Brian Paddick

Dear Friends and Supporters,

It feels a bit like waking up with a hangover but without the headache!

Thank you so much for all the hard work and support that was put into our campaign.

It is important to recognise the unique nature of this set of London elections set against the context of the national picture. If the London picture were reflected nationally we would have cause for concern and for being despondent but not a bit of it!

We have had one of the best ever results nationally and this is a major boost for our new leader, Nick Clegg. Four years ago we picked up a lot of support from those who, like me, were disgusted at the illegal war in Iraq.

For us to improve our position nationally, as we did on Thursday, is a triumph for the party and I am immensely proud to call myself a Liberal Democrat despite the London results.

Many Londoners had had enough of Ken Livingstone and believed, encouraged by the press, that the only way to get rid of him was to vote Tory. Many other Londoners saw the imminent danger of having Boris Johnson as Mayor, encouraged by the opinion polls, and defected to Labour. The staggering number of spoilt ballot papers showed that people did not understand the voting system and simply went all out for either Labour or the Tories.

I spoke to Tony Travers last night, the academic and independent commentator on London politics, who told me that we had done very well indeed in all the circumstances and that we should be proud of our performance (and Tony is no friend of the Liberal Democrats).

As I kept saying during the campaign, in the 15 or so London by-elections between September last year and April, right across the capital, what Londoners really feel about us came through:

Liberal Democrats 36%
Conservatives 28%
Labour 25%

We got squeezed between two political monsters in a way we had never seen before. We did our best. We need to get off the floor, brush ourselves down and get back to our usual winning ways. I hope to join as many of you as possible in Crewe - we have a Parliamentary by-election to win! Details are at www.elizabethshenton.com

Apparently the best thing to do when you get thrown by a horse is get back in the saddle as soon as possible, although I wouldn’t know one end of a horse from another!

Thanks again everyone.

With every best wishes,

Brian

Commenting on Boris Johnson’s statement that he will not stand down as Henley’s MP for a year if elected as Mayor, the Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate, Brian Paddick said:

“Broken promises are what we expect from politicians once they are in office, but it looks like Boris has jumped the gun.

“We know from experience not to trust Ken Livingstone, but now it appears that Boris and Ken are as bad as each other.

“We have had enough of career politicians, what Londoners need is someone with integrity who is genuinely committed to London.”

Londoners face a real dilemma on Thursday. Ken Livingstone has proved he is not fit to be our Mayor any longer, Boris Johnson has never done anything to prove that he is fit to be Mayor, and Brian Paddick does not stand a chance - or does he? You see, these polls we have been seeing involve little more than a click of the computer mouse or answering a telephone call. When it comes to going to a polling station and facing the reality of a ballot paper with “Mayor of London” at the top, it is going to be a different story.

I say that because I am in the same position as other ordinary Londoners; I know exactly how you feel. The dilemma is reflected in the high number of undecided voters in yesterday’s YouGov poll - 13 per cent of the total. This is a race where political cynicism and party loyalty are unnecessarily limiting people’s choices.

For instance, a smartly dressed black woman stopped me in Westminster the other day. “I want to vote for you but I’m a Conservative, through and through,” she explained. Not “Boris has the best policies” but “I’m a Conservative”.

But what kind of Conservative is Boris? When he explained that he wanted to give an amnesty to illegal immigrants in London, David Cameron, the Conservative leader, described Boris as “his own man”, code for “I do not agree with him”. Yet in other ways Boris seems to hail from another era, making racially and religiously insensitive remarks worthy of a Tory party long since left behind. It is not that Boris Johnson is to the Left or the Right of the new Conservative Party - he is all over the place.

Click here to read the full article on from the Evening Standard.

Today we launched two new “viral” videos on YouTube to highlight a few of the many reasons that illustrate how both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson are unfit to be the next mayor of London. To watch the videos, click the play button below and help us spread these videos by using the “menu” button to host these videos on your website and to send them to your friends and family.

