May 08 - G3 Magazine

IN THE
RUNNING
will our London Mayor be gay-friendly come 1 May?
The mayoral elections are on our doorstep – Nicola Hill from www.gay-friendly-wedding-venues.com
investigates the London Mayoral candidates’ policies on LGBT issues and their wider manifesto.
YELLOW
Brian Paddick
“As you would expect, I am as positive about the
reforms the Mayor has introduced to support the
LGBT community, but there are differences. I would
not have invited a radical Muslim preacher to City Hall
who has, in the past, advocated the killing of
homosexuals – an action that has resulted in Peter
Tatchell withdrawing his life-long support for the
current Mayor. The biggest difference, of course, is
that whilst the current Mayor is committed to
supporting the LGBT community, I am personally
involved. I have been subjected to homophobia, I
understand that changing legislation is only half the
battle and that we need to continue to change
attitudes in society towards the LGBT community.
A very powerful way to change attitudes is to have a
competent and capable Mayor who has 30 years’
experience of doing a real job successfully delivering
public services to Londoners.”
Other policies: The
gay candidate pledges
to cut crime in London
by 5% every year. He
will improve London’s
overcrowded public
transport and increase
the reliability of Tube
and bus services. He’ll
allow unlimited
changes of bus within
an hour for the price of
one journey on an
Oyster card. Brian
would use money
currently spent on
temporary
accommodation to
build new permanent
social housing. He
would bring unoccupied
properties into use and
take over redundant
land to create more
housing without the
need to build on
London’s precious green
spaces.
RED
Ken Livingstone
“I would be surprised
if any of the main
party candidates is
not broadly signed
up to London’s lesbian
and gay agenda.
I think the biggest
single problem facing
lesbians and gays
in the city is bullying
in schools. What
I’d really like to do
in the third term is
put a lot more money
into supporting the
various organisations
that tackle bullying
in schools.”
LGBT issues: Ken set up the
Partnerships Register before civil
partnerships became law. He has also
tackled homophobia, for example
banning homophobic adverts on the
Tube. He has also assisted Stonewall’s
campaign against homophobic
bullying in schools. Ken also set up an
LGBT Forum.
legal
mayor
candidate
special
Other policies: Ken promises to
continue investing to transform
London’s transport system and
continue the 6% reduction in crime
each year. Safeguard the policy that
50% of new homes should be
cheaper homes to buy and homes at
affordable rents. A £25 a day charge
for high carbon-emitting gas guzzlers
to enter the central London
congestion zone and no charge for the
greenest cars, with a London-wide
Low Emission Zone to keep the worst
polluting lorries out of London. Youth
centres for our young people – a
£78m programme to set up youth
centres and improve youth services.
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