KALANICK RESIGNS : MOVING FORWARD, THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

The Good....Travis Kalanick has finally resigned after much speculation.

The Bad....He will remain on the board of the company he co-founding back in 2009.

The Ugly....The company is to rebuild under new management.

More Good....Fares will rise by at least 60% as the subsidies will be drying up as investors look to get their money back.

The driver will now have to pay the company 35% of the fare.

More Bad....The customer will have the option to tip with just a tap on the app. But will customers be in the mood to tip after his massive price rise?

More Ugly...Uber have had to make a statement to both passengers and drivers about flirting conversation, plus passengers of ride share trips are advised not to touch or flirt with each other. 

Amazingly the drivers have been warned that "sexual contact" with passengers is not allowed.

THIS IS THE COMPANY THAT TfL DEEM TO BE FIT AND PROPER, AND YET DRIVERS HAVE TO BE WARNED NOT TO HAVE SEXUAL CONTACT WITH PASSENGERS AS ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS SEXUAL ASSAULT ON PASSENGERS HAVE ESCALATED.  

MOVING UBER FORWARD....You couldn't make it up!

Uber founder and CEO Travis Kalanick RESIGNS citing 'difficulties in his personal life' just days after going on indefinite leave in the wake of the company's sexual harassment scandal

The 40-year-old entrepreneur announced he was stepping down at the firm he founded in 2009 deals with a sexual harassment scandal.

Uber's board confirmed the move early on Wednesday, saying in a statement that Kalanick is taking time to heal from the death of his mother in a boating accident 'while giving the company room to fully embrace this new chapter in Uber's history.' 

He will remain on the Uber Technologies Inc. board. 

In a boardroom showdown, five of Uber's major investors, including Bill Gurley from capital firm Benchmark, demanded that the chief executive resign immediately.

They then obtained a letter in which Kalanick announced his resignation, titled: 'Moving Uber Forward.'

In a statement, the 40-year-old co-founder said his resignation would help Uber go back to building 'rather than be distracted with another fight,' an apparent reference to efforts on the board to oust him.

It was unclear who would replace Kalanick.

Kalanick cited his 'personal life' as part of the reason he was stepping down from the company he founded in 2009

After the resignation, Uber investor and board member Bill Gurley (pictured above) took to Twitter saying: 'There will be many pages in the history books devoted to Travis Kalanick - very few entrepreneurs have had such a lasting impact on the world.'

The resignation came after a series of costly missteps under Kalanick that damaged Uber's reputation including revelations of sexual harassment in its offices, allegations of trade secrets theft and a federal investigation into efforts to mislead local government regulators. 

Also, Kalanick lost his temper in an argument with an Uber driver who was complaining about pay. The profanity-laced confrontation was caught on a video that surfaced in February. Afterward, Kalanick said he needed management help and had to grow up. The company began searching for a chief operating officer.

In March, board member Arianna Huffington expressed confidence that Kalanick would evolve into a better leader. But Huffington, a founder of Huffington Post, has now suggested time may have run out.

Kalanick's resignation comes after he took a leave of absence earlier this month in the wake of a report being released into sexual assault claims made against the ride-sharing company.

His decision, though widely anticipated and called for by industry experts, came after former attorney general Eric Holder returned a damning, 13-page report into Uber's flaws.

The ex-attorney general and a team at Covington and Burling LLP created the report after being asked to investigate claims made in February by female former employees who alleged rampant sexual harassment at the company.

The two ex-employees also claimed at the time there were also incidents of homophobia and racism, all of which they said took place inside the environment fostered by Kalanick and his circle of trusted top executives.

Five of Uber's major investors, including Bill Gurley (pictured) from capital firm Benchmark, demanded that the chief executive resign

On Wednesday, Uber announced it would be enabling passengers to tip its U.S. drivers with a tap on its ride-hailing app for the first time, part of a push to recast itself as a company with a conscience and a heart

Uber was having trouble dealing with its success. 

It posted a $708 million first-quarter loss, unable to turn $3.4 billion in revenue into a profit. The loss narrowed from the $991 million it posted in the previous quarter.

