Category Archives: 2016 London elections

Assembly Member’s lunch at the Hilton excludes smaller firms

Steve O’Connell, the very well-paid London Assembly Member for Croydon and Sutton, clearly has no belief in the old adage that “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”. The elected representative is the star turn at a local business … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, 2018 council elections, Business, Croydon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kenley, Planning, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Newman snubbed as Labour group gives backing to Collins

After spending a couple of hours sitting in the shadow of the Clocktower nursing a half-finished pint of lukewarm Stella, WALTER CRONXITE reports on last night’s meeting which, if it wasn’t the end of the beginning, might be remembered as … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, 2018 council elections, Alison Butler, John Wentworth, Mark Watson, Pat Clouder, Patricia Hay-Justice, Paul Scott, Phil Thomas, Sean Fitzsimons, Stuart Collins, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Offensive, patronising and pathetic’: Croydon Tory slates Zac

A prominent member of Croydon Conservatives has described the Zac Goldsmith Mayoral campaign as “offensive, patronising, off-putting, negative and pathetic”. John Cartwright also publicly admitted that to “register a protest”, he voted for Sian Berry, the Green Party candidate, as … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Eddy Arram, Gavin Barwell, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Steve O'Connell, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Transport and housing need old policies, not New Labour ones

CROYDON COMMENTARY: A new era has begun for the capital. After an historic election, STEVEN DOWNES reports on the role of a Croydon property developer in Sadiq Khan’s campaign, and how that creates a challenge for the new Mayor of … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Boris Johnson, Housing, Ken Livingstone, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Steve O'Connell, Steve Reed MP, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

‘Silent Steve’ is back on gravy train thanks to Sutton votes

Steve O’Connell, a former mortgage salesman (he quit that job when he found the tax-payer paid more generously), has got his pension pot sorted, with £220,000 guaranteed income for the next four years, as the results from the London Assembly … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Bungling Newman sets up Collins for deputy leader contest

Tony Newman, Croydon’s Labour council leader, seems primed to torpedo his councillors’ own local election prospects with his latest piece of old pals’ act patronage. In the past 18 months, through poorly presented and badly timed policy announcements issued from Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, 2018 council elections, Addiscombe West, Alison Butler, Broad Green, Croydon Council, John Wentworth, Maddie Henson, Mark Watson, Oliver Lewis, Pat Clouder, Patricia Hay-Justice, Paul Scott, Sarah Jones MP, Stuart Collins, Toni Letts, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

In low-key election, the Tories’ invisible man should win

Two years ago, WALTER CRONXITE correctly predicted the 40/30 seat result in the Croydon Council elections. Last year, he said Croydon Central was “too close to call”. So, will he be right in his prediction of tomorrow’s Croydon and Sutton … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Boris Johnson, Fiona Twycross, Ken Livingstone, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Steve O'Connell, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

London’s eight wasted years under Tory Mayor Johnson

As Boris Johnson wafts through his final days in power at City Hall – much like the manner in which he has wafted through the previous 2,922 days in office – WALTER CRONXITE tries to find what the Tory Mayor … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Boris Johnson, Housing, Ken Livingstone, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

500,000 young Londoners may have lost their right to vote

More than one-third of young Londoners have “fallen off” the electoral register in the past 12 months and so won’t be able to vote in tomorrow’s London elections, according to research published today. In some of the most deprived areas … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Caroline Pidgeon, Housing, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Sian Berry, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

O’Connell squeezed as Greens and LibDems go tactical

With two days to go until the London elections, and “Silent Steve” O’Connell, the London Assembly Member for Sutton and Croydon, has found himself in a double squeeze which could see him kicked off the City Hall gravy train where … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Sian Berry, Steve O'Connell, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Ahmad challenges ‘Silent Steve’ to condemn racist campaign

“Dog whistle politics” and allegations of racist campaigning by the Tories have seen this week’s London elections described as among the dirtiest ever fought. And it’s not just WALTER CRONXITE reporting that, but the Green Party, a Conservative peer and … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, George Ayres, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Sian Berry, Steve O'Connell, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

‘You’re stuffed’: O’Connell attacks Tory housing policy

London Assembly Member Steve O’Connell last night launched an unexpected attack on his own party’s housing policies. “If you earn around £35,000, you’re basically stuffed,” O’Connell said dismissively of the impact of Conservative policy when speaking to a small, supportive … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Boris Johnson, Coulsdon, Housing, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Steve O'Connell, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sutton councillor turns Green, but stays independent