Missing Idiot

The Ken and Friends World Tour

Jonty Stern from the 2007 season for Big Brother, stopped by the Paddick for Mayor office earlier today to film a short YouTube clip on why he is supporting Brian and Liberal Democrats in on May 1st. To view the video, click the play button below:

Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate Brian Paddick today pledged to turn London into the world’s first Wi-Fi capital in the world if he is elected Mayor on 1 May.

The scheme, to be rolled out in ten inner London boroughs for an initial trial period, would provide free Wi-Fi access in all public places in London. It would be extended to cover Greater London after a public consultation.

Brian Paddick also pledged to work with both the voluntary and private sector to help people on low incomes to have access to a computer.

Commenting, Brian Paddick, said:

“London is a 21st century city and as Mayor I would want to see 21st century technology accessible to all. If elected, I pledge to work with the private sector and local boroughs to make London the first Wi-Fi capital in the world. Access to the internet is access to knowledge, jobs and education and I will do all I can as Mayor to close the gap between the digital ‘haves’ and digital ‘have nots’.

“The scheme would be piloted in 10 inner London boroughs and rolled out further if feedback was positive.

“I will also work with computer recycling charities such as Computer Aid, private sector companies, job centres and local authorities to help those who do not currently have access to a computer, use the scheme”.

Commenting on the publication of a Metropolitan Police Authority report on the Olympic Torch relay, in which it emerges that the Mayor knew about the flame attendants in late 2007, Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick, said:

“The MPA report makes quite clear, in direct contradiction to what Livingstone has told us, that the Chinese security guards were part of the legal contract between the GLA and the Chinese authorities. For the Mayor to say he knew nothing about it - and would not have allowed it - is simply not true.

“The fact is the Mayor knew about this in 2007. How many other times has the Mayor lied to Londoners?”

Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick, whose campaign has focused heavily on new media after recruiting top American web strategist Jerome Armstrong and his firm, the WebStrong Group, will host the very first UK live video webchat on Ustream.TV in an attempt to reach out to wider audiences in the race for London Mayor.

Brian Paddick will be responding live to online comments from web users via Ustream.TV, the world’s leading live video webcasting site on Friday 18 April between 7.30-8.30 pm.

Ustream.TV has been used widely by candidates in the 2008 US presidential elections to connect with voters and has also been used by celebrities to keep in touch with their fan base.

Campaign Manager Andrew Reeves said:

“The live webchat will allow Brian to hold a virtual hustings with Londoners from the comfort of their own home. Using the internet as a new way of engaging with Londoners will help Brian reach out to larger audiences and have a one-to-one dialogue with voters who would not otherwise attend political events.

“Our Ustream.TV video webchat is a pioneering first in British politics and the next step in our ambitious web campaigning programme to promote Brian’s message of change and serious solutions for London.”

To view the live video broadcast and webchat on Friday, go to www.brianpaddick.org/ustream or visit www.ustream.tv/channel/brian-paddick-for-mayor

Commenting on reports today that an advocate of suicide bombing is among a group trying to mobilise the Muslim vote for Ken Livingstone, Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick said:

“We have seen in the past how Ken Livingstone has invited the likes of Yusuf al-Qaradawi to City Hall, someone who holds abhorrent views, including treating women as second class citizens, the murdering of gay people and hatred towards Jews.

“This does nothing to support the overwhelming majority of law-abiding Muslims who are an asset to London.

“We need a Mayor who will unite all communities of London, not one who associates with people who promote hatred and division.”

Commenting on the latest Metropolitan Police Service 2007-08 crime figures published today, showing a general reduction in recorded crime but a rise in black on black gun crime, Liberal Democrats Mayoral Candidate Brian Paddick, said:

“The Metropolitan Police Authority has published a report stating the police statistics are unreliable. Officers are coming under pressure not to report crime. Something as serious as a shooting is going to be recorded but as far as other crime is concerned, fewer and fewer people are bothering to report crime to the police.

“I promise to reduce real crime in London by 5% for every year that I am Mayor, or I won’t stand again. On any measure, Ken Livingstone has failed to deliver his promised 50% reduction in crime and yet he has the cheek to ask Londoners to re-elect him for a third term.

“It’s time for someone who can deliver real change that Londoners will notice.”