Investors have talked about selling stock in Uber to the public. The company was valued at near $70 billion the last time it sought capital.

Holder's report featured a list of 10 recommendations that could help fix its culture, including a ban on booze at work parties and staff members having sex with each other

Source : Mail on line, Bloomberg, Twitter.

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Is The Cost Barrier To Switch To Zero-Emission Taxis Too High?

Taxi drivers are keen to use low emission alternatives to diesel vehicles, but barriers including cost may be preventing a switch, research has suggested. 

The ‘Cabbies for Clean Air’ research, which was jointly compiled by the behaviour change charity Global Action Plan, and LPG fuel supplier Calor, saw 19 taxi drivers in London, Southampton and Glasgow interviewed on the issue of air pollution.

Taxi drivers from London, Southampton and Glasgow were interviewed as part of the research. 

According to the research, drivers are concerned about the impact of air pollution on their health while being exposed to vehicle emissions for 8-12 hours during the working day, as well as potential health impacts on the wider population.

The drivers interviewed expressed their desire to tackle the problem, but claimed that the cost of switching to lower emission vehicles is seen as a significant barrier to change, with some cab drivers interviewed describing the move to zero emission electric vehicles as ‘unaffordable’.

Electric

The research suggests that the cost for a new diesel back cab is around £45,000 – whilst the latest electric models are claimed to cost significantly more, with one driver in Scotland quoting a £60,000 cost for an electric vehicle.

Support for cabbies to switch to low emission electric vehicles is available, and in March the government announced a £50 million Plug-in Taxi Grant programme, which includes offering taxi drivers up to £7,500 off the price of a new vehicle.

However, the Cabbies for Clean Air report has claimed that subsidy schemes “have not gone nearly far enough” to support the roll out of more electric cabs.

The ‘Cabbies for Clean Air’ report is expected to show that electric taxis will become more price competitive with their diesel counterparts as more vehicles enter the market, with the first new TX5 zero emission taxis from the London Taxi Company’s Coventry plant due to go on sale from September 2017, among new models emerging. London Taxi Company has yet to confirm the market price for the TX5.

Availability of charging infrastructure, vehicle range and charge times were also quoted as potential barriers to investment in electric vehicles.

    

Retrofit

Other low emission options exist for taxi drivers, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Calor, which backed the report, supplies LPG as an alternative fuel through Autogas Limited, a joint venture with Shell.

The company claims that LPG presents an ‘affordable solution’ to reducing vehicle emissions as diesel engines can be converted to run on the fuel, which offers reduced emission levels, at a cost of around £10,000.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Rebecca Hart, corporate affairs manager at Calor, said: “It is important that the views of taxi drivers are understood and considered. Policies aimed at improving our air are rightly being prioritised, but taxi drivers need affordable and readily available solutions to bring their emissions down quickly and get older diesel models off the road.

“Calor believes LP-gas retrofit represents this affordable transition solution. At £10,000, retrofit to LPG will drastically reduce emissions on NOx, PM and carbon and is ULEZ compliant. The government’s new Clean Air Strategy consultation points towards funding that would give taxi drivers support for retrofit which should be given serious consideration by politicians as part of an immediate solution to the air quality challenge.”

Dialogue

The research added that taxi drivers, their  unions and representative orgs are keen to engage in ‘open dialogue’ with local and central government to discuss policies which affect them and other road users.

Chris Large, senior partner of National Clean Air Day organiser Global Action Plan, added: “It is incredible to see the passion that cab drivers have for creating cleaner air in their cities, especially for the sake of children. They have some fantastic ideas for solutions and they clearly want to be a central part of the movement that cleans up air pollution.”

Elsewhere in the report, London taxi drivers expressed concern about an increasing numbers of vehicles on the roads, in particular a rising number of private hire vehicles and called for taxis to be considered as part of a ‘holistic’ approach to infrastructure.

Stuart Hope, a London taxi driver surveyed as part of the project, said: “If someone wants to implement an idea then work alongside the taxi trade so we can actually be the solution and not the problem.”

Source : Air Quality News.

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HAS GOVT WHITEWASH PUT ‘D-NOTICE’ GAG ON REAL #GRENFELL DEATH TOLL?

