UpRise

Press Release: London Mayoral candidates and youth engagement

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:56:06 +0000

Tuesday 1^st May 2012

New study on London Mayoral elections reveals who leads on youth engagement

Following on from the successful #YouthVoteLondon event held at Ministry of Sound in April, organisers Bite the Ballot and UpRise Festival release their findings on the Mayoral candidates engagement with young people ahead of the elections. A full report is to be published later this month.

Over twenty organisations and institutions including colleges, youth media, youth-led and youth-focused organisations, community groups and charities took part in the study which revealed how engaged with young people each of the candidates have been during their election campaigns.

As youth issues became an increasing focus as part of the election campaign, candidates announced their own initiatives in order to secure the under 25 vote.

Independent candidate Siobhan Benita, who put young people at the heart of her campaign with her Youth Policy, said; “I want to give young people a real voice.” She has also pledged to fund a Young Mayor of London and a Youth Assembly “at the heart of City Hall”.

Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick who championed the idea of bank-funded Youth Hubs and announced Duwayne Brooks would be his Deputy Mayor for Youth and Communities said “It’s so, so important that young people vote, because politicians are very cynical people and only listen to people who they think they can get votes out of”.

Labour’s Ken Livingstone has promised to reinstate the Education Maintenance Allowance and speaking at the #YouthVoteLondon event said; “If every young person went out and voted, there would be more debate on those issues that effect young people”.

The study looked at breaking the cycle of young people being disengaged with politics and politics being disengaged with young people and revealed some interesting results.

Of the 27 invitations to attend events, hustings, debates and interviews focused on the under 25’s, it was found that Siobhan Benita had a 100% attendance record while Lawrence Webb from UKIP and Conservative candidate Boris Johnson had the highest rate for failing to respond or declining invitations. It was also found that no invitations were extended to the BNP candidate and that the party was repeatedly cited as not representing “a modern society” or the views of young people.

The investigation analysed the six remaining candidate’s interaction with the participating organisations, and how each one came across in terms of knowledge, honesty, suitability for Mayor and commitment to youth issues.

The survey results revealed Lawrence Webb in sixth position with 0%, Boris Johnson in fifth position with 17%, Jenny Jones in fourth position with 49% with Ken Livingstone just ahead of the Green Pparty candidate in third position with 53%. Brian Paddick took second position with 64%, with Siobhan Benita coming in first place with 77.5%.

Michael Sani from Bite the Ballot said “It’s clear from our recent events and rallies that young people are ready to engage in politics, but more support is needed from the decision makers to empower the youth, therefore showing them the value and impact of their involvement”.

The full report will be published after this Thursday’s election and the writers of the report hope to engage the new Mayor with their findings and put young people firmly on the political agenda.

For images and interviews please contact:

Email: press@uprise.org.uk

Notes to Editor:

#YouthVoteLondon is managed by Bite the Ballot and UpRise in collaboration with several youth-led and youth-focused organisations including; Spirit of London Awards, Reprezent FM, Bigga Fish, Lives Not Knives, Elevation Networks.

Bite the Ballot is a grass-roots campaign using new and innovative ways to inspire everyday young people to engage in politics and the decisions that directly affect them. Having already secured support from numerous high-profile cross-party politicians, they are playing a key role in bridging the gap between politics and the youth.

Web: www.bitetheballot.co.uk / Twitter: @BitetheBallot / Facebook: bitetheballot

UpRise is a creative campaign, bridging agent and mediator which highlights and resolves the many types of inequality in the UK today. This is achieved using groundbreaking and thought-provoking initiatives with free and fully inclusive access to education and the arts including: festivals, debates, art exhibitions, music and comedy events, think tanks, publications, workshops, lectures, and conversations.

Web: www.uprise.org.uk / Twitter: @UpRiseFestival / Facebook: UpRiseFestival

Voting pattern statistics

Number of 18 – 24 year old potential voter in UK in May 2010*: 4,755,683

Electoral statistics for the 2010 General elections (Ipsos MORI) say that 44% of young people eligible to vote in the UK used their right:

Voted: 2,092,500

Not Voted: 2,663,183

Turnout during the 2010 GE:

18‐24: 44%

25 – 34: 55%

35 – 44: 66%

45 – 54: 69%

55 – 64: 73%

65+: 75%

*(The Independent & Government statistics)

Links to film report and interviews from the #YouthVoteLondon event held at Ministry of London on April the 14^th 2012:

Community Channel London360

http://www.communitychannel.org/video/rlfX7zOvTNw/youth_vote_london_registration/

Link Up TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34TFhbFlG4g

Our Everyday Lives TV

http://www.oureverydaylives.tv/blog/why-vote/

Main image by ENDZ2ENDZ and zac inphotopia.com ©

Image taken at #YouthVoteLondon by Jacques Parker (Bite the Ballot). Artwork by Graffiti Life

London 2012 Mayoral elections – Siobhan Benita (Independent candidate)

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:26:40 +0000

On the 22^nd February 2012 UpRise and Channel 4 joined forces to host a debate featuring five of the 2012 London Mayoral candidates.

Titled “Young People, Equality, Diversity and the Mayor”, the event saw ten inspiring young Londoners pose questions to the candidates based on the legal responsibilities of the Mayor of London.

The answers provided by the independent candidate Siobhan Benita are published as part of UpRise Essays.

Employment & Economic Development

Question from Samson Osun – Elevation Networks

Youth unemployment is soaring, and it is at its highest in London in recent memory. There is no significant indication that the figures will be declining any time soon. What practical steps are you looking to take to both stem and combat the growing figures and, given the large decline in community activities within London, what would you do to rebuild a sense of community and identity across boroughs?

Siobhan Benita: I would rebuild a sense of community by approaching the role in a more positive and inclusive way. I would promote London’s fantastic diversity and multiculturalism and work hard to ensure that groups who are often marginalised are listened to and given a voice.

At a time when community groups are vulnerable to cuts, I would require all boroughs to open up their under-used public spaces. We need to make public buildings work for the public! This would give community groups much cheaper (or free) access to venues and facilities so that they can continue to carry out the great work they do.

I would work with businesses across London to create opportunities for young people seeking work and ensure that apprenticeships and other schemes help to build the skills that will be useful in the workplace, not simply exploiting young people as cheap labour.

Question from Kwabena Oduro Ayim – Haringey Young People Empowered

Following events last summer, there was an 8% increase in the juvenile prison population in England and Wales and a large percentage are from ethnic minority backgrounds. UCAS this month reported an 8.7% fall in university applications for England. In last quarter youth unemployment, 16 – 24 year old surpassed 1 million, which will be felt heavily in London if one takes into consideration the cost of living in London.

