Uber PR boss Rachel Whetstone latest to quit company

Uber’s head of communications has become the latest executive to leave the embattled ride-sharing firm. 

Chief executive Travis Kalanick confirmed Rachel Whetstone’s departure in an all-staff email on Tuesday. 

No reason has been given for her resignation, though it follows months of turbulence at Uber. 

Ms Whetstone joined the company from Google in 2015. “I am incredibly proud of the team we have built,” she said in a leaving statement. 

"Just as when I left Google, a strong and brilliant woman will be taking my place. I joined Uber because I love the product - and that love is as strong today as it was when I booked my very first ride six years ago.” 

Jill Hazelbaker, who had deputized for Ms Whetstone, will take over. Uber would not say if the move would be immediate. 

Mr Kalanick emailed staff on Tuesday afternoon to share the news - and with it, attached a picture of himself and Ms Whetstone on a recent hiking trip. 

"I am looking forward to having her as an advisor for years to come,” he wrote. 

“With many more long hikes along the Skyline Trail.” 

He added: "Rachel was way ahead of the game when it came to many of the changes we needed to make as a company to ensure our future success - from promoting cross-functional teamwork to improving diversity and inclusion.” 

Out the door

This year has seen Uber struggle under the weight of negative press. 

A campaign to “#deleteuber” is said to have cost the company hundreds of thousands of accounts, though it is hard to be sure of the genuine impact. 

Serious accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination made by a former employee prompted the firm to launch an internal investigation led by Eric Holder, former president Barack Obama’s top police chief. 

Mr Kalanick was in February filmed in a car berating an Uber driver after he complained about low fares. 

And the future of the company's self-driving car programme is under serious threat thanks to a lawsuit claiming Otto - acquired by Uber - stole self-driving technology from Google. 

And then there were the resignations: Amit Singhal, who had been Uber’s head of engineering, left after it emerged he failed to disclose a sexual harassment allegation at his former employer, Google. 

Then last month, Uber’s president Jeff Jones left the company after only six months in the job. 

And now Rachel Whetstone who, unlike Mr Jones, has left the company on seemingly civil terms. 

That said, the timing of her departure will do little to help the company as it continues to roll-out its presumably long-term strategy for restoring Uber’s reputation.

Source : BBC Tecnlogy 

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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.”
• 
  
• 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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