Issue 54
David Cameron intervenes on Higher Education Bill Page 4
Monday January 30 2012
QM Prof awarded CBE Page 16
The Great Debate: Page 7
Should Scotland be independent?
The Newspaper of Queen Mary Students’ Union
You will have a worse quality of life, says Ken
» Labour’s candidate spoke at QM about the hard decisions the next mayor will have to take
Image by Matthew TK Taylor
Alex Badrick Labour’s Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone held a question and answer session with QM students last week, the same day a poll put him two points ahead of current Mayor and former frontrunner Boris Johnson. “You are the first generation of young English people that will have a worse quality of life than your parents. The scale of debt, the environmental crisis, the lack of housing, the recession...we could be in a whole decade of virtually zero growth and zero increases in real wages” said Livingstone, in his preamble. “Before everyone rushes off and
decides what’s the best way of killing themselves at that rather grim prospect, there is absolutely no reason why your future has to be like that.” Livingstone outlined his plans for a “diversified” economy, his “fare deal” package and a proposed Mayor’s Letting Agency – committed to a “London living rent” - before condemning frontline police cuts, and taking questions. The majority of questions focused on Ken’s “fare deal” package – a proposal to cut the cost of travel by 7% - paid out of TFL’s £700million surplus. Livingstone promised investment in infrastructure and a review of cycle lane priorities at the Bow roundabout, following the death of two cyclists.
Many questions asked about inequality and Livingstone’s response if rioters were to return, to which he said “When I was Mayor and there was the accidental shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, we took the number three officer and put him on a plane to Brazil immediately... to apologise to [de Menezes’] parents... I went straight in press conferences to apologise and explain what had gone wrong. I think you might not have had the eruption of rioting in Tottenham [this year] if Mark Duggan’s parents had come back and said ‘we think they’re being honest and they’re listening to us’... – the spark is something you can deal with.” “I have to tell you, I can think of only two [initiatives] that are
uniquely Boris’, one is the helter-skelter type thing opposite the Olympic Stadium... then there’s the Emirates cable car... it is apparently turning out to be the most expensive cable car in human history – oh no there’s a third thing, he banned you drinking alcohol on the underground” said Livingstone of the current Mayor, adding “[he] meets bankers more often than police]” and declaring the Mayor “risk adverse.” Livingstone also committed to freeze or cut top City Hall salaries. Livingstone was joined by London Assembly Member John Biggs and Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, who said “opinionated, argumentative, that’s our Ken!”
“Not impressed with Ken” Management student @antoniahobdenli wrote on twitter, “maybe he will blame the transport system for his lack of punctuality.” LLM student @AmyLWedgwood wrote “Question dodged on what you'd do for commuters. Guess spending money in London and contributing to its economy is irrelevant.” QMSU President @Sophie_ Ritchie noted “Great to see Rushanara Ali and John Biggs joining @ken4london” while Aaron, @ azza_ds, said “Ken does talk a lot of sense. He does know how to smooth talk an audience but his policy ideas were sound.” “Ken Livingstone’s quite hot” adds Law student Arlina, @LITM4.