With youth unemployment on the rise, a decrease in the number of young people applying for university, and a disproportionate number of young people incarcerated due to the riots, what are your plans to facilitate these groups back into meaningful employment?

Siobhan Benita: I believe that as a priority we must address the reasons why there has been an increase in the prison population, especially amongst people from ethnic minority backgrounds. There are currently many factors, such as our unfair education system, which leave behind the most disadvantaged groups and can lead to many of our young people never fully fulfilling their potential. As Mayor I have pledged to make education a priority as I want to ensure that all children have access to excellent learning and opportunities, which is sadly not the case with our current system.

I would focus as much effort on prevention of crime as on punishment – we have to provide our children and young adults with safe spaces, positive mentors and enjoyable activities so that they are less likely to get into trouble.

Currently for young offenders, nationwide, re-offending rates are over 60% within 9 months of release. This is unacceptable. One of the biggest barriers to preventing re-offending is employers not being prepared to offer work to people who have a criminal record. For economic as well as social reasons, we must give everyone a chance to get back on the right path so I would work with businesses to create opportunities for people who want to turn their lives around.

Sentencing also needs to be consistent and applied fairly to all groups, which is sadly not the case today.

Culture & Tourism

Question from Alex Winning – BSix Sixth Form College

London’s reputation was damaged after the riots and now potentially having a bad effect on tourism by deterring people from visiting. How will you change a negative stereotype of London, and regain our positive reputation?

Siobhan Benita: London is a fantastic city but I agree that it could be even better – and that involves building a positive reputation globally. As Mayor, I would be a modern and dynamic figurehead and a fresh ambassador for London abroad.

Tourism is critical to London’s economy and I would work hard to help make London the world’s key tourist destination. I would focus upon things like:

the visitor experience – making sure that a visit to London is enjoyable, affordable and safe.
the marketing of London’s diversity – we have amazing communities with a wealth of culture and great cuisine to offer and we should make much more of these as a selling point for the capital,
exploiting the Games – this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics place London in the world’s spotlight – it’s our chance to shine and showcase the fantastic attractions that we have to offer.

Question from Marissa Forrester – London360

One of the aims of London’s bid for the Olympics was to use the investment to accelerate the renewal of East London. What will you put in place to assure that the regeneration of local communities in East London are sustainable?

Siobhan Benita: The Olympics has given parts of East London an enormous boost to its physical infrastructure, including new sports venues and improved local rail networks. With Crossrail to follow in 2018, the business potential of the area will be transformed.

The opportunity is here to place London’s East End firmly on the world’s business map, as a centre for sport, shopping, leisure and tourism and for international, creative digital and media business.

As Mayor, I would ensure that the legacy from the Games is a lasting and positive one – I would ensure that the 30,000 new homes predicted by the Greater London Authority to be built within the Olympic area over the next 20 years are actually built (and not forgotten about once the games are over) and that we promote the new opportunities to their maximum, attracting long term investment and job creation into the area.

Transport & Environment

Question from Kojo Amponsah – Focused Young Individuals

Many young people are unaware and detached from the causes and effects of environmental problems. How will you get young people to engage in these issues and what is your plan to get the streets of London rid of all the rubbish and cleaner than they are now?

Siobhan Benita: Many people that I have met on the campaign have told me how much they care about local, factors affecting their immediate neighbourhoods. A good Mayor would address these day to day issues as well as the bigger, strategic issues affecting London as a whole. I would launch a better neighbourhood initiative in every borough. This would cover a package of small but crucial local measures including a zero tolerance approach towards litter, graffiti and dog mess. Local schools and community groups could be encouraged to take part in the “clean-up” operations.

Each borough would have its own neighbourhood priorities but I would manage the overall scheme from City Hall and recognise and reward the greatest improvements and achievements in an annual event.

Question from Tarek Chaudhury – Reprezent FM

With London having one of the most expensive public transport systems on the planet, what can you do to ensure more cost-friendly travel for NEETs that need to get around London to grab the opportunities they need in order to progress, and what will you do to improve safety on public transport, in particular on London buses?

Siobhan Benita: London’s transport system is expensive and can be a barrier for many people, but particularly for young people and those living on low wages. Four out of five families are living in ‘transport poverty’ spending almost 10% of their disposable income on public and private transport. That is why I have pledged that I will freeze fares for everyone until at least April 2014 – which will be a real benefit for all passengers. I will introduce reduced fares for people on the minimum wage and free travel for job seekers to help them get to interviews and retain employment in the first weeks back into work.

I would also introduce a season ticket option for part-time workers.

I would improve lighting across the transport network and move trained police officers from back office support functions (which can be carried out by civilians) to the front line where they can be more responsive and help improve safety at a local level. I have also committed to extending the hours of underground services to run later into the night at weekends and also to work with rail companies to introduce an all-night overground service to key outer London stations. This will provide safer travel for people who are “on the move” later at night.

Crime & Policing

Question from Eliza Reberio – Lives Not Knives

Working in restorative justice we provide alternatives for people who would otherwise turn to crime or gang-culture. Some of the riot sentencing seemed harsh when compared to more serious crimes. What plans do you have in effect to help ex-offenders being able to work and to stop re-offending?

Siobhan Benita: I agree that much of the sentencing following the riots was inconsistent and unfair. The key to crime reduction is to focus much more effort on prevention. It makes more sense, economically and socially, to work with children and young adults from an early age to prevent crime rather than to pay for the consequences of crime once it’s too late. As Mayor, I would work with government and local councils to introduce schemes and opportunities that provide safe places for our young people in London where they can have fun, learn valuable skills and find support and advice that they might not have elsewhere. See my answer above on helping ex-offenders.

Question from Helen Daniel – 2 Fingers to Violence

Since the riots there has been a lack of government input to help people rebuild their lives, with all the money being ploughed into the Olympics. Are there any plans to help young people’s projects and initiatives like ours in London so people won’t feel careless and reckless and resort to crime again in the future?

Siobhan Benita: Times are tight so it will be difficult to find the resources for all organisations and schemes across London. But the Mayor should definitely prioritise funding for schemes that build confidence of our young people and provide them with safe and creative activities. I have met so many fantastic charities over the past weeks who are struggling with reduced funding and uncertain futures. As Mayor there are many things I could do to help here. I would commission a thorough evaluation of the initiatives and projects we currently have to identify which ones are having the most, positive impact. By doing that I would be able to direct limited resources where they can make most difference. I have also announced that I would ask boroughs to open up their public buildings to youth clubs and other charities so that more space can be provided to help projects continue to deliver their great work.

