2013-06-19T09:15:43-04:00 Siobhan Benita http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=siobhan-benita Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Siobhan Benita Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1549839 2012-05-28T19:00:00-04:00 2012-07-28T05:12:10-04:00

Siobhan Benita http://www.huffingtonpost.com/siobhan-benita/
So, with that in mind, and hopeful that positive changes do result from the Inquiry, I'm going to write this particular article in a post-Leveson style. And I'm going to apply it to a current issue that lends itself to lots of comment but, I would argue, not nearly enough news; the very pressing issue of UK's airport capacity.

Firstly then, the news. It's a fact that Britain has slipped back into recession. We are now in a double dip. Our economy contracted by 0.3% in the first three months of this year, worse than the Office for National Statistics prediction of a 0.2% contraction. The downward revision is due to a bigger contraction in construction output than previously estimated.

In his recent Manchester speech on the economy, the prime minister said "we are doing everything we can to return this country to strong, stable economic growth." He went on to say, "I have a clear task: to keep Britain safe. Not to take the easy course - but the right course."

It's a further fact that the government has yet to publish its aviation strategy. It was due to release a consultation document on aviation in March but publication has been delayed until later this summer. (There is much speculation in Whitehall circles about the cause of the delay but as this is my news section I won't repeat it here). What is on the public record is the government's current position that all options for capacity expansion in the south-east will be considered apart from a third runway at Heathrow. A third runway at the UK's existing international hub airport is simply not up for discussion.

It's also worth me including - as a matter of news - that Heathrow already lags behind major European airports in terms of the number of flights it operates to China, Russia and Brazil.

According to the Evening Standard, China's biggest aerospace company has chosen to base its European headquarters in Paris rather than London because of the French capital's better air links. And the British Chambers of Commerce has stated that for every year the third runway at Heathrow is delayed, it costs the UK around £1 billion. It estimates that construction of the third runway would provide up to 60,000 jobs, with operations at the expanded Heathrow creating up to 8,000 new jobs by 2030.

News done. Now for the comment. The government's inability to make a rational decision (indeed any decision) on airport capacity is damaging the UK economy right here right now. At a time when our economy needs all the help it can get, the fact that we are losing out on millions of pounds of investment from abroad because of weak leadership and party-political dilly-dallying is irresponsible and indefensible. A decision must be taken and it must be taken fast. Until it is, it is simply not true for this government to say that it is doing everything it can to return the country to strong economic growth. Far from it.

On the specific issue of a third runway at Heathrow, the government must bring it back to the table for discussion. In these perilous economic times it is political folly to dismiss an option that: does not require large amounts of public money, would bring thousands of construction jobs to west London and permanent jobs in the longer term, would significantly boost UK's prosperity and be the quickest way of addressing our urgent need to increase airport capacity.

Whilst I am commenting, I will go as far as to say that I believe the Mayor of London agrees with me on all of this. Boris is nothing if not a cunning political plotter. When he talks about his island airport, he does it with his tongue very firmly in cheek. It's a fantasy. He knows it and he knows the public know it but that's precisely why he can wax lyrical about it in the full and safe knowledge it will never actually happen. His opposition to a third runway at Heathrow is not in London's best interest - but it is in his. It endears him even further to Conservative voters in leafy south west London and that's something he cares about with his next career move in mind. It also conveniently means that he can leave the real, tough decisions about airport capacity to someone else - at the end of the day it's not actually in the Mayor's remit.

Boris' stance is a calculated cop-out. Comments anyone?]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1470365 2012-05-02T19:00:00-04:00 2012-07-02T05:12:13-04:00

Siobhan Benita http://www.huffingtonpost.com/siobhan-benita/
Despite having no party machine and scant broadcast coverage my campaign has made a real impact. I've made education and youth an election issue and highlighted fundamental problems with the current broadcasting rules and election processes, which must be addressed after the 3 May (watch this space...).

Throughout April, I have polled well against Brian Paddick and Jenny Jones and ahead of UKIP's Lawrence Webb. The bookies have put me in third place and contrary to Lib Dem belief, I don't have wealthy friends putting bets on me! Most recently, I've had positive leader articles in the Times, Guardian and the Independent. As I write this, Jonathan Ross has declared his support!

I've achieved all of this with virtually no funding, something that has baffled political party members and old-school commentators. Once I remove the money required for the deposit and contribution to the London Elects booklet I have spent less than £5,000 on the campaign. My team and I have used public transport on all but a few occasions; we've printed two copies of my manifesto - one for an elderly gentleman who doesn't use a computer and one for me to keep to hand. It's been - by necessity and choice - a very green campaign.

Of course, I couldn't have done this on my own. I have made many new friends and built up a fantastic team of volunteers who have helped me through every phase of the campaign. Family, friends and supporters have lent me their time and their skills, for which I am extremely grateful. Whatever happens today, and once I have caught up on some sleep, I will get round to thanking everyone properly because this has been a truly extraordinary team effort.

