用英文介绍下伦敦政治``不要用翻译机谢谢``如果介绍的好``追加分```

用英文介绍下伦敦政治``不要用翻译机谢谢``如果介绍的好``追加分```

Selling London
Mayor Johnson's busy day concludes this evening with a speech at the Visit London awards at the Royal Albert Hall. Ken Livingstone's economics adviser John Ross thinks he should use the occasion to reverse what Ross claims are £6.5 million of cuts, "almost one third, in budgets to promote London abroad." I've a feeling that won't happen, but Ross's argument is worth reading:
The fall in the exchange rate of the pound means London has just become a cheaper, and therefore more attractive, destination for tourists and inward investors into London - this message should be being hammered out through increased spending on promoting London abroad not through cuts in such expenditure. Instead one of the world's most admired and effective city marketing machines, which brought many many millions of pounds of benefit to London's economy in increased tourist numbers, has either been abolished or seriously weakened by Boris Johnson's administration.
At the Visit London awards this evening will Boris Johnson be forced to reverse his cuts to budgets marketing London?
Boris Johnson is speaking as Mayor at the Visit London awards this evening. The advance press release is full of warm words. But the reality of Boris Johnson's administration has been huge cuts, almost one third, in budgets to promote London abroad and the departure of the Chief Executive of Visit London. Therefore ignore the words - just focus on the budgets. The key issue this evening will be whether Boris Johnson will be forced to declare he is reversing his cuts to the budgets to promote London abroad
First the words in Mayor's Office press release: ''The Mayor is expected to reinforce the message that London remains a top destination for tourists and is better value than ever for overseas visitors, in a keynote speech at Thursday's Visit London Awards... The Mayor wants to ensure that people continue to come to the capital from across the UK and overseas, to help the city's economy through the downturn.'
The reality of this administration? London Unlimited, the strategic body responsible for integrated promotion of London has been entirely abolished, its staff dismissed, and its budget abolished - London Unlimited brought together Visit London (tourism), Think London (inward investment), Film London, London Higher (London's higher education sector) and other agencies. Simultaneously Visit London's budget has been cut. The Chief Executive of Visit London has departed.
These cuts amount to a reduction of £6.5 million in the slightly over £20 million a year budget for promoting London - or a reduction by one third plus the departure of a Chief Executive admired in the industry. These cuts would be wrong at the best of times. They are totally damaging to London at a time when it faces economic recession, when tourism is one of London's most important industries, and when the importance of inward investment from the large new emerging economies of India and China is even more important to London than ever. It is even more ridiculous when the fall in the exchange rate of the pound means London has just become a cheaper, and therefore more attractive, destination for tourists and inward investors into London - this message should be being hammered out through increased spending on promoting London abroad not through cuts in such expenditure. Instead one of the world's most admired and effective city marketing machines, which brought many many millions of pounds of benefit to London's economy in increased tourist numbers, has either been abolished or seriously weakened by Boris Johnson's administration
Boris Johnson's administration has been subject to so much criticism on this that he may just be forced to announce these cuts are being reversed at Visit London's awards this evening. Those attending, and London as a whole, may ignore the words. They should concentrate on one thing - whether he will announce that the damaging cuts he imposed on promoting London abroad will be reversed.
Hopefully he will announce the reversal of the cuts - if not there should be uproar as his is deeply damaging London on this issue during a recession. But even if the cuts are reversed it shows the problem with Boris Johnson's administration. Occasionally reality comes along and hits it so hard on the head that it is forced to reverse course from its own failure to understand the key issues facing London. But London does not need an administration that is dragged along kicking and screaming in the wake of events - least of all when it confronts the biggest financial crisis for eighty years. It needs an administration that foresees what the the big challenges that confront London are. On the promotion of London Boris Johnson's administration has shown it totally fails to understand the modern world
Boris Johnson vows to 'jump-start' London housing market
Boris Johnson today announced plans to "jump-start" the housing market in the capital and deliver 50,000 new homes by 2011.
The London mayor's draft strategy, published today, outlines his plans to spend £5bn over the next three years to boost the housing market.
In a move designed to stop housing projects being mothballed, the mayor plans to provide "gap funding" to private developments that might otherwise collapse.
The move comes as City Hall figures show 195,000 homes with planning permission have yet to be completed.
Unsold homes will be bought up and turned into affordable housing at least until the economy improves.
In a sop to middle-income earners, Johnson wants to raise the household income limit for low-cost shared-ownership schemes from £60,000 to £72,000, allowing more people to part-buy, part-rent homes.
The move is a clear move away from eligibility based on employment categories, such as public sector workers in the capital.
At the same time, the mayor has delivered on an election promise to scrap the 50% affordable housing target that his predecessor, Ken Livingstone, put in place to force boroughs to deliver more low-cost housing in their areas.
Johnson instead wants to set individual investment targets for 2008-11, which will be agreed with each of the 32 boroughs.