Social Development

Question from Kay-Jay Simmons – Spirit of London Awards

The gap between rich and poor is rising. With budget cuts hurting the people that need it most, especially the youth, what do you plan to do to bring society back into balance to make sure every young person from disadvantaged backgrounds has the same opportunities as ones from rich backgrounds?

Siobhan Benita: The top 10% of London’s constituents are 273 times wealthier than the bottom 10% so I agree with Kay-Jay that the gap between groups in society is unacceptable. I believe that the best way begin to close this gap is to improve our education system so that it provides better opportunities for everyone. As outlined above, I’d start by lobbying Government to reform the education system in London; the current system is not fair and it leaves the most disadvantaged behind. Every child in London should have access to an excellent primary school and the transition to secondary school must be transparent and fair. Until we change the system we have, the gap between rich and poor will continue to rise.

I would also work with businesses and organisations across all the boroughs to ensure they apply fair recruitment processes and job opportunities and that schemes which are aimed at providing skills, training and mentoring for young people are prioritised.

Question from Khalid O’Beirne – Media Trust

Due to budget cuts to youth work and schemes such as connexions, a lot of hard to reach young people have become disengaged which I think the riots highlighted. What will u put in place to re-engage these hard to reach young people?

Siobhan Benita: I would appoint the first every Young Mayor for London– and pay for the post out of my own salary – and establish a new youth assembly with youth mayors in each borough. In this way, I would provide a powerful new channel for young people from all backgrounds to be heard and help me shape a fair and prosperous future for the city.

As mentioned above, I would encourage all boroughs to open up public spaces and buildings to youth schemes and other organisations so that as many young people as possible have safe and productive places to attend. Unlike Ken and Boris I would seek collaboration rather than confrontation and would actively seek out the voices of hard to reach young people.

Siobhan Benita at #YouthVoteLondon, Ministry of Sound. Image by Jacques Parker (Bite the Ballot)

London 2012 Mayoral elections – Ken Livingstone (Labour Party)

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:35:52 +0000

On the 22^nd February 2012 UpRise and Channel 4 joined forces to host a debate featuring five of the 2012 London Mayoral candidates.

The answers provided by the Labour Party’s Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone are published as part of UpRise Essays.

Employment & Economic Development

Question from Samson Osun – Elevation Networks

Ken Livingstone: Youth unemployment is national disgrace and in London too. Youth unemployment always rises under Tory governments- look at what happened under Thatcher and Major. The Tory Mayor Boris Johnson has done nothing to combat it.

I support Labour’s plans to reintroduce the tax on bankers’ bonuses and use the money to fund youth job-creation. I will also ensure that so-called apprenticeship schemes in London actually go to young people not in work. At the moment they are used to subsidise training for over-25s already in work.

I will introduce an Education Maintenance Allowance for London to push back against the relentless attacks on young people.

Question from Kwabena Oduro Ayim – Haringey Young People Empowered

Ken Livingstone: Everything I do, and everything I stand for in this election will benefit people where it really counts, how much money they have. So, my fare policy will cut fares for all. Average fares will fall by 7% and a single bus fare will fall by 11%. These cuts will also apply to discounted fares for students and young people.

I will also adopt this approach in whole string of areas, from rents to energy bills. Londoners young and old are struggling under the effects of Tory policies on fares, fees,EMA, VAT, a whole series of attacks. The aim of my policy will be to make Londoners better off, not worse off.

That’s why EMA should not have been cut and why I will introduce one for London.

Culture & Tourism

Question from Alex Winning – BSix Sixth Form College

Ken Livingstone: The key is to promote London’s unique diversity, its one-off events and the breadth of the activities in the arts, sports, culture, its cuisines and its communities.

When I was Mayor we got London up to number 1 spot in the world for tourism. It has since fallen back to 3^rd as Boris Johnson decided to cut investment. My aim will be to get it back up to number 1, and all the investment and jobs that brings.

Question from Marissa Forrester – London360

Ken Livingstone: There has been a big missed opportunity in relation to the Olympics. The whole purpose of the Games was get regeneration in London, especially in East London. But where I had an ambitious target of building tens of thousands of affordable homes, under Boris Johnson in the last 6 months just 56 new affordable homes were built.

Still, even the Tory mayor can’t abolish land. And there’s a huge resource there available for development after the Games. We will be looking at that as the key to unlocking a whole new wave of regeneration in London.

Transport & Environment

Question from Kojo Amponsah – Focused Young Individuals

Ken Livingstone: The key to environmental issues is to work with local communities and local authorities to improve the areas we live in and to refuse to accept deterioration and decline.

The really major environmental scandal is 4,000 Londoners dying needlessly each year because of air pollution.London is on course to face a massive fine from the EU because it hasn’t dealt with this problem. Spraying water near the pollution monitoring stations to try to disguise the level of pollution – authorised by the Tory mayor- isn’t going to fool anyone. Or prevent any deaths.

I will have a major crackdown on pollution in London if I am elected in May.

Question from Tarek Chaudhury – Reprezent FM

Ken Livingstone: I have committed to cutting fares by 7% in October 2012. I’m so committed to this that I would resign if I haven’t done it by 7 October 2012. I will also freeze fares for the whole of 2013 and make sure there are no above-inflation fare rises in future years.

Boris Johnson has raised fares by 25% over 4 years- almost twice the rate of inflation. Single bus fares have risen by 50%. He is committed to raising fares by 2% above RPI inflation over the next 4 years.

My Fare Deal will save those who pay full fares an average of £1000 over 4 years. But even if you get one of the discounts, these percentage changes will also apply to you. You’ll be hundreds of pounds better off with my Fare deal, compared to Boris Johnson’s eye-watering fare rises.

Crime & Policing

Question from Eliza Reberio – Lives Not Knives

Ken Livingstone: I’ve spoken with lots of victims of crime. Some longer sentences and many other want restoration. They want the criminals to know how much pain and distress they have caused and they want restitution in the form of working long hours in the community and similar punishments.

I will introduce a Victims Commissioner for London so that victims of crime are heard.

Question from Helen Daniel – 2 Fingers to Violence

Ken Livingstone: This is a key area for my new administration, if elected. Jobs, apprenticeships and training are the key. There are 126,000 NEETs in London currently and for some of these crime will look like the only alternative.

My plans on apprenticeships, jobs and help with education will tackle these areas. I also want to work with Local Authorities to make sure that youth services aren’t always first for the chop because of government cuts.

Social Development

Question from Kay-Jay Simmons – Spirit of London Awards

Ken Livingstone: My plan to put money back in Londoners’ pockets and purses, on fares but also on energy bills and rent are designed to help the poorest. They are the ones who pay a fare bigger proportion of their incomes on these basics.

