expense. Its disgusting that these criminals are above the law and above Boris’s condemnation. Traitor.

St.George’s day funding:

“The £100k budget for St George’s Day is in line with GLA funding given to other major community events”. WHAT! St. George’s day is our patron saint, and so should be receiving far higher funding than Foreign Nationals imported events. Integration can only be furthered if Foreign Nationals are taught what it is they need to integrate with! Then can hardly integrate with 100+ different foreign cultures, the English culture is what they have come for, so give it to them, its our duty. Which every way its viewed, the low funding is outrageous.

Ps. Well done Richard for getting 100K, which is far better than 230 pounds spent over the previous 5 years!

Metropolitan Police Officers:

So Boris is unconcerned that potential terrorist, and terrorist informants are joining our police force, but continues to deny Officers to belong to an opposition party. It just shows you how much he and the Conservatives cares about democracy and our safety.

Curriculum:

Why are the general public so blasé about the brain washing of children into excepting a mass immigration invasion of their home land, that offers them no benefits, only victimisation and crime. If the slave trade is going to be on the curriculum then why dose it not include the white slave trade carried out by Muslims, or the Muslim’s barbaric treatment of African slaves, under whom most of died.

We can be proud of our slave trade, because it was us that grew up and stopped it first!

By: noImmigration on September 17th, 2008
at 10:07 pm

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