Farewell Ken: thank you for...

[bignumber5]

I thought that those of us who are a bit miffed about the election outcome could use a happy-place.

This is a place to reminisce about the 2 terms of Red Ken. Please, no heated debate (we've either already done it or there are other threads going...)

Posts that follow on from the thread title "Farewell Ken: thank you for..."

[grandpafred]

the congestion charge, a very bold and brave move, also thanks for the improvements in the Bus service, the Oyster card is the best!!

[cdonline]

Thanks Ken for being a supporter of Gay Rights, setting up the Register of Partnerships before the Labour Government introduced Civil Partnerships. As well as turning up to meetings and Gay Pride events for so many years in support.

Thanks for standing up against the opportunism of the Evening Standard.

Thank you for getting on Margaret Thatcher's nerves.

[HonaloochieB]

...the music, for giving it to me.

[HonaloochieB]

...fahlettinmebemiceelfagain.

[wee quinnie]

..the days, those endless days those sacred days you gave me.

I'm thinking of the days,

I won't forget a single day believe me....

...And though you're gone

You're with me every single day believe me.

[SteveT]

the bendy buses, no one needs to pay fares on when they sit in the back bit.

the congestion charge which pushes the traffic somewhere else, and makes a playground for the rich.

changing the traffic lights so the drivers can nod off at stop and the pedestrians have to hang about longer on the curb breathing in the fumes.

your distinctly nasal whining voice, like a kid who wants something but his mother is not listening

not becoming leader of the labour party.

giving out many thousands of pounds to weird "businesses" that neither earned nor deserved a grant from the glc.

leaving your undeserved trough, to another unnecessary snout.

[Libby]

... emptying your desk at last.

[wee quinnie]

Hey! This is supposed to be a happy place for those of us miffed about the election.:(

[Michael Palaeologus]

... handing London on a plate to Boris.

[bignumber5]

...for getting us though 7/7/5 with real leadership

...for the congestion charge

...for oyster cards and bendy buses

...for doing what was best for London even if it wasn't popular at the time

and, since it probably hasn't been easy

...for taking decent holidays ;-)

[bon3yard]

Mice Elf? Horrific hybrid?

[SteveT]

leaving an unnecessary job

to another undeserving untalented chump

for another four year term of squandering our money

what was the value of your budget?

and did we approve it?

I don't remember agreeing to any thing,

you worked in headlight house which never illuminates the wrong doings of its inhabitants.

goodbye ken please take boris with you and anyone else who fancies he's qualified for this non-job

[benjaminty]

Steve T ..... sorry but yawn

Ken

Thanks for getting back in place after crazy Thatcher removed you and the GLC.

Will miss you ... and hope that London will see sense some time soon.... once Boris has screwed up our place of residence. Won't be long me thinks!

[SeanMacGabhann]

walking across the North side of Trafalgar Square yesterday - looking at all the tourists bimble about and enjoying the sights - and reflecting what a traffic-choked hell it used to be. Heaven

Something Boris wouldn't have done...

[spadetownboy]

for the annual st.patricks day parade, now a real event on the london calender.

[Torben Pieknik]

Making cycling a priority. London now spends more on cycling infrastructure and training than the rest of the country added together and it shows in the number of people cycling in London, where as it continues to decline in the rest of the UK.

[Marmora Man]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> walking across the North side of Trafalgar Square

> yesterday - looking at all the tourists bimble

> about and enjoying the sights - and reflecting

> what a traffic-choked hell it used to be. Heaven

>

> Something Boris wouldn't have done...

Sean - low blow. You cannot say, with any certainty, what Boris would or would not have done.

In fact, given Boris Johnson's quoted appreciation of Pericles and Athenian politics he may well have supported the creation of such a great public space. I certainly do - Trafalgar Square and the galleries are now a great spot to meet, greet and generally people watch in London.

[annaj]

Now play fair people, read the opening post, this thread was meant to be about what Ken did well, not another Ken V's Boris debate.

I'd like to second the congestion charge, Trafalgar Square, increased bus services AND bendy buses (I like them).

His response to the July 7th bombs is also something I'll always remember. I'm not usually a fan of rousing speeches, but in July 2005 we had just come back from living in NZ, cutting short a year-long stay becuase we missed London and wanted to come home. As a Londoner and someone working in the emergency services (not very front line that day I have to admit. On stand-by feeling utterly impotent in and empty emergency department south of the river) I felt quite emotional about this attack on my home town and Ken's response was exactly right at the time.

[blinder999]

Thanks for being driven by a desire to make London a better place to live for all of us.

I don't think there's any other successful politician with the same motivation.

[SeanMacGabhann]

A "low" blow? Really? I didn't even consider it a blow much less a low one. From every utterance I have heard from Boris and the black-cab drivers who supported him they consider the pedestrianising of the that bit of Trafalgar Sq to be a crime against humanity. One cab driver was apoplectic on BBC London this weekend saying you can't even call it a square now because of what Ken did (thus illustrating how for some people the world can only be viewed as serving "the car" - I do wonder what Trafalgar Sq was called before the car was invented!)

[Torben Pieknik]

Boris has also said he would re-phase traffic lights in favour of cars over pedestrians, which makes it unlikely he would do anything as challenging as re-allocating road space in favour of people on foot.

Ken was planning to do the same in Parliament Square as was done in Trafalgar Square, which would have been excellent. Let's see if Boris is prepared to do the same.

[citizenED]

Thanks for opening up the Thames Path and the improvements around the South Bank. Great for everyone, very kid-friendly and great sense of community - and especially good for us lot in South London.

[annaj]

Oh yes the South Bank, I forgot that.

And the nice More London square near the Hilton with the clever water features and the champagne bar!

[dc]

building the Thames Barrier when Leader of the GLC and then allowing your mum to attend the opening ceremony in your place because she'd always wanted to meet the Queen and you didn't really want to - golden!