This morning, Grime artist Saskilla told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme that he had been told personally by one of the firefighters at Grenfell Tower that around two hundred bodies had already been identified at the scene of the terrifying blaze. The presenter attempted to pour water on the figure, but the musician insisted it was what he was told in person by the firefighter.

Last night, music star Lily Allen was pulled from an appearance on the BBC’s Newsnightafter making similar comments and accusing the government of trying to ‘micromanage people’s grieving’:

Ms Allen was pilloried in the media. The confirmed death toll has increased incrementally since the fire and today rose to thirty.

At the same time, multiple sources told the SKWAWKBOX that the government has placed a ‘D-notice’ (now properly named a ‘DSMA-notice’ and sometimes called a ‘DA Notice’) on the real number of deaths in the blaze:

In effect, although voluntary, this amounts to a gag on the mainstream media – and note that it is applied for for reasons of national security only.

The SKWAWKBOX telephoned the Home Office press office to ask directly whether this was true. To say that the question caused consternation at the other end of the line would not be an overstatement.

The first comment, in a voice that rose at least half an octave, was ‘Where did you get that information?‘, followed by a request for the question by email, even though the SKWAWKBOX editor emphasised that ‘Have you issued a D-notice’ is a verystraightforward, ‘yes/no’ question.

The question has been submitted by email but no response has been provided yet, in spite of a repeat call to the Home Office to advise that publication was imminent.

Since the first call, further people have contacted this blog with the same assertion. The Home Office’s official response will be published if/when one is received.

Reports have also been received about intimidation of locals to prevent disclosure or speculation about the true known death toll.

If it is true that the government has issued a D-notice – and every instinct is screaming that it is – then the government has placed a national security gag on mainstream news editors to prevent them from disclosing what’s already known about the number of lives lost at Grenfell Tower.

This raises a huge question: WHY?.

Is there a national security aspect to this information that has not yet been hinted at?

Or is the Tory government inflating its own party interests into a national security issue in order to control the flow of information that will damage the Tory government and party, allowing it to ‘drip-feed’ a slow increase in the number of confirmed deaths in order to manage public outrage?

Source: What Saskilla's interview click link

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Extra Comment from Steve Kenton:

This is very simple maths......If you have 24 floors with 120, 1 and 2 bedroom flats.....if 2 persons occupy 1 single bedroom unit on average but not exclusively (allowing for sofa surfers) then that becomes 240 people.

Add another 2 per 2 bed unit (on average then), you are now looking at just over 400 people potentially. 

Given that it happened at 1 am that figure won't be much lower due to people sleeping. 

Add the dead and injured to those already out and take that away from around 400 and there's your true figure.....right now there are 30 dead,  76 injured and 75 missing.......

Where are the rest, because that building had way more than 181 people residing in it.

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BORIS JOHNSON TOLD FIRE-SAFETY PANEL “GET STUFFED”. #GRENFELL

Blast from the past, from the man tipped by many to overthrow Theresa May.:

Does the arrogance of Tories know no bounds?

Video has emerged of then-London Mayor Boris Johnson defending his cuts to fire services in London before a fire-safety panel of London Assembly Members.

   

When challenged to explain how cutting fire stations, firefighter positions, fire safety officers could possibly not put the lives of London residents at risk, Johnson at first tries to defend the indefensible by simply asserting that his recklessness works and improvessafety.

Then, when challenged further, he tells a Labour AM,

Oh get stuffed.

Johnson was warned from all sides. The Tories were warned from all sides. They now have the deaths and terrible injuries of innocent people on their hands.

And it seems they don’t care a toss.

This is the same Mayor who told a London Cabby to "F@@k off and die, but not in that order"

   

Source Skawkbox:

The SKWAWKBOX is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you found this information helpful and can afford to, please do click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal. 

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Taxi drivers fined for parking outside One Love Manchester gig have had a response from the council

The Osaka Experiment :Why Are Beijing's Electric Taxi Passengers Freezing?