The £1 billion South London incinerator, which is being constructed for operators Viridor at Beddington Lane, is fast becoming a hot issue of the City Hall elections, with political parties and candidates fighting each other to condemn the costly scheme … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, 2018 council elections, Croydon Greens, Environment, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Refuse collection, Sadiq Khan, Shasha Khan, Sian Berry, Waste incinerator, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Newman’s time for change as he faces threat of ‘dead sheep’

WALTER CRONXITE on the ins and outs of the latest council “non-reshuffles”, and how the the spectre of #WadGate and others’ past crimes still stalk the Town Hall’s corridors of (not much) power “They used to say that being attacked … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, 2018 council elections, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Dudley Mead, Hamida Ali, Heathfield, Jason Cummings, Jo Negrini, London Assembly, Margaret Mead, Mark Watson, Matthew Kyeremeh, Mike Fisher, Pat Ryan, Paul Scott, Planning, Sara Bashford, Selsdon & Ballards, Steve O'Connell, Stuart Collins, Thornton Heath, Tim Pollard, Toni Letts, Tony Newman, Whitgift Foundation, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

London election candidates need to ‘be brave’ on transport

One of those who stood against Sadiq Khan to be Labour’s candidate for London Mayor has called upon all those standing in next month’s elections, from borough councillors upwards, to show some leadership, abandon the tendency of following the path … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Christian Wolmar, Commuting, Cycling, Environment, London-wide issues, Sadiq Khan, Transport, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mayoral matrix that highlights candidate similarities

Another day, another London Mayoral infographic.

Posted in 2016 London elections, Caroline Pidgeon, Housing, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Sian Berry, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#BackZacAndCrack shown two red cards by Generation Rent

One of the advantages of social media is the publication by various interest groups – from lobbyists and charities through to estate agents – of infographics, snappy illustrations of news. Like this one, from Generation Rent, published today on the … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Caroline Pidgeon, Housing, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Sian Berry, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

London Assembly candidate calls for inquiry over incinerator

Marina Ahmad, Labour’s London Assembly candidate in Croydon and Sutton, is demanding an investigation into the contracts and deals surrounding the £1billion Viridor incinerator being built at public expense on Beddington Lane, on the Croydon-Sutton borough boundary. “The incinerator scheme … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Environment, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Marina Ahmad, Sadiq Khan, Steve O'Connell, Waste incinerator, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

McKenzie’s back on the ballot with the right-wing splitters

It looks like Winston McKenzie may get to stand in an election on May 5 after all. But the “Chump from the Dump”, who was ruled out of being a candidate for the London Mayoralty because he couldn’t manage to … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Callton Young, Croydon North, Emily Benn, Nathan Elvery, West Thornton, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tory O’Connell oversees yet more cuts for Croydon policing

Having already had the majority of the borough’s police stations closed under the current Conservative Mayor of London, yesterday saw an announcement from the Metropolitan Police that it is to shut five of Croydon’s community bases for its safer neighbourhood … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Boris Johnson, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon North, Kenley, Knife crime, Mayor of London, Policing, Steve O'Connell, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We’re on a road to nowhere with London transport policies

A leading transport commentator has said that there’s disappointingly little to choose between London’s two leading candidates for Mayor on one of the major issues facing the capital. Christian Wolmar is one of the country’s leading transport correspondents, and was … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Boris Johnson, Christian Wolmar, Commuting, Cycling, Environment, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Tramlink, Transport, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From a Polish prince to the cannabis party: the Mayoral choice

There will be 12 names on the ballot paper on May 5 bidding to become the third Mayor of London, it was confirmed this morning. As the race proper for City Hall gets under way, the battle lines between Labour’s … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Caroline Pidgeon, London Assembly, London Fire Brigade, Marina Ahmad, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Sian Berry, Steve O'Connell, Zac Goldsmith MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Winston McKenzie shows poor form for the London Mayor race

Winston “the Chump from the Dump” McKenzie is out of the London Mayor election before it has even started. The Croydon-based serial election loser was supposed to be standing for the far-right English Democrats (after having tried his luck, and … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Winston McKenzie | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Race relations campaigner Young wins Labour selection

Callton Young has been selected as Labour’s candidate for the West Thornton council by-election, expected to be held on May 5 alongside the London elections. Young, a retired senior civil servant and recipient of the OBE, won on the second … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Bernadette Khan, Callton Young, Emily Benn, Stuart King, Tony Newman, West Thornton | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Cummings and Young head Labour by-election shortlist

Labour has whittled down its candidates to stand for election to the council in West Thornton ward to a shortlist of five, all of whom are from a black or minority ethnic background, and three of whom are women. The … Continue reading

Posted in 2016 London elections, Bernadette Khan, Emily Benn, Patsy Cummings, Stuart King, West Thornton | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment