THE former Hendon MP and Ken Livingstone campaigned in East Finchley today, exactly one year before the election for London Assembly members and Mayor of London.
As the pair talked to passers-by in High Road, Mr Livingstone showed his support for Andrew Dismore who will be fighting Tory candidate Brian Coleman for the Barnet and Camden London Assembly seat.
Mr Dismore lost out by 106 votes to Tory Matthew Offord in last May's General Election, but said his position as a councillor for 15 years and Member of Parliament for 13 years prove he has “the political experience to do the job properly.”
Mr Dismore said his priorities would be protecting Safer Neighbourhoods teams, developing a “better housing strategy”, improving the Northern Line and tackling fare increases for tube and bus users.
He is concerned about the impact Boris Johnson’s plan to cut 300 sergeants from Safer Neighbourhoods teams could have, and said they are “the most experienced officers who have helped cut crime, reassure residents and make Barnet safer year on year”.
He said: “I will be standing up for them and making sure they’re not cut and that local people can have that relationship with their local officers.”
Mr Livingstone, who will be standing as Labour’s candidate for Mayor of London in 2012, also said he would “put an end” to Mr Johnson’s plan to cut 1,000 police officers as well as scrapping the Mayor’s commitment to raise fares above inflation for 20 years.
Councillor Brian Coleman has held the Assembly seat since the Greater London Authority was formed in 2000, and is also a member for Totteridge ward and a cabinet member on Barnet Council.
Mr Dismore said he was “not going to get into a personal slanging match” with Councillor Coleman, who is also chair of the London Fire Authority, but said another of his aims is to “improve industrial relations in the fire service, particularly between management and the union.”
Believing it is “time for change” Mr Dismore said he would “listen much more to what local people say” as well as provide a “high level of scrutiny”.
Speaking about Councillor Coleman, Mr Livingstone said: “He represents everything that’s wrong about the way City Hall works.
“I don’t think he sees himself as a service of the people, or at least it doesn’t come across that way, and that’s what we are – your employees.”
Both Mr Dismore and Mr Livingstone said they also recognised a need for school places as well as housing development in the borough.
Mr Dismore said: “There is far too little in terms of affordable housing, particularly affordable housing for rent, and this is something which needs to be worked on.”
The election for the GLA and London Mayor will take place in May next year.
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