Livingstone wanted 70% of the new homes target to be met by housing for rent and 30% by low-cost ownership, after an independent housing need assessment conducted in 2004. The former mayor's critics say he did not achieve the ambitious target because of recalcitrant boroughs.
Johnson has replaced that with an aspirational target that will see 40% of the new homes made available for social housing – 5,000 fewer than previously planned.
Other measures outlined today include a £60m pot to bring long-term empty properties back into residential use, more family-sized and environmentally friendly homes, and efforts to halve the number of people in temporary accommodation by 2010 and eradicate rough sleeping on the streets of London by 2012.
Launching the strategy in central London, Johnson said the package of measures would put the capital on a "strong footing" for any eventual upturn in the housing market.
He said: "The strategy focuses not only on the issues facing the housing market in these difficult times but the historic problems of affordability, homelessness and overcrowding. It is designed to meet the needs of Londoners aspiring to get a foot on the housing ladder.
"For far too long London's finest have been priced out of the capital's housing markets and, as a result, forced out of town, with the capital losing their skills and expertise."
Johnson's plans to scale back new social housing was roundly condemned by opposition party members on the London assembly. The Green party in the assembly called on Johnson to justify the decision.
Jenny Jones, of the Greens, said London's social housing waiting lists had increased by 47% in the past five years, to 333,857 households. She said the target would mean London would deliver just half of the 20,000 socially rented homes needed each year.
Jones said: "The mayor's plan reduces the number of social rented homes to be built whilst detailing help for households earning as much as £72,000 to buy on the open market. His housing plans have put ideology ahead of the needs of Londoners. By shifting the focus away from social rented housing and on to homes for middle-income earners, the mayor is cutting support for those in greatest need."
Nicky Gavron, a Labour assembly group member and former deputy London mayor, said the Johnson had removed the pressure on individual boroughs their fair share of social housing.
"Over a third of a million Londoners are waiting for social housing yet the mayor's housing adviser has made it clear they will not impose any target for rented homes on London councils," Gavron said.
"Of course we should be helping people get on the housing ladder and encourage low-income ownership schemes, but the stark fact is there are over 9,000 low-cost homes lying unsold and empty, the bulk of which are in London.
"Until the housing market stabilises and there are mortgages available, these homes will stay empty and unsold. At the same time, Londoners are crying out for low-cost homes for rent. The mayor is kicking away the first rung of the ladder for the thousands of Londoners on housing waiting lists. These lists are only going to increase in the next few years."
The cross-party umbrella body representing London boroughs warned that the mayor's draft strategy may not be robust enough to fully rise to the challenges posed by the credit crunch in London.
Jamie Carswell, the London Councils executive member for housing, said: "The mayor's emphasis on low-cost home ownership – which should be praised for its ambition to make owner occupation more affordable – may not be viable in the current financial climate. With more and more Londoners at risk of repossession, what the capital needs is more affordable rented housing."
Government figures published today revealed that the number of new homes being built in England slumped by a third during the past quarter to reach a record low.
Around 22,200 new properties were started during the three months to the end of September, the lowest level recorded by the Department of Communities and Local Government since it began collecting data in 1980.
The figure was 33% lower than during the previous quarter, and 48% down on the same period of 2007. The drop in the number of properties being built by private developers was even more severe, with new housing starts down 55% year on year.
The draft strategy will now be considered by the London assembly. The assembly's housing committee has already called on the mayor to focus on the rented sector, rather than home ownership.
Boris Johnson calls for illegal immigrant amnesty in LondonMayor believes estimated 400,000 people should have chance to 'earn' citizenship and contribute fully to society
Boris Johnson has call for an "earned amnesty" for thousands of illegal immigrants living in London, claiming that the notion that they will one day be deported from the UK is "just not going to happen".
The Conservative mayor of the capital is to commission a study into the feasibility of granting an amnesty for people living illegally in the city. It is expected to report in two months' time.
Johnson is willing to depart from the Conservative party line in his belief that an estimated 400,000 people who have lived illegally in the capital for years should have the chance to "earn" their citizenship in order to play a full part in London life, including paying their taxes.
Although he has no legal powers over immigration policy, Johnson said he wanted to "lead the debate" on the issue.
Johnson argued that a mass "programme of expulsions" would be both costly and legally difficult. A more sensible idea, he said, would be to introduce "earned amnesty", whereby after a period of about five years individuals could "show their commitment to this society and to this economy" to earn the right to stay.
"We want to look in detail at what the economic impact of such an earned amnesty system would be," Johnson told Channel 4 news last night.
"There are about 400,000 in London. That's a huge number. In principle these people have done the wrong thing: they've broken the law. In principle they should all be taken and sent back to their place of origin, that's the right thing to do ... (but) unfortunately it is just not going to happen."
Johnson is expected to lobby the Labour government once the feasibility study is complete, although both Labour and the Conservatives regard the issue as politically toxic and have in the past attacked the Liberal Democrats for suggesting it.