Six years ago, in February 2011, the city of Osaka introduced a fleet of fifty Nissan Leaf taxis. The deal was a cooperative arrangement between Nissan, 30 taxi firms, and the government--each was being subsidized to the tune of 1,780,000 Yen--over $21,000 at the time.

The car's would clean up Japan's clogged streets, an improvement on the ubiquitous, square-jawed Toyota Crown taxis used throughout Japanese cities.

Like many countries, the incumbent taxis are often chosen for their reliability and simplicity, rather than their comfort or driving characteristics. That's why New York is full of hardy Crown Vics, London's streets are crowded with rattling diesel black cabs, and Mexico only recently relinquished the ubiquitous VW Bug.

Would an electric Nissan really feel like the future to the average taxi driver?

Turning tide?

However, problems have begun to emerge.

The first came in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, following 2011's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

As was reported at the time, many people in Japan were worried that electric cars would be giving off the wrong image--conspicuous consumption of electricity at a time when power was in high demand and very short supply. 

Electricity is no longer seen as the clean, safe option it once was.

Apart from a 'conspicuous' lack of information about the dangers of the radiation given off surrounding the battery pack, there are other issues too with the cars themselves.

While reliable, comfortable and smooth as ever, high-mileage drivers are finding degredation of the battery packs to be an issue.

Where a 60 mile range was once common in regular use, some are finding that cut to as low as 30 miles and to save energy as much as possible, some drivers are shunning the car's heater in favor of chemical pocket warmers, and even blankets.

Degredation of the battery pack has also had an effect on the battery's ability to take a quick charge. A 15-minute charge has turned into a 40-minute one for many drivers. They can't travel as far, and they can't spend as much time on the road. Drivers say it's ruining business, for some. Customers requesting longer trips are even being turned down.

There's no get-out for the drivers, either. To qualify for the government's subsidy, the electric cars must be run for a minimum of three years. That's a year too long for some. 

“I’m getting out of this business,” 

said one driver, 

“This is no way to earn a living.”

Perspective

Osaka's electric taxi drivers aren't facing unheard-of problems, but nor can their experiences be considered the norm, either for electric car owners, or electric taxi drivers.

Climate, driving routes and charging habits all make a difference to how well a car lasts, and the life of a taxi is never an easy one.

The main issue for Leaf batteries is still excessive heat, rather than cold (though cold climates do reduce the car's range). 

What it does suggest is that in some localities, electric vehicles aren't yet ready for heavy-duty tasks like taxi work.

While that's no consolation to the drivers losing business through degrading vehicles, progress can only be made by analysing these kind of trials.

But many believe we are in danger of rolling out this technology that isn't ready yet to take over completely and the danger from radiation seems to be swept under the carpet by manufacturers.

After the abject failure of electric Taxis in Osaka Japan, Ford (Hong Kong) have unveiled a new Transit Connect Taxi, based on a current model, running on petrol/LPG, (CNG) reducing NOx emissions by 80%. 

With the Taxi trade on the brink of financial ruing, why aren't our representative orgs, lobbing on our behalf for a more viable option, such as the Ford Transit Taxi?

Better still, why has no attempt been made to keep the iconic shell, together with a petrol gas engine

READ ALL ABOUT BEIJING'S COMPLAINTS :

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Why Are Beijing's Electric Taxi Passengers Freezing?

Source: https://is.gd/A1Iikw

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An Embarrassed TfL Says Sorry For Issuing Parking Tickets In Area Of London Bridge Attacks

Motorists forced to abandon their cars in central London during the weekend's terror attack, returned to the cars when given the all clear from the police, only to fined they had been issued with fines from TfL.

While emergency services Police, Ambulance, Medical staff from Guys put their own safety aside and ran to help those that had been attacked, while Taxi drivers turned their meters off to run worried and scared people caught up in the attack, home .... TfL traffic and roads officers patrolled the area and stuck parking fines on cars of the unfortunate souls caught up in the incident. Many were ordered by police to leave their vehicles in situ until scene of crime forensics had been completed

Transport for London (TfL) has said sorry for issuing parking tickets to drivers who had to abandon their cars following the terror attack at London Bridge. 

