Anyone Who Thinks Govt Will Hold Osborne To Account Should Read This...

If you think Parliamentary inquiry is the way to go, think again!! 

Theresa May has defended George Osborne's growing number of jobs outside parliament

The Prime Minister's intervention came after a constituent wrote to his local paper demanding the former Chancellor resigns as an MP.

Don Briggs wrote to the Knutsford Times, the local paper for the Tatton constituency in the north west, outraged that Mr Osborne accepted the post of the Evening Standard in London.

He said: "As our new MP for Tatton, Mr Osborne chose a northern address far away from his constituents, in the hills above Macclesfield. 

"To justify his job with the Standard he said he is a Londoner.

"I felt deeply insulted to read Mr Osborne linking his name with that of C P Scott, the greatest journalist this nation has produced. 

"Scott was a moral force in world politics. Mr Osborne is seen by many as an ambitious, arrogant, power-hungry politician.

"What has Mr Osborne done for Knutsford? Or Tatton?

George Osborne jokes about his editor appointment in Parliament

See full article, click link below

http://ift.tt/2p2D3gA

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2ntWl1U
via IFTTT

Harassment Charge Dropped, Two More MPs Supporting Our Trade & David Kurten Question To The Mayor

It was fantastic to read in the Badge that the Met Police appear to agree with the LCDC rather than TfL and have decided not to proceed with the harassment charges against Sean Stockings. 

Although the matter hasn't been fully closed as Sean's LCDC legal team are still appealing Peter Blake's decision to revoke Sean's licence -on the grounds he is not fit and proper- it must add to his defence that the police do not see fit to proceed with any charges. 

Also, a meeting has been arranged with Barrenness Shami Chakrabarti in the House of Commons. Shami, like the rest of the trade, is appalled at the treatment of Mr Stocking and has agreed to get involved and help.

Other news this weekend 

MP John Cruddas has asked the PrimeMinister  for an investigation into the relationship between previous occupants of no10 and Uber. 

Also, MP Charles Walker has written to one of his constituents reaffirming his support for the Taxi trade in their fight against Uber. 

Finally, UKIP Assembly Member David Kurten has tabled a written question to the Mayor, asking if he is familiar with the case law appertaining to Blue Line Taxis vs Newcastle city council? 

He also asks if the Mayor is aware that a Taxi or Private hire vehicle waiting in anticipation of a job offer in another licensed area, is no longer a licensed vehicle, but an unlicensed car illegally plying for hire...we wait with baited breath for the mayor's answer on that one.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2nsISYq
via IFTTT

Dagenham and Rainham MP calls for investigation into David Cameron’s relationship with Uber

Jon Cruddas has written to Prime Minister Theresa May questioning her on alleged ties between former PM David Cameron and private car hire firm Uber.

The Dagenham and Rainham MP wrote to the PM about revelations published in several newspapers last month which suggested Mr Cameron and Uber put pressure on City Hall not to toughen up on regulating the car-hailing app.

He wrote: “I am certainly not opposed to disruptive technology and competition, but Uber’s conduct in London and other cities around the world has raised serious issues in terms of fair competition, workers’ rights, passenger safety and fair corporate taxation.

“It is alleged under your predecessor, David Cameron, that Uber had undue levels of access to the very top of government and this was used to influence policy in government and at City Hall in London under the previous Mayor Boris Johnson.”

Mr Cruddas claimed to have been “inundated with emails” from constituents about the matter.

According to the reports, both Mr Cameron and former chancellor George Osborne texted Mr Johnson asking him to drop proposals that would have helped black cab drivers fight against a growing tide of private-hire cars.

Among those proposals were five minute minimum waiting times and mandatory English tests.

Ajit Chambers, an advocate on behalf of black cab drivers, designed an e-petition which enabled drivers and constituents to email Mr Cruddas and other MPs to ask for a public inquiry into the alleged ties.

Mr Chambers said: “A public inquiry will allow the legal investigation into a number of individuals who have allowed Transport for London to attempt to get rid of the black cabs.”

Mr Cruddas called for an investigation into the alleged ties.

He wrote: “I do agree there is an urgent need to review the regulatory framework governing the taxi and private hire industry in London and other towns and cities across the UK in the interests of fair competition, passenger safety and decent working conditions for drivers.

“I am concerned that the conduct of the administration led by your predecessor may have hampered fair and impartial consideration of the issues by giving undue access and preference to one operator at the expense of an entire industry.

