Hughes Launches His Campaign To Be Mayor of London

12.59.50pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 7th May 2004

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate, will unveil his campaign in Tower Hamlets with an unusual photocall later today, and put forward a series of new proposals to make London an easier, safer, cleaner, place to live and work. These include:

Safer

• A ten point plan to prevent terrorism and protect Londoners

• A Minimum Policing Guarantee of eight uniformed officers for every neighbourhood of every Borough by 2008

• CCTV at every tube and train station. A visible staffed police box at every mainline train and tube station

Easier

• 'One Number for London' - dialling 566366 will allow Londoners to access 24/7 information to services, answered by a real person, ranging from council services through to leisure and reporting anti-social behaviour and vandalism

• Co-ordinated transport information - integrated passenger information for all bus, train and Tube services in one place across London.

• Pedestrianised Oxford Street to make it easier to shop on Europe's premier retail street

Cleaner

• A London Borough of Culture awarded in turn to every Borough in London enabling each community to show off it's highlights

• Using Police Community Support Officers in conjunction with the One Number to tackle graffiti, dumped cars and fly tipping in every community

• Launch consultations on the creation of a London-wide Waste Minimisation Network to help business reduce waste and advise on 'green procurement'

Speaking at the campaign launch Simon Hughes will say:- "I want an easier, safer and more united London. My vision is nothing less than a Greater London, the most exciting place in Europe and the world, where we are united in tackling crime, terrorism and improving transport.

"Blair's Mayor has divided communities, divided boroughs and divided London. Mr Livingstone has been blind to the divides he and his party's government have created between the rich and poor and the inner and outer parts of London. It is time for a new Mayor for a Greater London.

"London needs a Mayor who is in nobody's pocket. Londoners don't want a Mayor who is the pocket of the unions or Tony Blair, and they don't want a Mayor who is in the pocket of big business or Jarvis. Londoners need an independent Mayor who will fight for London at home and abroad, and will make London united.

"We must make this great capital city into our community, our town and our kind of place again. That is what I pledge to do, and that is my campaign is all about."