TfL apologised for its "insensitive mistake" after penalty charge notices were handed out in Borough High Street when the police cordon was scaled back on Wednesday morning

The fines, which can be up to £130, will be cancelled. And so they should, this was a deplorable act by TfL staff. 

A spokesman for TfL said: "We unreservedly apologise for our insensitive mistake. These fines should never have been issued and will all be immediately cancelled."

 He went on to say: "There will be wardens in the area for the rest of the week but no cars that have been parked within the police cordon will be fined".

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A top Uber executive, who obtained the medical records of a customer who was a rape victim, has been fired

Sources say Eric Alexander carried around for a year confidential information about a woman who was assaulted during a ride in India in 2014.

A top Uber executive obtained medical records of a woman who had been raped during a ride in India, according to multiple sources.

He is no longer with the company, an Uber spokesperson said. 

The executive in question, Eric Alexander, the president of business in the Asia Pacific, then showed the medical records to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and SVP Emil Michael. In addition, numerous executives at the car-hailing company were either told about the records or shown them by this group. 

Alexander’s handling of the delicate situation was among 215 claims reported to two law firms — Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling — doing deep investigations into both specific and widespread mismanagement issues at the company, including around allegations of pervasive sexism and sexual harassment at Uber. 

As part of the Coie investigation, 20 employees were fired for a range of infractions, from sexual harassment to unprofessional behavior to retaliation. About 100 others are either still being investigated or saw some type of action — such as warnings or mandatory employee trainings. 

Alexander had not been among those fired, Uber said yesterday when asked about his status. Now, after Recode contacted the company about his actions, he is no longer employed there. Uber declined to comment further. 

By way of background, in 2014, a 26-year-old woman in New Delhi, India was raped and assaulted by her Uber driver at the end of a Saturday night in December. The driver — who was already awaiting trial for at least four other criminal charges— was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison. 

It was a decision Uber India president Amit Jain applauded at the time. “Sexual assault is a terrible crime and we’re pleased he has now been brought to justice,” he said in a statement. “Safety is a priority for Uber and we’ve made many improvements — in terms of new technology, enhanced background checks and better 24/7 customer support — as a result of the lessons we learned from this awful case.”

But Uber came under Indian government scrutiny after the incident. Police in New Delhi considered whether to criminally charge the ride-hail company over its lax background checks and questioned the city’s general manager, Gagan Bhatia. Ultimately, Uber was banned from operating in Delhi shortly after the incident, a stricture which wasn’t lifted until June of 2015.

While the company was publicly apologetic, some top executives apparently had trouble believing that the incident was entirely true, sources said, including Alexander. He was already in India and investigated the claims — it’s not clear if he did this of his own volition or was directed to do so. It is also not clear if he obtained these files legally. 

Alexander then brought the files to Kalanick and Michael, who read them, said sources. This is highly unusual since they were records related to a criminal investigation.

Still, soon after, all three began to raise the prospect that Ola — Uber’s prime competitor in India — was behind the incident to sabotage the company, sources said.

Some Uber staffers who were told about the medical report by them were disturbed to hear the executives were considering the scenario, based on their reading of the medical report, that the woman’s story was not true. 

“Travis never should have looked at the report and he should have fired him immediately,” said one executive of Alexander. 

Neither Kalanick, Michael nor Alexander has medical training, even though they questioned the incident based on the medical report, the sources said.

Worse: Alexander carried around the document for about a year before other executives — presumably the legal department — obtained the report and destroyed his copy, according to the sources. It’s not clear if Uber continues to have a copy.

At the time, Kalanick’s public response to the rape seemed to shift some of the blame over the lack of sufficient background checks, which would have caught the drivers’ several infractions, onto the government. 

What happened over the weekend in New Delhi is horrific. Our entire team's hearts go out to the victim of this despicable crime. We will do everything, I repeat, everything to help bring this perpetrator to justice and to support the victim and her family in her recovery. 

We will work with the government to establish clear background checks currently absent in their commercial transportation licensing programs. We will also partner closely with the groups who are leading the way on women's safety here in New Delhi and around the country and invest in technology advances to help make New Delhi a safer city for women.

Still, many believed that the rape was a watershed moment for the ride-hailing company. Uber quickly rolled out new safety features in India and elsewhere in the aftermath of the incident. 

