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In April of last year, Metropolitan Police
Commissioner Sir Ian Blair announced that
crime in London was at its lowest level since
1999.
This was the fourth consecutive year in which
(recorded) crime had fallen; but, following a
recent spate of teenage murders, Sir Ian was
a little concerned that the good statistical
news did not appear to be matched by public
perception.
So he must have been delighted when, last
week, Jacqui Smith admitted to The Sunday
Times that she would not walk the streets of
London at night.
Asked if she would consider walking alone in
Hackney after dark, the Home Secretary
replied: “Well, no, but I don’t think I’d ever
have done.” (Presumably, she had forgotten
that previously it has not been her job to make
sure that the country’s streets are safe.) In
the interests of inclusiveness – one assumes –
she then added that she wouldn’t feel too
happy about walking around Kensington &
Chelsea, either.
In the aftermath of the interview, Ms Smith had
to back down, and pretend that actually she
has no problem with being a street-walker (as
it were). The Sunday Times says it received a
phone-call from one of her aides, to let them
know that even though she doesn’t get the
opportunity to get out on her own now, she
had recently “bought a kebab in Peckham”. By
complete coincidence, Peckham is one of the
most deprived parts of south London.
The Home Secretary then decided it made
sense to say that, while she was happy in
theory to walk on any street, at any time of
day, she reckoned HMG’s official advice would
be that no-one walk in strange places at
midnight. All this, while telling The Sunday
Times that the government has a “big job” to
do in persuading people that they are safer
than ever before and especially under the
Tories.
Commissioner Sir Ian Blair announced that
crime in London was at its lowest level since
1999.
This was the fourth consecutive year in which
(recorded) crime had fallen; but, following a
recent spate of teenage murders, Sir Ian was
a little concerned that the good statistical
news did not appear to be matched by public
perception.
So he must have been delighted when, last
week, Jacqui Smith admitted to The Sunday
Times that she would not walk the streets of
London at night.
Asked if she would consider walking alone in
Hackney after dark, the Home Secretary
replied: “Well, no, but I don’t think I’d ever
have done.” (Presumably, she had forgotten
that previously it has not been her job to make
sure that the country’s streets are safe.) In
the interests of inclusiveness – one assumes –
she then added that she wouldn’t feel too
happy about walking around Kensington &
Chelsea, either.
In the aftermath of the interview, Ms Smith had
to back down, and pretend that actually she
has no problem with being a street-walker (as
it were). The Sunday Times says it received a
phone-call from one of her aides, to let them
know that even though she doesn’t get the
opportunity to get out on her own now, she
had recently “bought a kebab in Peckham”. By
complete coincidence, Peckham is one of the
most deprived parts of south London.
The Home Secretary then decided it made
sense to say that, while she was happy in
theory to walk on any street, at any time of
day, she reckoned HMG’s official advice would
be that no-one walk in strange places at
midnight. All this, while telling The Sunday
Times that the government has a “big job” to
do in persuading people that they are safer
than ever before and especially under the
Tories.
Ultimately, though, Ms Smith seemed keen to let
everyone know that the only reason she doesn’
t set foot outside her door except to step into
an armoured car is that
“I don't get the opportunity to get out on my
own now”
which apparently translates as, ‘I need a police
detail to nip down the shops, even in Redditch
in Worcestershire’.
Come Wednesday, the Home Secretary’s
message was so garbled that the Prime Minister
was being heckled about it. According to the
BBC:
everyone know that the only reason she doesn’
t set foot outside her door except to step into
an armoured car is that
“I don't get the opportunity to get out on my
own now”
which apparently translates as, ‘I need a police
detail to nip down the shops, even in Redditch
in Worcestershire’.
Come Wednesday, the Home Secretary’s
message was so garbled that the Prime Minister
was being heckled about it. According to the
BBC:
| © lizardmagazine.com, 2008 |
| Kebabbed! Monday, January 28, 2008 |
Conservative MP Stephen Crabb said in the
House of Commons: "What's happening on
Britain's streets when the Home Secretary
needs an armed police escort to go and
buy a kebab?"
Gordon Brown told him: "I want everybody
in Britain to be safe and feel safe on our
streets.
House of Commons: "What's happening on
Britain's streets when the Home Secretary
needs an armed police escort to go and
buy a kebab?"
Gordon Brown told him: "I want everybody
in Britain to be safe and feel safe on our
streets.
Great.
No-one, it seems, thought to ask: what the
bloody hell is our Home Secretary doing eating
kebabs?!
No-one, it seems, thought to ask: what the
bloody hell is our Home Secretary doing eating
kebabs?!
A S H Smyth