IF NOTHING else, the turbulent times that we are experiencing have underlined that it is progressive politics which 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 when Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were in power.
The international financial crisis means that in order to sustain London as the best city in the world and protect living standards, we need more – not less – public investment in areas such as transport, good housing and improving 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, was established this week 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. Progressive London will encourage discussion about this and other issues of importance to the capital’s future at a conference in January, with speakers representing many strands of London life and political background including MPs and Assembly members, trade union leaders, intellectuals, artists, cultural practitioners, community activists and city government experts.
But Progressive London will also campaign – starting with the need for a fair deal on fares. The Mayor of London’s job should be to protect Londoners as far as possible from the effects of recession, but instead the travelling public will be hit hard with an inflation-busting fare increase at the start of the New Year. Overall fares will rise by 6 per cent – but some fares will rise by a lot more. The price of a single bus journey on Oyster will go up by 11 per cent – to £1. But Londoners need not be paying these fare increases at all.
Under Boris Johnson, the Tories’ policy has been to put up fares while protecting drivers of gas guzzlers, cancelling the planned introduction of a £25-a-day charge on high polluting cars driving into central London, like so-called Chelsea Tractors, costing Londoners millions. 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.
Writing for Progressive London’s website, Steve Hart, the leader of the London region of the Unite union argued this week 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 Tories’ policy agenda for London is going in exactly the wrong direction.
The policy that half of all new homes in London should be affordable has been abandoned, while 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 – with the Mayor denouncing “whingeing” over house prices and opposing “neo-socialist claptrap” –- but London still does not have an adequate 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 Tory administration is considering cutting funding for events celebrating the city’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 £50million; and ending the “oil for expertise” agreement with Venezuela has cost London £20million.
The Tories’ policies are a big backward step for the capital, but London has a rich and diverse tradition of progressive politics. Progressive London aims to bring together 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.
