True London

This year's local elections in London are the most unpredictable for years and likely to produce changes in the political control of most of the capital's 32 boroughs. The Liberal Democrats have had less publicity than all the other parties, yet the have good grounds for thinking they will emerge stronger after 7 May. They may not win a majority on Labour-run Southwark Council but hope to win a substantial numbers of seats, perhaps the largest number, in a possible hung council.

The leader of the Lib Dem group, Victor Chamberlain, talked about their local campaign on the ground and the parties wider prospects across the city.

For more information about this year's borough contests, read the definitive guide to them compiled by me and elections expert Lewis Baston for public affairs specialists Lowick Hedry. It is HERE.
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Sunder is the director of British Future, a think tank concerned with the big issues of integration, identity, ethnicity and culture. It has just published a highly illuminating report about how best to keep on bringing people together in the high-diversity east London borough of Newham. Read it here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Sugarman is the deputy editor of Jewish News. He's written eloquently about the impacts of antisemitic attacks on Jewish communities, including the one at the start of this week that saw the torching of ambulances owned and operated - for the benefit of people of all faiths and none - by a Jewish charity. This took place in the car park of a synagogue in Golders Green, an area where many Jewish Londoners live.

Jewish News also recently ran a powerful editorial in response to extraordinary and virulent attacks by right-wing politicians on an entirely legal and tranquil open iftar that took place in Trafalgar Square, defending the right of Muslims to celebrate their faith in public spaces (as many other religions do in Trafalgar Square).

We spoke about all of the above along with the double standards and ulterior motives found among politicians and campaigners on both Right and Left in their attitudes to Jews and antisemitism, especially in the current, anxious climate. Daniel also set out his concerns about the laws relating to protest marches.
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Last year saw some big initiatives designed to get housing supply in the capital going again, including lowering the Mayor's affordable threshold, easing some planning requirements, a new Social And Affordable Homes Programme allocation and the recommendation of two sites for London New Towns. More recently, we've seen a move towards "rent convergence" for social housing landlords (see my explainer here). But there were also many factors working against more building. Has there been any useful progress since then? Dan Reast of Centre for London is admirably well-informed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick regards the present accountability arrangements for policing in the capital as a mess, leaving London's Mayors having to accept a lot of responsibility for policing and crime while having few powers to go with it. The Home Secretary has just announced plans for reorganising and reforming police services nationally. Will they result in a better settlement for London? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.