People are really struggling. But Boris Johnson just doesn’t get it. Why would he? The out of touch Mayor who has hiked your fares earns £250,000 a year extra as a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. That’s on top of his £143,000 salary as mayor. That’s why he’s so out of touch, and why his main campaign is to cut the 50p tax rate for the highest earners, which affect just 1% of Londoners.

He has also seen the number of people at City hall earning over £100,000 a year almost double since he took office. I will cut those numbers back and also cut salaries, including that of mayor. Londoners need someone standing up for them who understands what it’s like for them.

Question from Khalid O’Beirne – Media Trust

Ken Livingstone: This is a difficult area. Because of government cuts there is less money for difficult areas. And Boris Johnson let the London Development Agency be closed down, taking with it hundreds of millions of pounds that was spent on services in London.

But the Met Commissioner has announced a review of stop and search. This is a welcome first development. Disaffected youth benefit no-one. I am keen to work with him and with other agencies who want to ensure that disaffection doesn’t turn to crime.

The key to situation though is jobs, training and apprenticeships. I can improve the situation in all these areas, and this will have a big positive impact on disengagement and other areas.

Ken Livingstone, Kat and AJ Odudu taken at #YouthVoteLondon, Ministry of Sound. Image by Jacques Parker (Bite the Ballot)

London 2012 Mayoral elections – Jenny Jones (Green Party)

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:13:53 +0000

On the 22^nd February 2012 UpRise and Channel 4 joined forces to host a debate featuring five of the 2012 London Mayoral candidates.

The answers provided by the Green Party’s Mayoral candidate Jenny Jones are published as part of UpRise Essays.

Employment & Economic Development

Question from Samson Osun – Elevation Networks

Jenny Jones: I believe we need a new economic model that will create jobs for all skill levels, share the wealth more equally and reduce environmental impacts to a sustainable level. As Mayor I would base this model on a renaissance of micro, small and medium sized businesses in growth markets like the Silicon roundabout technology companies and the east London renewable engineering sector. Instead of betting on banks or building airports, I would find invest in local infrastructure, business support and training to support job creation in the real economy. We would create at least 150,000 high-quality apprenticeships aimed at young people under 25, all paying at least the London Living Wage with half a day’s off-the-job learning per week. We would also cut paperwork for employers and encourage them to take up the Government funding to make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

Decades of big-business government have left our high streets holding on by a thread. We can give communities and councils more power to keep jobs and money in their local economy. We need to rebalance our economy, create more jobs at all skill levels, and support a renaissance of small businesses

Green Assembly Members have already increased investment in environmental industries and jobs from £300k to £31m a year, led two investigations into small shops leading to changes in planning policy, held two mayors to account on jobs and apprenticeships for young people and increased investment in environmental industries and jobs from £300k to £31m a year.

Question from Kwabena Oduro Ayim – Haringey Young People Empowered

Jenny Jones: I think the introduction of tuition fees and top up fees by Labour and the massive rises we have seen under the Conservative and Liberal Democrat government was been massively divisive for society and very damaging to communities, particularly as part of the broader attacks on education and public services. As I mentioned above, we’re committed to the creation of at least 150,000 apprenticeships and want to make sure that every Londoner under 25 is offered either an apprenticeship or job. We also want to lobby central government to make apprenticeships mandatory across a wide range of industries, just like similar, successful projects in Germany, to improve skills, wages and the quality of the products and services we sell. The Mayor of London may not be able to abolish fees, but we could be working with education providers to ensure people of all ages are able to retrain or improve their skills with a genuine commitment to lifelong learning. As a party we will always oppose tuition fees for both further and higher education and would seek to immediately reverse the cuts to Education Maintenance Allowance and university grants, which we believe massively reduce opportunities for Young Londoners and hold back research and innovation. We’d also transfer control of the Mayor’s academy schools back to the parents, teachers and the local authority.

Of course job creation is reliant on the right sort of economy existing, and we believe that investment must be made in small businesses if industry and jobs are to be created that are linked to the needs of communities themselves. We want to ensure City Hall will only work with banks willing to lend to small businesses, for example, and the last thing we want to do is force young people to work for big businesses like McDonalds for free just because they are out of work!

Culture & Tourism

Question from Alex Winning – BSix Sixth Form College

Jenny Jones: London’s reputation did take a hit last year but we should still remember we have a city to be immensely proud of. London is a place where people from across the world aspire to visit. I think the approach should be two-pronged: firstly be seen to act as a result of the riots, secondly to make sure London is as appealing as possible to visit. We must rebuild trust between the police and local communities and young people. We need to get more police officers going to primary schools as this often produces positive results. We can get police officers out from behind their desks and onto the streets, working more closely with local residents and traders and getting more information from local people who have learnt to trust them. We want to ensure that police support people escaping a life of crime while getting tough on those who refuse to change. We want to protect and expand Safer Neighbourhood Teams with a community support officer recruitment drive from their local communities, making the teams more representatives in order to restore trust in the police. Depending on support from Government, we also want to introduce a “buy one, get one free” offer for community support officers to borough commanders.

Nevertheless, more could be done to attract tourists. London is now the most congested city in Europe, and our air pollution causes more than 4,000 people a year to die prematurely. We have pledged to clean London’s air. We want to ensure that air pollution is monitored in the right place, tighten up the Low Emission Zone standards and make sure they are properly enforced through vehicle checks, with a new ban on idling for parked vehicles. We want to introduce a Very Low Emission Zone in central London to exclude all but the cleanest vehicles and ensure that all new buses are low emission hybrid, hydrogen or electric models within one year of being elected, and that the entire fleet runs on this technology by 2016. We want to buy and rent out a fleet of low emission taxis, and set-up a clean vehicle fund with low cost loans for small and medium sized businesses to replace dirty vehicles with electric equivalents. Our plans for a pay-as-you-drive scheme for car users would not only reduce congestion and air pollution but also generate massive amounts of money to invest in public transport. At the moment it doesn’t matter how quickly you can get to London via new train lines or through the air if you’re stood on a crowded underground platform for 30 minutes or breathing in the terrible pollution along our roads.