The polling stations are open until this evening. So, if you are a London voter and still undecided then take a look at my manifesto on my website. I have a strong range of policies across all areas, showing that you don't need to be a single issue, or a monster raving loony candidate, to stand as an independent. I have support from people of all political persuasions, who agree with me that in the Mayor of London should not be party-political. I've also realised, however, that whilst people like the fact I am independent they do want to know my stance on key issues; where I lie on the political spectrum, what I 'stand for'. With that mind, I took a spontaneous decision to film this video, unscripted, of me answering the questions that I have been asked most often during the campaign.


Finally - having spent the last 16 weeks on the campaign trail where I have watched the dominant BorKen show up close, I'm more sure than ever that we need new voices in UK politics and much more diversity of public leaders. We need politicians who are in touch, more willing to listen, less egotistical and not stifled by inflexible party lines. We need more women (in my opinion, the biggest single error of judgement in this campaign was the Fawcett Society's decision not to allow me on their hustings), more ethnic minorities and people with different life and professional experiences.

Today Londoners will decide who will be the next Mayor of London; who will be the leader and public face of the capital for the next four years. It is our one opportunity to vote for an individual and not a political party. I hope that many of you choose to give your first vote to me.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1356679 2012-03-18T08:31:40-04:00 2012-05-18T05:12:01-04:00

Siobhan Benita http://www.huffingtonpost.com/siobhan-benita/
Let me say that again, only this time more loudly, "KIDS AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN LONDON ARE A HUGE ASSEST TO THIS CITY."

In just the past week alone, if you had been interviewed by the articulate Jacob at Reprezent Radio, filmed by the delightful Dennis and his professional crew from EndztoEndz media, taken part in a Lives not Knives workshop with the feisty Eliza or attended the amazing launch of this year's Spirit of London's Awards then you'd be shouting about young people too.

Young people in London are disproportionately hit by many of today's challenges - removal of the EMA and rising student fees, high unemployment and unaffordable transport and housing.

They know that the economic outlook is miserable and that recovery will be slow and painful. Life is much, much more uncertain for them than it was when I was in my late teens. Yet, despite all of these things, there are remarkable young people doing positive things right across the capital, starting businesses, running youth groups, helping themselves and others to build strong and productive futures. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of them on the campaign so far and I can personally vouch for the fact that they are enterprising, resourceful, energetic, and fun.

Public leaders should be highlighting all of these things, correcting the myths. But too often they don't. Too often our politicians and Ministers, journalists and commentators put young people down, associate them with crime and problems and unhelpfully feed a negative stereotype that I just don't believe to be true. One journalist (who I respect for many other reasons so shall remain nameless here) used a very negative image to illustrate an article he was writing on youth in London last week.

Let me stress, the article wasn't about gangs or knife crime it was a general article about youth but the picture he chose showed three hooded black boys leaning against a graffitied wall with one of them pretending to shoot the other two. I'm sure there was no harm meant - harm was done nevertheless.

If any of you do need an image of London's youth, may I suggest you check out this video first.

Let's start painting a picture for our children and young people that will inspire hope and increase confidence.

Just two other points before I close this blog.

First, a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the 330 people who have signed my nomination forms. We've done it! Once this campaign is over I will write more about the inefficient, nonsensical, out of date bureaucracy that is the candidate nomination process. For now, I am just grateful to everyone across London who has helped me to comply - I hope that I will do you all proud as the weeks go on.

Finally, it's been a rather unfortunate week on Planet BorKen with both teams unveiling identical election slogans. No doubt several comms heads will roll. I had to chuckle at this faux pas - millions of pounds and hundreds of staff between them and they still can't produce a single, distinguishing idea. Says it all really.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1337626 2012-03-11T19:00:00-04:00 2012-05-11T05:12:03-04:00

Siobhan Benita http://www.huffingtonpost.com/siobhan-benita/
Well, on 30 March, Londoners will be told who they can vote for as their next Mayor and I will be one of the names. I want to disrupt the status quo and help provide the fresh voice and ideas that so many people have been calling for.

Fantastic... now here's the rub.

As a new - and independent - candidate I don't have previous election results or represent a national party. According to the big broadcasters, that means I don't qualify for coverage.

Hm. Can anyone else hear a Catch 22 screaming in this scenario? I won't bore you all with the number of letters that my team and I have sent about this, or the number of brick walls that we have banged our heads against over the past few weeks.

You just need to know that it's a lot. Far too many. We've wasted far too much of our time getting nowhere with institutions that are slow to adapt and reluctant to embrace anything out of the ordinary.

Anyway, in the interest of not wasting any more time, I'll move on. For the time being at least, I will leave the broadcasters where they appear happiest to be; reporting on "Planet BorKen" where the Punch and Judy, party-political show continues to play on a predictable and repetitive loop.

Back in the real world, my team and I are finalising my manifesto. It's no mean feat to summarise ideas and condense proposals into a document that people will actually want to read. And I don't say that flippantly at all - having worked in government for 15 years I know how many weighty tomes are produced that nobody ever looks at! So, I will continue to select and tweak until I am happy with the end result but I am confident already that it will contain some surprises.