However, Uber’s decision to move the lion’s share of their customer support team — the company’s last line of defense against these types of incidents — to contract companies in places like Manila where there were high quotas and language barriers at times caused serious complaints and reports to fall through the cracks, as reported back in February 2016. In April of 2016, the company also agreed to pay up to $25 million to settle a lawsuit in California over the “false sense of security” the language around its background checks gave riders.

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Uber Encourage Drivers To Work In Area They're Not Licensed To Operate : TfL, Fit and Proper???

BREAKING NEWS

READING BOROUGH COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE

Two Private Hire Drivers Prosecuted after trying an Uber Incentive Scheme

TWO private hire drivers who tried to take advantage of an Uber incentive encouraging drivers to operate in Reading have been prosecuted for illegally plying for hire.

Bruno Cardoso, of Portlock Road, Maidenhead and Abrar Hussain, of Cannon Gate, Slough, were fined a total of £475 and ordered to pay costs of £700 after admitting to licensing offences at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday 26th May 2017.

Both drivers are licensed by Transport for London and worked for private hire operator Uber when they responded to the company’s incentive scheme called the ‘Reading Reward Zone’.

The initiative guaranteed that the first 150 drivers to log on in the Reading Reward Zone would be guaranteed between £15 and £25 per hour, depending on which hours they worked.

This encouraged Uber drivers to ply for hire in Reading where the company was refused a Private Hire Operators licence in March 2016.

Mr Cardoso, 35, admitted plying for hire in Garrard Street, in Reading Town Centre, on 27th October 2016. He was fined £155 and ordered to pay costs of £200.

Mr Hussain, 38, admitted four offences of plying for hire; twice in Valpy Street on 27th October 2016, and once in Valpy Street and once in Victoria Street, off King’s Road, on 28th October 2016. He was fined £80 for each offence and ordered to pay costs of £500.

Councillor Sarah Hacker, Reading’s Lead Member for Consumer Services, said: “I would like to congratulate the Council’s Licensing and Legal teams for these successful prosecutions.

“The licensing regulations for taxi and private hire operators and drivers are there to protect the public and it is absolutely right that action is taken against those who flout the rules.

“I hope these prosecutions send a loud and clear message to private hire drivers and operators licensed outside of Reading that they cannot come into town and operate illegally.”

JJS Champeau 

Reading Borough Council Licensing

It is understood that this relates to TfL minicabs who are loitering in areas with the intent to ply for hire on the Uber app.

This is the first of two prosecutions of up to 15 impending prosecutions.

At the moment it is understood that it is irrelevant as to whether this occurs in any area whether Uber holds an Operators licence or not.

Thanks to Sean Ridley of Unite for the information

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Calls For George Osbourne's Resignation After He Insults Diane Abbott With Standard Cartoon

George Osborne has been criticised for promoting a cartoon depicting Labour candidate Diane Abbott refusing to attend an anti-terror meeting as Home Secretary because she’s “far too ill”. 

The ex-Tory MP and Chancellor, and now editor of the London Evening Standard, tweeted the newspaper’s sketch lampooning Abbott, who stepped down from campaigning on Wednesday after a “serious, long-term condition diagnosis”.

Abbott’s condition was confirmed as “serious” an hour before Osborne tweeted the image.

Reaction was swift, with many people asking for the image to be removed.

Theresa May said: “How Jeremy Corbyn manages his Shadow Cabinet is for him. I wish Diane Abbott a speedy recovery.”

The close ally of Corbyn has stepped aside from her job in the shadow cabinet less than 24-hours until polls open in the general election.

When Abbott pulled out of a Woman’s Hour interview, Conservative cabinet minister Priti Patel accused Labour of trying to keep Abbott off TV and radio due to poor performances. “Jeremy Corbyn wants to make Diane Abbott Home Secretary in just two days but is hiding her away from voters,” she said.

HuffPost has approached the Evening Standard for comment.

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Don't Think For One Moment ... TfL Won't Relicense Uber London Limited.

When Ubers London licence expired at the end of last month, the trade waited with baited breath to see if a subsequent licence would be issued in light of all the complaints.