Question from Marissa Forrester – London360

Jenny Jones: It’s infuriating that too many of the promises made as part of our bid have been broken and we have spoken out about where Londoners have been misled. Our entire manifesto will be applied to the legacy from the Games, but we want to ensure the Olympic Park is a beacon for London’s future. As Mayor I would ensure all green spaces are returned to community use or as wildlife habitats promptly after the Games have finished. I would ensure the development of at least half of the homes, business and communities facilities on the Olympic Park through a Community Land Trust to give local residents control over permanently affordable and co-operatively managed community assets, promoting resilience and self-sufficiency. I would ensure the delivery of a zero carbon and zero waste Olympic Park by 2025, and convert the Olympic Route Network “zil lanes” to dedicated cycle lanes and/or wider pavements where possible. Our policies on housing, which would stabilise housing costs, give tenants more control over their homes and rent, and refurbish poor quality homes, would be particularly powerful in East London, and our focus on small businesses would help sustain the crucial east London renewable engineering sector.

Transport & Environment

Question from Kojo Amponsah – Focused Young Individuals

Jenny Jones: I want to engage young people in every element of London’s governance, and have pledged to establish a London Youth Assembly linked to borough-level Youth Parliaments and Young Mayors. I also want to bring together youth and pensioner organisations for an Intergenerational Summit to identify solutions to injustices that particularly affect the young and/or old. We want to ensure that all young people are within reach of parks, play spaces and animal habitats by guaranteeing sufficient funding to drive forward the All London Green Grid and work with schools youth groups and disability organisations to promote access to nature through schemes such as the VisitWoods web site.

As Mayor I would continue to support legislation to eliminate the use of free, throwaway carrier bags, and ensure all events funded by City Hall are carrier-bag free. I would also lobby the Government to tighten up packaging regulations to remove materials that can’t be recycled from our shelves, and require manufacturers to use a certain percentage of recycled and biodegradable content in their packaging. For me a massive piece of the jigsaw in dealing with the rubbish on London’s streets is making it easier to reduce waste and recycle or compost it. I would ensure the construction of new waste facilities to reach 80% recycling rates with no waste going to landfill by 2030. I would Lobby the Government to give the Mayor the power to roll out a consistent set of recycling services across London boroughs to end the confusing and unnecessary differences. In the meantime, I would push boroughs to ensure every home has a simple service for separated recyclables and food waste collected on a weekly basis.

Question from Tarek Chaudhury – Reprezent FM

Jenny Jones: The Green Party will lower fares. Transport needs to be cheaper for everyone, particularly those seeking work. However, the system also needs investment in order to cope with an ageing system and increasing demand. We will increase investment by replacing the Congestion Charge with a pay-as-you-drive model for car users. Over half of the money raised by congestion charge goes towards its own admin, so by reducing costs with a more efficient system we can help invest in public transport, reduce fares and spend more money on making buses, trains the tube and other forms of getting around safer all at the same time. Everyone has the right to get around town without fear, and the only way to combat this is to find more money to monitor and police vehicles and stops. We’ve all felt threatened by the behaviour of other passengers on buses over the years and this is particularly true for young people.

Crime & Policing

Question from Eliza Reberio – Lives Not Knives

Jenny Jones: I agree that working in restorative justice we provide alternatives for people who would otherwise turn to crime or gang-culture. Some of the riot sentencing seemed harsh when compared to more serious crimes.

The Green Party’s 2010 manifesto made a clear commitment to the principles of restorative justice, and, in our vision, wherever possible the onus should be is on an offender to restore the position of the victim as far as possible to where it was before the crime took place. I believe that to deal with crime we have to understand why it happens and think carefully about what to do when it occurs. Imprisonment is both expensive and rarely works, although the needs of victims must always come first.

Gangs are a small but highly damaging feature of some parts of the capital. As Mayor I would want to ensure gang members are offered a way out while getting tough on those that refuse. I would work with boroughs and community organisations to roll out a “community initiative” response to gangs following the successful approaches trialled in Glasgow and Waltham Forest. I would want to confront gang members with the impact of violence crime on their local area, offer those who sign up an intensive programme of mentoring, training and job support, and offer a one-stop-shop for housing and other local services. I would also seek to undermine the criminal drug trade that sustains gangs by campaigning for the decriminalisation of all drugs and the legalisation of less harmful drugs like cannabis. Banning drugs has been totally ineffective, driven young people to more dangerous new substances and fueled gang violence. I would also end the arbitrary, blanket use of stop and search and other tactics that alienate the communities the police most need to work with, and introduce independent oversight of stop and search powers.

Question from Helen Daniel – 2 Fingers to Violence

Jenny Jones: Absolutely; we think it’s vital to provide young people with opportunities, whether they are educational, vocational or recreational. We want to offer every Londoner under-25 a job or apprenticeship, lobby for the reduction or abolition of tuition fees and stop the cuts to Educational Maintenance Allowance and student grants. We want to work with local sports organisations to make it easier to start a youth sports club, including help finding pitches and coaches and with completing the CRB check process. We want to create a London Youth Assembly linked to borough-level Youth Parliaments and Young Mayors. We think young people have been overly excluded from the Olympics and, although we wouldn’t have long between the election and the games themselves, we would set-up a system to give out unused corporate tickets to young Londoners on the day of events, and press the IOC and LOCOG to levy penalties on corporations with hospitality tickets that refuse to take part.

Social Development

Question from Kay-Jay Simmons – Spirit of London Awards

Jenny Jones: This is a vital area of Green politics and of our forthcoming manifesto. We would ensure that anyone working for the Greater London Authority and related organisations such as Transport for London earns at least a tenth what the top earner takes home. This would reduce the pay gap significantly, and we would work with local councils and businesses to ensure this is rolled out to other companies and organisations. The London Living Wage was a Green Party idea which the Mayor, Ken Livingstone, agreed with and implemented. I believe the National Minimum Wage is too low in London, where one in ten full-time workers and two in every five part time workers are paid less than they need to secure a minimum acceptable quality of life. We are developing a ‘Fair Pay Mark’, which would recognise companies that publish their own pay gap and commit to reducing it, and pay at least the London Living Wage to all employees and cleaners.

All companies bidding for contracts at City Hall would be asked to sign up. I would also establish a London Fairness Commission to publish annual reports on levels of inequality in London and engage with large employers to identify practical ways of reducing their wage gap. I would promote co-operative business models and trade union recognition to employers and empower workers to press for more equal pay. We would also work to ease the costs of childcare and the shortage of spaces by working with councils to prevent breakfast clubs from closing, co-ordinating local services, shaping the market to increase affordable voluntary and commercial provision, lobbying the Government to increase the number of hours of free childcare in London, and requiring all schools working with the GLA to extend school hours and invest in play schemes before and after school and in school holidays. I would also do more to tackle growing personal debts by supporting credit unions who can offer an affordable debt servicing option, banning advertising for payday loan companies on public transport, lobbying for public funding to help service debts and pay for one-off items such as school uniforms, and bring the voluntary and community sector into the London Debt Strategy Group to monitor and co-ordinate services.