The mayor of London has limited powers in specific areas but their ability to influence debate and facilitate change goes way beyond these. London is a fantastic city but the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. Social mobility is grinding to a halt. More, much more, can and should be done to address this. For that reason, and despite the criticism I will no doubt receive from people who believe the mayor should manage TfL and not do much else, my manifesto will also cover vital issues like improving education across London and protecting public services.

There are many improvements that can be made in these areas which would transform people's lives, unlock talent and create opportunities across the capital. The mayor should be leading a charge - at the very least forcing a political discussion - on these sorts of issues.

Finally, I couldn't end this week's blog without mentioning the fantastic Women of the World festival at the South Bank which has been running all week and which I attended on Thursday's International Women's Day.

Great speakers, serious issues and a real buzz in the hall. One quote from Kathy Lette stuck in my mind - "women together are like a good Wonderbra, uplifting, supportive and make you bigger than you really are." A host of famous women called for gender equality and an end to practices that stifle women's rights and opinions. Bianca Jagger spoke with passion on the need for more women in public life.

I couldn't agree more.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1305450 2012-02-28T19:00:00-05:00 2012-04-29T05:12:01-04:00

Siobhan Benita http://www.huffingtonpost.com/siobhan-benita/
So today I could write about the successful campaign launch that I had last Tuesday. It was kindly hosted by Ernst and Young, there was a great turn-out and I had lots of positive feedback and media coverage.

I could summarise the raft of policy ideas that I announced, and the campaign video that I premiered at the event. There again, I could focus instead on the Channel 4 and UpRise debate that I took part in on Wednesday where I won the youth vote and held my own against the other candidates.

Or, I could mention my first mayoral TV appearance on Sunday Politics where I explained why an independent mayor would be best for London.

Yes, I could use this blog to talk about any, or all, of those things. But this week I had a meeting in Hither Green which put everything else into perspective. I met Barry Mizen, the father of Jimmy, who the day after his 16th birthday was murdered in an unprovoked attack in a bakery near his home on 10 May 2008.

It would be so easy and so understandable for Barry and his family to focus on punishment and retribution. Instead, in our meeting, Barry used his gentle voice to explain Jimmy's legacy - it's not one of anger, vengeance or fear, but one of hope and peace. He and his family are using the Foundation that they have created in Jimmy's memory to ask fundamental questions about prevention - how can society stop a child born today from becoming a violent adult?

It's easy for me to suggest (as I do) that a Mayor should focus as much on prevention of crime as on punishment of crime. But when you hear that same message from a parent whose own child has been murdered it really resonates.

As I sat opposite Barry today I felt humble and inadequate. The work that he and his family are doing to create positive relationships in their communities is truly inspirational. Their ability to look beyond an immediate desire for retribution to the reasons that cause someone to be violent in the first place is remarkable.

If you aren't aware of the Jimmy Mizen Foundation, I would encourage you to have a look at http://www.jimmymizen.org

It's definitely worth blogging about. ]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1261118 2012-02-08T19:00:00-05:00 2012-04-09T05:12:01-04:00

Siobhan Benita http://www.huffingtonpost.com/siobhan-benita/ website.

There are now just 84 days to go until the election. My campaign is going well but there is one thing I want to get off my chest:

To the powers that be at the BBC, ITV and other major broadcasters - there are more than two candidates in this year's mayoral election. Most people don't want a re-run of 2008. They are tired of the tired old men. So my plea to you all is to please open up - even just a tiny bit. If not in the name of democracy then do it simply to relieve the tedium (your viewers will thank you for it). Take a punt and give a fresh and - there, I've said it - female voice, a bit of airspace.

Most people I meet nowadays ask me why I joined the mayoral race. The truth is, it was a monumental decision with numerous factors leading up to it. But, on one level, it is also very simple; I want my daughters to thrive in a city where women have a strong voice and where society's leaders reflect the magnificent diversity of London's public. At the moment, that is not the case. Whether in politics, in journalism or in broadcasting, it is still an overwhelmingly male perspective that shapes, describes and reports on the world around us. If new candidates like me - who don't come from the old networks or established circles - are not offered a platform then the (largely grey-suited) status quo will prevail.

So, with that grumble out of the way, I am delighted to say that I will be announcing my main policies over the next few weeks. They will be a mix of the big and the small, the visionary and the pragmatic because a good Mayor cares as much about local neighbourhoods as they do about cross-rail or high speed rail.

My policies will be aimed at increasing opportunities for everyone in London, especially the most vulnerable and poorest groups across the capital. And I am placing youth at the heart of my campaign (that's not an observation on me unfortunately; I had my big birthday last year).

Too many politicians talk down the younger generation and blame them for all of society's ills. I simply don't buy that. I believe that, in the main, teenagers and young adults today are hardworking and conscientious. We should be talking them up, not putting them down and working with them to shape the future that they will inhabit. That's exactly what I intend to do.

So, please watch this space as the campaign continues and follow me on Twitter if you want my daily news and views. I'm still on something of a social media learning curve so forgive me if the tweets are not yet up to Stephen Fry standard!

Oh yes, and if you happen to have any contacts at the BBC or ITV could you do me a favour and give them a nudge...]]>