Johnson first floated proposals for an amnesty for long-standing illegal immigrants during his mayoral campaign, prompting the Conservative leader, David Cameron, to comment that amnesties "just store up" the need for further amnesties in the future.
A Tory spokesman said last night: "We will have to agree to differ on this. One-off amnesties have been tried elsewhere and the evidence is that they do not work, but lead to more."
The Conservative group within the London assembly are also opposed to such a scheme, believing it to be unworkable without stronger border controls to dissuade people from entering the country illegally with the aim of being granted legal status under future amnesties.
Johnson stressed he was not seeking to set up incentives for illegal immigration, but to regularise and decriminalise those already in the system.
"You don't want to create moral hazard, but I think you should have a system whereby people who have been here for a long time can earn a way out of the mess they're in," he said.
Johnson's spokesman conceded that the mayor "cannot change the laws on immigration", but added: "It is his job as mayor to speak out for people in London on issues where he has relevant things to say.
"He is not committed to lobbying the government on this but he has committed to explore the issue fully."
The launch of the review coincided with the day City Hall held its first-ever London-wide citizenship ceremony.
A resident from every one of London's 33 boroughs attended the ceremony and was presented with a certificate and commemorative gift
Capital ideasBoris's errors must be exposed: I've set up a new forum to challenge him on a range of issues vital to the city's future
Progressive politics offer the best approach to dealing with the new economic and political situation. The financial storm is effectively destroying the economic consensus that dominated British and American politics since the time that Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were in power. The international financial crisis means that to sustain London as the best city in the world and protect living standards we need more – not less – public investment in areas like transport, housing and the environment while, for example, holding down fares and promoting the city's international openness and multicultural dynamism.
In order to promote exactly this kind of discussion a new coalition, Progressive London, is being established today to advocate progressive policies for the city.
London is in a position to take a number of steps to start to tackle the consequences of the economic downturn: public sector intervention in the building of "affordable" homes and the retention of the policy that 50% of new homes should be low-cost; a reversal of cuts to London's tourism budget and the allocation of a further £5m a year for the next two years to promote the visitor-economy; more support for responsible developers in the West End including on the route of Crossrail to encourage investment; cancelling the forthcoming above-inflation fares increase; pressing on with transport infrastructure projects; reinstating the central role of regeneration and economic development in the 2012 Olympics; ensuring no reduction in London Development Agency spending; and strengthening London's presence in the new emerging markets, especially India and China. All of these would address the effects of the financial crisis on London.
Progressive London will encourage discussion about these and other issues of importance to London's future at a conference in January, with speakers representing many strands of London life and political background including from the Labour party, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, trade union leaders, intellectuals, artists, cultural practitioners, community activists and city government experts.
Progressive London will campaign for a fair deal on fares. The mayor's job is to protect Londoners as far as possible from the effects of recession, but instead they will be hit hard with an inflation-busting fare increase early next year. Overall fares will rise by 6% but some fares will rise by a lot more. The price of a single bus journey on Oyster will go up by 11%, to £1. But Londoners need not be paying these fare increases. The mayor's policy has been to put up fares whilst protecting drivers of gas guzzlers. At a time when everyone is affected by tougher economic times London government should not be forcing the public to pay an inflation-busting fares increase.
Steve Hart, the leader of the London region of the Unite trade union argues today that: "We need an open London, economically dynamic and socially just, with job security and real training, without child poverty, with decent housing for all and the best healthcare; a world city which celebrates our diversity as a strength not a weakness; an innovative city, not afraid to lead the global financial sector, based on rational regulation and social ownership instead of neo-liberal free market greed; a green carbon-cutting city thriving from leadership in the job-creating green economy, including exemplary public transport." Unfortunately the policy agenda in London is taking us in the wrong direction.
The policy that half of all new homes in London should be low-cost has been abandoned, whilst no coherent policies to address the chronic shortage of new house building are being put forward. The most irresponsible bankers have been vigorously defended by City Hall but London still does not have a recovery plan to address the recession. Last week we saw support ended for virtually the entire investment programme in new transport links, from the Croydon Tramlink extension to extensions to the Docklands Light Rail. Instead of promoting London's openness and tolerance the mayor's administration is considering cutting funding for events celebrating London's diverse communities and restricting their use of Trafalgar Square; Soho Pride has seen its funding cut; women and black people have been eliminated from the most senior positions in London government. After being the world leader in fighting climate change, London has lost its position as the chair of the C40 group of major cities challenging climate change. The western extension of the congestion charge in Chelsea, Kensington and Westminster is under threat. Shelving the £25 CO2 charge on gas guzzlers has cost Londoners £50m; and ending the "oil for expertise" agreement with Venezuela has cost London £20m.
London has a rich and diverse tradition of progressive politics. Progressive London aims to bring together all Londoners who want their city to lead the world in the 21st century and protect their quality of life at a time when every penny counts.
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