Question from Khalid O’Beirne – Media Trust

Jenny Jones: As mentioned above I want to engage young people in every element of London’s governance, and have pledged to establish a London Youth Assembly linked to borough-level Youth Parliaments and Young Mayors. I also want to bring together youth and pensioner organisations for an Intergenerational Summit to identify solutions to injustices that particularly affect the young and/or old. On the Olympics specifically, I would set-up a system to give out unused corporate tickets to young Londoners on the day of events, and press the IOC and LOCOG to levy penalties on corporations with hospitality tickets that refuse to take part.

I think young people’s sense of disenfranchisement is in many cases caused by the lack of employment, training or educational opportunities open to them. As Mayor I would create at least 150,000 high-quality apprenticeships aimed at young people under 25, all paying at least the London Living Wage with half a day’s off-the-job learning per week. I would also work with education providers to ensure people of all ages are able to retrain or improve their skills with a genuine commitment to lifelong learning. I would continue to oppose tuition fees for further and higher education, cuts to the Education Maintenance allowance and cuts to university grants, which will reduce opportunities for young Londoners and hold back research and innovation.

London 2012 Mayoral elections – Brian Paddick (Liberal Democrat Party)

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On the 22^nd February 2012 UpRise and Channel 4 joined forces to host a debate featuring five of the 2012 London Mayoral candidates.

The answers provided by the Liberal Democrat’s Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick are published as part of UpRise Essays.

Employment & Economic Development

Question from Samson Osun – Elevation Networks

Brian Paddick: I will rebuild a sense of community by cutting crime and making Londoners feel safer. Local people will set police priorities and as Mayor I will hold the Met to account. We need to rebuild the broken relationship between the police and the community. At the moment whole sections of London society feel over-policed and under-protected. So we must work to get the police and the community back on the same side. When people feel safe they are more likely to volunteer in their local area. Safer streets will help to build community spirit.

Although the mayor is limited in his powers to directly create jobs he can be an excellent figurehead for encouraging investment in London. Whether it is encouraging large employers to base themselves in London or fiercely negotiating for government support for London’s small businesses and youth enterprises, the Mayor can play a huge role.

Unemployment in London is at record highs and figures show almost 1 in 4 young people in London are unemployed. In some areas of Haringey, where I visited earlier this month, a third of young people are out of work and in other parts of London that figure is even higher.

The Lib Dem team and I would expand paid apprenticeships schemes through paying apprentices to work on major infrastructure projects like Crossrail and improvements to the Tube network. We would also bring the £600m spent on adult skills training in London under the control of the Mayor to ensure a comprehensive approach to be developed across London. I will do everything in my power to give young Londoners the best possible start in life.

Question from Kwabena Oduro Ayim – Haringey Young People Empowered

Brian Paddick: I am passionate about tackling the serious pressures of youth unemployment and as Mayor will do everything in my power to help as many young Londoners into work as possible.

Today’s young people are tomorrow’s mothers, fathers and tax-payers. If they end up falling behind our whole society will pay the price. That is why the Liberal Democrats have introduced the Youth Contract and why I will do my utmost to improve opportunities in the capital.

As a former police officer I know short term prison sentences don’t work to combat crime. People who come out of prison struggle to get a job and often reoffend shortly after their release. I would like to see young offenders given the chance to pay society back for their crimes through an effective London-wide payback scheme as an alternative to short term prison sentences.

Everyone deserves a second chance. Young people who have made a mistake should not be barred from employment and the chance to get their lives back on track.

The issue of tuition fees has attracted a lot of negative press. However this year’s UCAS applications figures show the proportion of English school leavers applying to go to university is greater than ever before, barring 2011, and applications from people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds remain strong. My colleague Simon Hughes has worked hard to ensure no student is priced out of education. There are many gifted young people who benefit from going to university and it is essential that we do not scare them off with untrue horror stories.

Culture & Tourism

Question from Alex Winning – BSix Sixth Form College

Brian Paddick: London is a fantastic city – diverse, vibrant and with a unique heritage. It is a fantastic destination for tourists and international investment and as Mayor I will spread that message. The images broadcast around the world of London burning have unfortunately damaged our city’s reputation. I think, especially ahead of the Olympics, our international friends would feel reassured to see someone who had a firm grip on the police and law and order in the capital. A safe, festival-style Olympic Games will serve as a very public positive demonstration of what this city can be and should be.

Question from Marissa Forrester – London360

Brian Paddick: The legacy of the 2012 London Olympic Games is really important. Hosting the Olympics will put our great city on centre stage this summer. It is so important that after the medals have been awarded that local communities continue to be transformed. The track record of the Olympic Development Authority in getting local unemployed people into work on the Olympic Park sites has not been good enough – only one in 10 of the people employed on site have previously been unemployed.

The Legacy Company should be encouraged by the Mayor to create more opportunities. Every contract awarded by the GLA should include a commitment from the companies that won the bid to provide training and apprenticeship schemes for Londoners.

Transport & Environment

Question from Kojo Amponsah – Focused Young Individuals

Brian Paddick: I am sure that young people recognise that they will be the ones who will be directly affected by serious environmental damage and climate change. The Lib Dems have a long-standing commitment to green issues and I am proud that it was a Liberal Democrat Secretary of State who introduced the Green Deal and the Green Investment Bank. These policies will save money in the long run as well as improving the health of our planet. As Mayor I will set a positive example, encourage people and businesses to make permanent, sustainable changes.

Question from Tarek Chaudhury – Reprezent FM

Brian Paddick: Our transport plans are designed to help the least well off. Young people tend to be on lower incomes (if you are lucky enough to be employed at all) and high fares hit those on lower incomes disproportionately hard. As much as we would love to cut all fares the maths simply does not add up and would result in further rises later on.

What we will do is introduce part-time travel cards to give travel discounts for those who travel regularly into London but not every day. London Lib Dems will also make your money go further with a one hour bus ticket. You can already change tube lines on the same journey so we would allow you to use a many buses as you need within an hour. These initiatives will make a big difference to struggling young Londoners trying to survive in the most expensive city in Europe for public transport fares.

Crime & Policing

Question from Eliza Reberio – Lives Not Knives

Brian Paddick: One of the most important ways of making young people feel part of their community is rebuilding relations between the police and the community. When people don’t feel safe they are less likely to want to volunteer or get involved with their community.