“My constituents would be grateful for your assurance that you will investigate the relationship between David Cameron, George Osborne, and Uber, and make public any findings.”

Uber declined to comment on Mr Cruddas’ letter, although a spokesman said: “More than 200,000 Londoners signed a petition in autumn 2015 against plans for things like five minute minimum waiting times.

“They were also condemned by consumer groups, the media, and even the Competition and Markets Authority.”

A government spokesman said: “We are aware of concerns regarding the increase in the size of the private hire market and the impact of new and innovative ways of working on traditional business models.

“The government supports choice for consumers and wants to see both taxis and private hire vehicles prosper.”

Source : http://ift.tt/1qJOJOG

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2npOC50
via IFTTT

"Every Time Cabs Block Westminster, I Resolve To Only Use @Uber"...James Duddridge MP.

James Duddridge MP who is up for re-election on May 7th had this to say about yesterday's demo by desperate Taxi drivers in Whitehall. He not only tweeted this, but also pinned it to the top of his account.

He said "Every time the black cabs protest, blocking the streets in Westminster, I resolve to only use @Uber in London for a month, obviously looking for good favour there then.

This, from the Southend Tory MP, with two homes in the capital, who claims £11k in expenses for accommodation.

Southend Echo carried a story about Conservative MP for Rochford & Southend East claiming over £11,000 in accommodation expenses for 2013/14.

“A TORY MP has come under fire after for claiming £11,348 of taxpayers’ money, mostly on London hotels – despite having two homes in the capital.

“In the latest round of MPs expenses for 2013/14, Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge claimed the bulk of the cash on overnight accommodation in the city, from April to December.

“The rest of his claims were made up from renting a property in the city until March 2014.

“According to his financial declarations, the MP owns two properties in London, which he rents out.“

Interesting, no? He owns two homes in London, rents out another, and still manages to stay in hotels. 

Meanwhile he lives and represents a constituency which is less than an hour from London away by train.

Bear in mind that this all dates from before he was made a junior minister at the Foreign Office. I fully expect that the amount of expenses he claims will have, similarly to his salary, risen since his promotion.

In light of this, I’m not going to add a whole lot of ranting, because I do think it’s unnecessary. What I am going to do is leave these facts here, without comment, for you to contemplate.

• James Duddridge has voted “moderately for” the bedroom tax, according the The Public Whip — including voting against an exemption for disabled persons or in cases where there is no alternative smaller accommodation available.
• James Duddridge has voted “strongly for” reducing spending on welfare — including voting for the benefit cap to limit the amount that those on lower incomes can claim for, er, accomodation.
• An annual season ticket from Thorpe Bay (James Duddridge’s local train station) to London Fenchurch Street, including travel card, costs £4,640.00. The journey from Thorpe Bay station to Westminster takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• The salary of a Member of Parliament is £66,060. The salary of a junior minister (such as, for example, a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) is £68,710.
• The average salary in the UK is £26,000. A full-time job on the minumum wage amounts to £13,124.

James Duddridge is up for re-election on 7th May 2015. His majority in 2010 was 11,050. 

@JamesDuddridge is your typical Tory MP, preferring to use a company who pays negligible tax, utilising under paid drivers, over the capital's icon Taxis, with his sweatshop mentality. 

Vote him out! 

Let's see who shot who in the foot James! 

Sources : Basildon Canvey and Southend Echo : Matthewsdent.Wordpress.com : Lenny Etheridge 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2o93jXa
via IFTTT

ITV London Fake News, To Show London Cabbies In Bad Light.

...

We've already seen the Evening Standard caught out this week, promoting a fake news story about London's Taxis. Now we see ITV London News trying to fake a story to blacken the name of London's licensed Taxi trade.

As the Taxi demo was getting underway on Thursday afternoon...a ITV London news team was busying instigating a fake news set up of London's Black Cabs. 

Disabled actress Samantha Renke had been hired and asked to change from her normal method of booking a licensed Taxi through a Taxi app -which she never has any trouble with- to taking part in a fake new sting, set up to make it look as if Taxis won't stop for disabled wheelchair users. 

Unfortunately for this sick news crew, we have a witness who has made a statement, showing that All the cabs that were flagged down and stopped for Samantha were hurriedly sent on their way. 

