Ian West/PA Archive
As London prepares for gridlock today due to 10,000 black cabs protesting against the mobile app Uber, Katie Hopkins has stepped in to lend her support.
Writing on Twitter, the former Apprentice contestant railed at the "not efficient" cab app, saying: "Take away the sat nav and you have an idiot behind the wheel."
Hopkins went on to make her stance clearer in the debate on Uber's effect on London's black cabs, writing: "Black Cabs are the capitals 2nd police force. If ever I am in trouble, it is a black cabbie that saves the day".
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Taxi drivers cause travel chaos
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(01 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Taxis blockade Whitehall on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(02 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: A London taxi's driver attaches a sticker to the back of his cab on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(03 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: A London taxi driver sits in his cab on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(04 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Taxis blockade Whitehall on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(05 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Taxis blockade Whitehall on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(06 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Taxis blockade Whitehall on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(07 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: A London taxi driver waves a replica World Cup out of his cab during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(08 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: London taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(09 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: A London taxi driver waves a replica World Cup out of his cab during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(10 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Taxis blockade Whitehall on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(11 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: A London taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(12 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Taxis blockade Whitehall on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(13 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: London taxis line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
London Faces Gridlock As Black Taxi's Protest Against Uber App(14 of36)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: London taxi's line up on Whitehall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London, England. London's licensed black taxi drivers are campaigning against the introduction of the 'Uber' taxi smartphone app in the United kingdom. Drivers say that there is a lack of regulation behind the new app. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(15 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest in central London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(16 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest on The Mall, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(17 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest on The Mall, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(18 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest in central London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(19 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest on The Mall, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(20 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest on The Mall, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(21 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(22 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(23 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(24 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(25 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(26 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(27 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(28 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(29 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(30 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest at Trafalgar Square, London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(31 of36)
Black cab and licensed taxi drivers protest in central London over the introduction of a phone app called Uber which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(32 of36)
The Uber app being used on an Apple iPhone 5, as a row has flared over the introduction of the app which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(33 of36)
The Uber app being used on an Apple iPhone 5, as a row has flared over the introduction of the app which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(34 of36)
The Uber app being used on an Apple iPhone 5, as a row has flared over the introduction of the app which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(35 of36)
The Uber app being used on an Apple iPhone 5, as a row has flared over the introduction of the app which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
Taxi drivers to cause travel chaos(36 of36)
The Uber app being used on an Apple iPhone 5, as a row has flared over the introduction of the app which allows customers to book and track vehicles. (credit:PA)
The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, representing London's black cabs, has helped to organise a protest which promises “severe chaos, congestion and confusion across the metropolis”.
The LTDA argues that Uber, through which customers can book and track vehicles, acts like a taxi meter, which private cars are not allowed to use and has warned that the move is leading to unlicensed drivers being contacted via the new technology, with no checks on whether they are legitimate.
6 Facts About Uber
6 Facts About Uber(01 of06)
Wouldn't it be nice to push a button on your smartphone and have a Mercedes S-Class show up? That's exactly what the founders of the service thought before launching it in San Francisco in 2010. (credit:Uber)
Cashless(02 of06)
The service is cashless. A fare is automatically charged to the credit card on file and a receipt is e-mailed. (credit:Uber)
Split Your Fare(03 of06)
Sharing the ride with friends? Uber will split the bill and charge separate credit cards. "No more pay-me-backs or IOUs," says the website. (credit:Uber)
Options(04 of06)
Uber lets customers pick a ride that matches their "style and budget." Options range from a low-cost service called uberX to a luxury service called UberLux. Options vary between cities. (credit:Getty Images)
Reviews(05 of06)
Riders can rate their experience after a trip and leave additional feedback about the driver. (credit:Getty Images)
Investors(06 of06)
Investors on the company include Goldman Sachs, Google Ventures and First Round Capital. (credit:Getty Images)
Days before the protest, Hopkins wrote another message urging Transport for London to "stand up for our fab Black cabs".
And now today, Hopkins has rounded off her campaign with a call for women to come out in support for London's black cabs. "Bikini's and black cabs at Trafalgar Square," she wrote. "I will not be in swim wear - thank the lord."
Speaking to the BBC, Uber’s UK general manger Jo Bertram said there was “room for black cabs and private hire cars to co-exist in London.”
She added: "We are open to discussions with black-cab drivers, unfortunately today's demonstration disadvantages Londoners and it closes down discussion."