I am a great believer in restorative justice. Prison doesn’t act as a deterrent and doesn’t provide opportunities for young people to transform their lives. 75% of young men end up being arrested within a year of release. In contrast, well managed payback schemes reduce reoffending by almost half, as they allow young people to get into the habit of working and get them out helping in their community. In New York they had a very successful zero-tolerance approach that showed that where a local area is well looked after the crime rate goes down. I would use the Mayor’s powers to coordinate all payback schemes in London. Young offenders would spend their time fixing up their local area in London and make it a place to be proud of. Importantly it also allows the community to recognise that the young people have paid something back to society for their crimes.

Question from Helen Daniel – 2 Fingers to Violence

Brian Paddick: Projects that engage young people are crucial in making sure this doesn’t happen again. I will support activities that provide opportunities for people to rebuild their lives. The Mayor can encourage local councils to fund projects that work and provide evidence of best practice.

I am committed to rebuilding communities and relationships with the police so young people feel safer and more connected to their local area. An improved relationship between the police and community will help to prevent young people resorting to crime in the future.

Social Development

Question from Kay-Jay Simmons – Spirit of London Awards

Brian Paddick: Labour claim to be concerned about social justice but after 13 years of a Labour government inequality is still as much a problem as it was under Thatcher. The gap between the richest and poorest in London is unacceptably large.

Bankers’ bonuses should be cut back while so many people are finding it tough or are out of work. They should instead be encouraged to invest some of their earnings into funding renewed youth hubs and contributing to wider society. Times are tight and many youth clubs and centres are being forced to close, so getting financial support from bankers and business would be a way of bringing social justice and ensuring youth provision.

Policies like the living wage and our fares package will help those on the lowest incomes get a fairer deal. We will also monitor the pay ratios of organisations within the GLA family – for example in TfL it is not acceptable that there are 44 people paid more than the prime ministers salary!

Question from Khalid O’Beirne – Media Trust

Brian Paddick: I am passionate about engaging with young people and listening to their views. I have been all across London speaking to young people and I know that they are currently facing real problems that the Mayor must do something about. I think it is dreadful that Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone didn’t even bother to turn up to the UpRise debate to hear their concerns first hand.

I will continue to go out and listen to all Londoners throughout my campaign, not just when it suits me. When I was a police commander I spent three nights a week meeting community groups and as Mayor I would do the same, not just hide away in City Hall.

London 2012 Mayoral elections – Boris Johnson (Conservative Party)

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:34:00 +0000

On the 22^nd February 2012 UpRise and Channel 4 joined forces to host a debate featuring five of the 2012 London Mayoral candidates.

The answers provided by the Conservative Mayoral candidate Boris Johnson are published as part of UpRise Essays.

Employment & Economic Development

Question from Samson Osun – Elevation Networks

Boris Johnson: I have set out how we’re creating 200,000 jobs over the next four years in point 3 of my 9 point plan for Greater London. Unemployment is a devastating problem and youth unemployment in London has grown steadily over the last decade. Despite his second term spanning a global economic boom, unemployment under Ken Livingstone among 16 and 17 year olds in London rose from 39.6 to 43.3 per cent. In contrast, I have delivered over 40,000 apprenticeships in just over a year, making London the fastest growing UK region for new apprenticeship opportunities. These apprenticeships are making a real difference, with 85 per cent having turned into continuing employment. I have set a target to deliver 100,000 apprenticeships by the end of 2012 to get more people into work, help employers support their businesses and help employees develop skills.

I have also encouraged volunteering in the community through Team London. But I want to do more by extending programmes such as Freesports, which offers grants of up to £1,500 to help small clubs and community groups fund coaching.

Question from Kwabena Oduro Ayim – Haringey Young People Empowered

Boris Johnson: My 9 point plan for Greater London sets out how I’ll be creating 200,000 jobs over the next four years. I have already delivered over 40,000 apprenticeship in just over a year and I plan to increase this to 100,000 by the end of 2012, providing the skills young people need to participate in the employment market. When I became Mayor, City Hall was doing nothing to reduce reoffending. To ensure more youth offenders gain employment, I worked with partners to set up the Heron wing at Feltham Young Offenders’ Institution. Recent evaluation shows it has cut reoffending by one third.

I will commit to extending mentoring of vulnerable young people and will recruit 1,000 more volunteers so that up to 10,000 young people can join in uniformed group activities. I’ll also work hard to keep improving London’s transport and carry on cutting crime in the capital so businesses feel confident about investing and creating jobs. Perhaps the single most effective thing a Mayor can do to cut unemployment is to keep taxes low so hard working Londoners keep more of their own money and can spend it on the things their families need. That’s why I have cut my share of London’s Council Tax bills and plan to cut it again if I am re-elected.

Culture & Tourism

Question from Alex Winning – BSix Sixth Form College

Boris Johnson: I got straight to work after the riots, helping to clear up the mess and giving the police the support they needed to catch the culprits. A £50 million regeneration fund is being invested in long term improvements to town centres. I have cut crime in London by 10.8 per cent and murders by 25.9 per cent while in office and people from all around the world will discover how safe London has become during the 2012 Olympics this summer.

There are 9 positive, optimistic points in my plan for Greater London, such as putting £445 back in your pocket by freezing my share of Council Tax, creating 200,000 new jobs and investing £221 million to transform local high streets.

Question from Marissa Forrester – London360

Boris Johnson: Point 7 of my 9 point plan for Greater London is to ensure a real Olympic legacy. When I was elected in 2008 there was no legacy plan, so I got to work to create one. We established a Legacy Company and this will turn into a Mayoral Development Corporation which I will chair as soon as the closing ceremony finishes. The corporation will safeguard the economic legacy for east London by implementing detailed plans to create 10,000 new permanent jobs and 11,000 new homes in the Olympic Village after the Games have finished.

Transport & Environment

Question from Kojo Amponsah – Focused Young Individuals

Boris Johnson: I have planted 10,000 street trees during my term and point 5 of my 9 point plan for Greater London sets out how I’ll plant another 20,000 during the next term. Together with cutting crime, and ensuring that young people who have abused their right to free travel must undertake activities such as litter picking, a more pleasant environment can only lead to people taking more care as people start to value it more. I will also continue to make it easier for young people to volunteer through the Team London programme which I established when I became Mayor.

Question from Tarek Chaudhury – Reprezent FM

Boris Johnson: I introduced concessionary fares on Buses and Trams for job seekers so they can get to job interviews and get back into employment. I have put almost 700 extra transport police on the tubes and buses and total crime in London has fallen by over 10 per cent. Violent youth crime has fallen by nearly 15 per cent while tube crime has fallen by 20 per cent, making the Underground the safest metro system in Europe. But the biggest fall has been in bus crime, down by over 30 per cent since I was elected. If I’m re-elected, I will continue my drive to push it down further still with point 4 of my 9 point plan for Greater London making the capital safer by putting 1,000 more police on the beat.

