Archive for category: Voices

  • London Assembly 2012: What are the Green weaknesses?

    In the last of this week’s series on the political landscape for the London Assembly elections we come to the difficulties the Greens will have to overcome to do well in May. Feel free to read the equivalent pieces on the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats.   The Green Party: […]

     
  • London Assembly 2012: the Liberal Democrat woes

    In the latest in our series on the problems facing London’s four main parties in the coming Assembly elections we take  a look at the difficulties the Liberal Democrats will be facing come May. You can see our take on the Tory and Labour campaigns, and the final piece in […]

     
  • London Assembly 2012: what are Labour’s weaknesses?

    In the second of this week’s series on the London Assembly elections we take a look at the electoral weaknesses the Labour Party will have to overcome if they are to win in May. You can read the analysis of the Conservative weak points here, tomorrow the Liberal Democrats and […]

     
  • London Assembly 2012: what are the Tory weaknesses?

    Over the next few months, as you’d expect, Big Smoke will be taking an in-depth look at the candidates, their parties and what they offer Londoners. We thought it would be useful to begin by looking at the weak points of the four parties currently elected to the Assembly. A […]

     
  • Take part in #LondonManifesto

    With the mayoral election just around the corner, Thursday 3 May 2012 to be precise, we thought it would be a good idea to set out some policy ideas. Over the coming weeks and months, we hope to publish a range of different contributions for a #LondonManifesto. Who knows, one […]

     
  • For a Better Archway

    Kate Calvert of the Better Archway Forum explains what they are doing to improve their community. The Better Archway Forum is a community group started in 2006 in response to a plan to rebuild Archway, funded by a large supermarket. The masterplanners on the job were definitely not the A […]

     
  • Sustrans manifesto for London

    Sustrans is a leading UK charity enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. They work with families, communities, policy-makers and partner organisations so that people are able to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and […]

     
  • Occupy London discusses scaling down

    The world-wide “Occupy” movement has had a deep impact on political debate, sparking a sustained scrutiny of capitalism, corporations and government compliance that we rarely experience. Taking on both the city and the institutions of the church the Occupy London Stock Exchange (LSX) encampment fought a tough battle for the […]

     
  • Should we take the clutter out of our streets?

    David Mentiply takes a look at shared streets and is not pleased with what he finds. Exhibition Road, the ‘cultural heartland of London’ that attracts 11 million visitors a year, is now without pavements. All ‘kerbs, barriers and street clutter’ have been removed as part of the Mayor’s programme to […]

     
  • Media takes focus from actual racism in Abbott ‘race’ storm

    Jim Jepps examines today’s so called twitter controversy and asks whether Diane Abbott is a racist or facing a backlash of racism. One unexpected aftermath of the Stephen Lawrence murder convictions is the vilification of the first female black MP, Diane Abbott, who has the unasked for distinction of being […]