Minicab driver, 44, ‘killed a star ballet dancer while on phone

Minicab driver, 44, ‘killed a star ballet dancer while on a hands-free phone call as his victim made his way to his final performance of Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man’

A minicab driver killed a star ballet dancer while making a hands-free phone call as the victim made his way to perform the lead in his final Sadler’s Wells performance, a court heard today. 

Abdul Qayyum, 44, was driving a Mercedes S Class when he knocked Jonathan Ollivier, 38, off his motorbike, throwing him into a lamppost on Farringdon Road Clerkenwell, north London.

Mr Ollivier, who was due to star in the final performance of The Car Man at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, suffered catastrophic head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene just before 12pm on August 9 last year.

Qayuum, who denies one count of causing death by careless driving, took no evasive action at all before clipping the rear pannier of Mr Ollivier’s bike, the Old Bailey heard. 

Mr Ollivier was described by The Car Man's choreographer Matthew Bourne as ‘one of the most powerful and charismatic dancers of his generation’.

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Have We Been Led Down The Electric Garden Path ? Manufacturers Claim New Diesel Cars Can Improve Air Quality.

Car manufacturers have hit back at the recent spate of negative comments about diesel vehicles, saying that the latest incarnations are “the cleanest in history” and “light years away from their older counterparts”.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said diesel cars could play an important role in helping improve air quality in towns and cities and in tackling climate change. 

A government report published in April 2016 showed that diesel cars being sold in the UK emit an average of six times more nitrogen oxide in real-world driving than the legal limit used in official tests. 

Since then, a number of schemes have been mooted to encourage drivers to give up diesel vehicles, including the possibility of a government-run scrappage scheme.

Last week, the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, announced a new charge on diesel cars driving into the city. Under the plans, drivers of diesel cars that are more than four years old in 2019 and petrol cars that are more than 13 years old will pay £12.50 a day on top of the congestion charge in an attempt to cut air pollution.

In a list entitled “10 facts you need to know about diesel”, the SMMT said that some recent reports had failed to differentiate between older diesel cars and those on sale today, which comply with Euro 6 emissions standards, adding: “This is unfair and dismissive of progress made.”

The organisation said the latest vehicles featured special filters and technology that converted most of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) from the engine into harmless nitrogen and water before it reached the exhaust. These cars will be exempt from the new London charges.

It added: “Contrary to recent reports, diesel cars are not the main source of urban NOx. In London, gas heating of homes and offices is the biggest contributor, responsible for 16%. While road transport as a whole is responsible for around half of London’s NOx, diesel cars produce just 11%, although concentrations will vary at different times depending on congestion.”

It said British car buyers registered almost 250,000 new diesel cars in March, more than in any month in history.

• Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive, said: “Euro 6 diesel cars on sale today are the cleanest in history. Not only have they drastically reduced or banished particulates, sulphur and carbon monoxide but they also emit vastly lower NOx than their older counterparts – a fact recognised by London in their exemption from the Ultra Low Emission Zone that will come into force in 2019.”
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• He added: “In addition to their important contribution to improving air quality, diesel cars are also a key part of action to tackle climate change while allowing millions of people, particularly those who regularly travel long distances, to do so as affordably as possible.”

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The Blind Leading The Blind, But In The Kingdom Of The Blind The One Eyed Man Is King.... By Dave Davies

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

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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.

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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.”

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"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 

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