• Customer rapes, 

• customer serious sexual assaults, 

• customer physically attacked by drivers, 

• driver not having insurance, 

• massive rise in traffic accidents, 

• drivers reported driving the wrong way on one way streets, 

• customer accounts hacked, 

• uber spying on enforcement using GreyBall, 

• tracking celebrities even after they'd left the vehicle, 

• operating from unlicensed premises in N1 (instant revocation with all other operators), 

• fake topographical test's, 

• fake medicals. 

The list really does seem endless

Literally many thousands of complaints that would have prevented any other Private Hire operator from being relicensed.

Let's also not forget that this company did not fully comply with regulations when initially licensed, (no landline, unable to take pre-bookings, no customer service number, etc) director or TfL Leon Daniels was caught out lying to a transport committee of the GLA...Twice.

This is malfeasance, make no mistake!

Nice words but will the RMT back up their words with action?

While commission Mike Brown said -at the last cabbies cabinet- "I want to go on record saying that Uber's licensing had nothing to do with me", Peter Blake then took it upon himself (without statutory legislation being in place) to change the regulations to make Uber look compliant.

Just before Uber's present licence expired, we found out (not from our own representative orgs or unions but from the GMB), Uber had been granted a 4 month extension. 

Many drivers who had applied for licence renewals were told that they couldn't work until new licence was in their possession and that TfL couldn't legal extend their expired licence. Driver in some cases were off work for months, waiting for their licence to be renewed, and yet Uber get an extension days before their expiry. 

Uber's Extension: 

Nothing to do with being fit for purpose, no investigation is taking place, this extension is about one thing and one thing only ... MONEY....follow the money!

TfL want to bring in a new pricing structure for private hire, where an operator has to pay based on the size of its fleet.... Apparently with TfL size does matter.

Uber's relicense today would cost £3,000

In 4 months time Uber's relicense will cost them over £2m. That's why this extension is place, no other reason.  Money money money.....it's a rich mans world. 

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The Real Election, The Real LTDA.

London Taxi Radio's Sean Paul Day, meets members of the Real LTDA, as they prepare firm the 2017 Branch elections.

    

  

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Piers Morgan Tears Into The Mayor As 200 Returning Isis Fighters Are Allowed To Disappear Back Into The Capital.

Things got very heated between Sadiq Khan and Piers Morgan as the host questioned the Mayor about police cuts following the London terror attack.

London, hit with another terror attack on the evening of Saturday 3rd June, just weeks after the Manchester terror attack at one of Ariana Grande’s concerts in Manchester Arena.

A white van, believed to have been travelling about 50mph hit pedestrians on London Bridge at around 10pm on Saturday night before three men got out and stabbed people around Borough Market.

In what has been confirmed as a terror attack, seven people have been confirmed dead with at least 48 injured.

With London in a state of panic, it’s little wonder why Londoners want answers about what the government is doing to keep the city safe.

On the Good Morning Britain sofa, hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid were joined by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan following the atrocities in London and the consequent criticism from US President Donald Trump.

Piers was in no mood for a light-hearted question.

Piers grilled the politician about the number of cuts in the police force and also asked why so many known terrorists were allowed back in the country.

However, a clearly passionate Piers was not happy with the responses and constantly interrupted the major to get his pint across.

     

Piers intense interview comes just one day after he was praised for confronting the Culture Secretary Karen Bradley.

The star had attempted to question the politician about the number of police cuts in the last six years.

He asked her: Is there more or less police officers than when Theresa May became Home Secretary?”

However, Karen refused to answer the question and instead branded it too “simplistic”, stating that there were other factors involved.

Whilst Susanna Reid looked on awkwardly, Piers got more and more irate as the politician pointedly swerved his line of questioning. 

After raising his voice and repeating the question several times, a fed-up Piers finally asked: “Is there any reason why you can’t answer the question?”

Once more, Karen dodged the bullet and instead began to discredit Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

     

Watching the tense scenes unfold, Good Morning Britain viewers praised Piers Morgan’s determination and slated the Conservative politician for her inability to give a straight answer. 

    

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