Taxi driver David said :

"As I drove past her with a fare on board, I noticed her flagging. I dropped off just 20 yards past her, so I spun round to see if she wanted a cab. I was told I wasn't needed as they were filming. 

"This news item is literally lies, she was hailing ghost cabs...Utter B/S and I will be complaining to the BSA watchdog about this."

In the clip shown on the news, Samantha was filmed allegedly flagging a Taxi. The vehicle in the clip carried on without stopping and she appears to raised her arm as if to show frustration at the driver. (Nice bit of acting).

If you look carefully, it's easy to spot that the Taxi light of the Vito in the footage shown is most certainly not illuminated and therefore the vehicle is not for hire. 

But the voice over try's to make it look as if the driver is ignoring actress Samantha, because she's in a wheelchair. 

This will now be reported to The Broadcasting Standards Commission.  

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2nMDOcM
via IFTTT

BREAKING NEWS : Italian Taxis Win Appeal Against Predator Pricing, Uber Given 10 Days To Clear Out 😜

• After months of ugly demonstrations which featured batten charges from right police against working taxidrivers, Italian court has upheld the Taxi and Private Hire industry appeal against the online immediate hire app.

IF THE ITALIANS CAN DO IT... WHY CAN'T OUR ORGS AND UNIONS?

Below is a Translation from the Italian news paper, Libero Quotidiano 

 

http://ift.tt/2oQP9Ki

• The Civil Court of Rome, upheld the appeal for unfair competition posed by major unions and economic structures of the taxi industry and car hire with driver against the Group chauffeur service Uber Uber. The Court section of Rome, adhering to the thesis represented by a legal team led by lawyer Marco Giustiniani ensured "the conduct of unfair competition takes place on the Italian territory by Uber-resistant parts B.V., Uber, Uber Uber Italy srl International B.V., International Holding B.V.".
  
  Judges in Roman have also banned the Group Uber "from engaging in non-scheduled public transportation with the use of similar and Uber Uber-app app Lux, Uber-Uber-Uber-Suv, X, XL, UberSelect, Uber-Van, sorting the blocking of these applications with reference to the requests coming from the Italian territory as well as to the promotion and advertising of those services on the national territory".
  
  Uber will then have to pay a fine of 10,000 euro and every driver to 100 euros per day of delay in the fulfilment of the order after the tenth day following notification of the decision of the Court. 
• 
  
• The judges of Rome finally condemned Uber to pay the costs of the proceedings. "Following this decision of the Court of Rome, a few weeks following the Turin Court that confirmed the blocking of the service known as Uber Pop-they know the attorneys of taxi drivers in a note-the Uber group runs the risk of having to stop all its activities in Italy, because the services offered to date were recognized in contrast to the Italian law."
• 
  

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2oh68rm
via IFTTT

The Company Behind MyTaxi, To Develop Autonomous Taxis.

Why do you think the cycle lanes are so wide ?

During trials in London, five cameras and three lasers will help this pod navigate a two-mile path along an area also used by pedestrians and cyclists.

Over the next three weeks, about 100 people will travel in a prototype shuttle on a route in Greenwich, London.

The vehicle, which travels up to 10mph (16.1kmph), will be controlled by a computer.

However, there will be a trained person on board who can stop the shuttle if required...

German automaker Daimler (DDAIF, -1.27%) and automotive supplier Robert Bosch Group (ROBERT.BOSCH) are partnering to develop and deploy autonomous taxis that customers can hail using a smartphone app by the start of the next decade.

The autonomous driving system that Daimler and Bosch plan to develop will be designed for city driving, the companies said Tuesday.

The alliance will combine Daimler's auto manufacturing expertise with Bosch's systems and hardware skills to accelerate the development of self-driving taxis—a product the companies said will improve traffic flows in cities and road safety. The autonomous taxis will also increase the attractiveness of car sharing, the companies said.

The development alliance aims to make a system for fully automated Level 4 and driverless Level 5 vehicles designed for city streets. The Society of Automotive Engineers has designated five levels of driving automation. Level 4 autonomy means the car takes over all of the driving only in certain conditions, like when the Uber driver falls asleep. 

 For example, it could drive fully autonomously in a certain geographic location such as a specific route in a city centre -such as London's cycle supper Highway. 

Level 5 means the vehicle can operate in all conditions and doesn't require any human intervention at any time.

Source : BBC and Fortune Magazine 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2oCvW1Y
via IFTTT