Crime & Policing

Question from Eliza Reberio – Lives Not Knives

Boris Johnson: When I became Mayor I set up the Daedalus programme, which supports resettlement brokers to help offenders find work. The Heron wing at Feltham Young Offenders’ Institute has been successful in rehabilitating young people to save them from following a life of crime. But we need to go further. We need a culture change among companies to make it easier for offenders to be gainfully employed. Working with the City and Business in the Community, I will launch a programme to get as many London employers as possible to help offenders in London to lead productive lives. I will also expand volunteering and mentoring programmes to reduce the number of people choosing to commit crime in the first place and in point 3 of my 9 point plan for Greater London I set out how I’ll create 200,000 jobs over the next four years.

Question from Helen Daniel – 2 Fingers to Violence

Boris Johnson: It’s important that we all feel we can play a constructive part in the lives of our communities. Many young people would benefit from structured and positive activities through uniformed groups such as the cadets, scouts and guides, building self-confidence and self-respect. These groups have been shown to be particularly effective at supporting young people at risk of antisocial and criminal behaviour. I will also extend the mentoring of vulnerable young people, and will recruit 1,000 more volunteers so that up to 10,000 young people can join in these uniformed groups.

Social Development

Question from Kay-Jay Simmons – Spirit of London Awards

Boris Johnson: I will chair the Mayoral Development Corporation to ensure that the Olympic legacy provides a permanent, sustainable economic boost to a part of east London which has been neglected for too long. My 9 point plan for Greater London also sets out how I’ll be creating 200,000 new jobs and investing £221 million to transform high streets across the capital. And to give young people the vocational skills they need to succeed in the labour market, I will increase the number of apprenticeships to over 100,000 by the end of 2012. I will also cut my share of Council Tax bills to provide a relief for hard-working Londoners and support the London economy, which will mean more jobs and lower unemployment. Thirdly, I will create a GLA property register and scrutinise it for sites that are suitable for Free Schools so that more of London’s children from disadvantaged backgrounds can enjoy a rigorous education too often only available to children whose parents can afford to pay private school fees.

Question from Khalid O’Beirne – Media Trust Ambassador

Boris Johnson: I am working hard to provide opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds across the capital. Sadly, there are too many young people who suffer from troubled family lives and economic disadvantage. But it’s important to remember that the overwhelming majority did not choose to break shop windows and steal sports clothes and electronic goods. If re-elected, I will work hard to ensure that justice is seen to be done but also to increase opportunities through encouraging volunteering and creating jobs. My 9 point plan for Greater London sets out how I’ll be creating 200,000 new jobs over the next four years, giving young people who aren’t in education or training a better chance of getting on with a productive, fulfilling start to their adult lives.

Featured Image / Manifesto

admin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:20:39 +0000

The UpRise Manifesto

admin — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:29:56 +0000

The following themes, launched at UpRise Talks at Channel 4 on Wednesday the 22nd February 2012, are authored by UpRise and will be presented in the full manifesto soon:

Number 1 (the past): Raceless Society

‘Race’ is something that is not intrinsic to our identity. It does not define who we are. It is something we have inherited. Grouping together people based on salient traits requires that we ignore the wealth of aspects that make us individuals. A raceless society will take nothing away from our identity, but will in fact, add to how we identify with ourselves and others. It will allow us to be defined by the many customs, cultures and traditions that weave the rich tapestry that is humanity.

Number 2 (the present): Poly-Culturalism

Across Britain, we are rightly proud of our multicultural nation. 11% of the country was born abroad and there are over 300 languages spoken in London alone. However the very term MULTI-Culturalism, though never actually truly defined, implies individual strands of ‘ethnicity’ that exist side by side. UpRise believes in POLY-Culturalism. That is, strands that interweave and infinitely influence each other becoming the very fabric of the actual culture.. such as the integration of Patois in contemporary English language – that is the very essence of Polyculturalism.

Number 3 (the future): Cognitive Diversity

We live in a unique time and place, surrounded by people of all different backgrounds. Classifying diversity by race, religion or other age-old definitions has lost its relevance. Cognitive diversity is understanding our neighbours through our experience and environment, and not ‘ethnic’ diversity. A Chinese teenager living on an estate in Tottenham will struggle to identify with a wealthy Chinese business man living in Canary Wharf. He will probably have much more in common with the Somali kid he walks to school with. Cognitive Diversity allows us to empathise with each other as people and be the defining path toward equality

Did you know…?

“Race” is an idea, and not a biological or anthropological fact, as proven by genetic science?

Though often used and often cited as “not working”, there is no actual doctrine for multiculturalism?

The word “ethnic” is derived from the Greek ethnos which originally meant heathen or pagan?

‘London 2012 Mayoral candidates to debate and engage with the city’s young people’

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:46 +0000

Channel 4 and UpRise Talks will be hosting a live debate with London’s Mayoral candidates as they take questions posed by 18-24 year olds. On Wednesday 22^nd February at 6pm, Channel 4 will stream the event online.

The invited panel has been announced as Boris Johnson, Brian Paddick, Jenny Jones, Ken Livingstone, and Siobhan Benita. The event will be chaired by playwright, author and critic Bonnie Greer OBE and will be hosted by presenter Konnie Huq.

The ten young ambassadors, who will question the candidates, have been sourced from: BSix Sixth Form College, Elevation Networks, Spirit of London Awards, 2 Fingers to Violence, F.Y.I, HYPE, Lives Not Knives, London360, Media Trust and Reprezent FM.

Samuel Kasumu, Founder of Elevation Networks, said:

“With the Government recently launching the new Youth Contract, it’s time to see what our Mayoral Candidates will be doing to help tackle youth unemployment in London.”

The debate is being delivered by UpRise, in collaboration with Channel 4. UpRise is a national bridging organisation which develops initiatives that highlight and resolve the many types of inequality in theUKtoday. UpRise Project Director, Paul Richards had this to say:

“This is a fast-changing modern world and young people have an uncanny way of addressing the moment, we’re giving them a platform to air their voices and influence the people who are asking for their vote.”

The evening will also include a performance from British vocalist, cellist and composer Ayanna.

You can follow UpRise on Twitter @UpRiseFestival and follow the debate on hashtag #C4UpRise.

For images, and interviews with candidates, organisers and young ambassadors please contact:
Name: Sidel Stewart
Mobile: 07971 481 956
Email: press@onitpr.co.uk
Web: www.uprise.org.uk
Twitter: @UpRiseFestival
Facebook: UpRiseFestival

Featured Image | Mayoral Debate

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:46:21 +0000