1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,560 Okay. So, George, um I understand you're 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:09,040 running for London Mayor. Um why are you 3 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:11,200 running for London Mayor? Well, London's 4 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,599 only had two mayors. Both of them have 5 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:16,400 been larger than life characters, big 6 00:00:13,599 --> 00:00:18,960 personalities, independent of the 7 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,800 political machines. And I think that 8 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,880 that's fitting even though I don't agree 9 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:26,240 with the current mayor Boris Johnson. No 10 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:30,160 one could say was David Cameron's uh 11 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:32,480 stoogge uh or dog's body of any kind. Uh 12 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,800 so Labour had Ken Livingston. The 13 00:00:32,480 --> 00:00:39,200 Conservatives have had Boris Johnson. 14 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:42,239 Both of them interesting. Uh even partly 15 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:46,000 in the case of Boris Johnson at least 16 00:00:42,239 --> 00:00:48,640 slightly comical, slightly comedic, but 17 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:52,480 never a dull moment. And the last thing 18 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:56,640 London needs is a dull mayor who's just 19 00:00:52,480 --> 00:01:00,000 a speak your weight machine for the the 20 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:03,600 political class. Uh, and I think when I 21 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:06,799 saw the field, I thought there's a space 22 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:09,439 here for an independent-minded person 23 00:01:06,799 --> 00:01:12,960 with a long track record in politics 24 00:01:09,439 --> 00:01:16,799 with a lot of ideas and the courage to 25 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:18,799 stand up for them uh and uh a bit more 26 00:01:16,799 --> 00:01:22,240 interesting than what was on offer. So, 27 00:01:18,799 --> 00:01:24,240 I threw my hat in the ring uh and it's 28 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,920 been picked up by a very significant 29 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:28,479 number of people. the bookmakers have 30 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,640 got me as third favorite and that's 31 00:01:28,479 --> 00:01:33,680 probably right with seven or eight 32 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:37,520 months to go. Uh but sometimes the third 33 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:40,000 favorite wins like in Canada where uh 34 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:43,680 where Justin Trudeau has just come from 35 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:45,840 third place to to win the election. Um 36 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,159 what's been your how have you been 37 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:51,439 received so far by the people you 38 00:01:48,159 --> 00:01:54,079 visited? What's been the reception? Well 39 00:01:51,439 --> 00:01:55,640 uh there have been one or two surprises. 40 00:01:54,079 --> 00:01:58,880 Um 41 00:01:55,640 --> 00:02:02,840 I expected to be strong where I am 42 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:06,000 strong amongst the uh minority ethnic 43 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:09,039 communities who constitute 53% of the 44 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:11,920 London electorate. So London is a city 45 00:02:09,039 --> 00:02:13,760 where the minorities are the majority. I 46 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:16,080 expected to be strong in those 47 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,560 communities because I've spent my life 48 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:21,440 fighting for those communities. 49 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:25,360 The pleasant surprise has been the 50 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:27,840 number of people in communities that I 51 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:31,040 would not have expected to uh 52 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:33,239 automatically be warmly received who are 53 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:36,000 sick to the back teeth of the political 54 00:02:33,239 --> 00:02:38,959 class. They're not apathetic. They're 55 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:41,920 apoplelectic about the pathetic nature 56 00:02:38,959 --> 00:02:46,319 of that political class. They think that 57 00:02:41,920 --> 00:02:50,560 the labor and conservative choices are 58 00:02:46,319 --> 00:02:52,879 mediocre. second, third rate choices and 59 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,720 they're coming up to me saying, "I don't 60 00:02:52,879 --> 00:02:56,640 agree with everything you say, but I 61 00:02:54,720 --> 00:03:00,720 used to listen to you on the radio or I 62 00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:04,480 watch you on YouTube, see you on RT 63 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:07,360 uh on a Saturday, and yeah, I've got a 64 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:09,840 real chance of getting their votes." So, 65 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:12,720 that's been uh a surprise, but the 66 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:15,840 overall reception has been tremendous. 67 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:18,080 Uh partly that's because I think I'm 68 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,680 quite a strong candidate, but it's also 69 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:22,480 partly because the other candidates are 70 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:24,879 very weak. Um what's your view of the 71 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:27,640 other main candidates? 72 00:03:24,879 --> 00:03:31,760 Well, Zack Goldmith is the conservative 73 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:35,599 candidate. Uh he inherited a 700 million 74 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:38,480 pound personal fortune from his father. 75 00:03:35,599 --> 00:03:42,239 Uh nice work if you can get it. Uh he's 76 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:45,760 a very nice person. uh a perfectly 77 00:03:42,239 --> 00:03:50,000 honorable person to be honest. Um and if 78 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:51,920 you want a 700 million pound heir to a 79 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,239 personal fortune who went to eaton and 80 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:56,879 Oxford was in the Bullington club with 81 00:03:54,239 --> 00:03:59,400 Boris Johnson and David Cameron. You 82 00:03:56,879 --> 00:04:02,480 couldn't get a better one than him. Uh 83 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:06,239 he's definitely better than Cameron and 84 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:08,959 uh Boris Johnson, but he's in the same 85 00:04:06,239 --> 00:04:11,360 niche, that multi multi 86 00:04:08,959 --> 00:04:13,599 multi-millionaire niche, who've never 87 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,959 had to worry about paying a rent, never 88 00:04:13,599 --> 00:04:17,120 had to worry about meeting their 89 00:04:14,959 --> 00:04:19,600 mortgage, never have to worry about a 90 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:22,639 job, never have to worry about traveling 91 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,240 secondass or on the bus or on the 92 00:04:22,639 --> 00:04:27,240 underground. 93 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:30,840 uh he's lived the life of the Great 94 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:35,199 Gatsby and that just doesn't fit or 95 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:38,479 square with the 8 million London voters 96 00:04:35,199 --> 00:04:41,120 who don't have the benefit of that kind 97 00:04:38,479 --> 00:04:43,680 of lifestyle. Uh he's the number one 98 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,400 candidate. He's the favorite at the 99 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:50,160 bookies. The Labor candidate, it's 100 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:52,360 almost a case of least said the better. 101 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:55,520 He's entirely 102 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:58,199 forgettable even if you ever knew who he 103 00:04:55,520 --> 00:05:02,720 was in the first place. His name is Sadi 104 00:04:58,199 --> 00:05:07,440 Khan. He flip flops flip flops all over 105 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:10,320 the place. Uh his politics are way to 106 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:12,720 the right of Jeremy Corbin. He's in 107 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:15,440 favor of Trident nuclear weapons. He's 108 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:17,840 in favor of austerity. He thinks Jeremy 109 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:20,000 Corbin's economic policy is, and I quote 110 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:22,080 him, ridiculous. 111 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,120 He accused Jeremy Corbin and John 112 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:28,080 Macdonald of encouraging terrorism in 113 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:30,639 London by their stand on Ireland in the 114 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:33,280 past and on Middle East issues today. 115 00:05:30,639 --> 00:05:35,199 It's a very very serious charge to make 116 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:39,840 against the leader of your own party, 117 00:05:35,199 --> 00:05:42,960 but that's what he did. Um, nobody much 118 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:45,520 notices what he does because frankly 119 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:48,240 he's a he's a lightweight character. 120 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:50,720 Obviously he's my principal opponent 121 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:53,120 because If I'm going to win, I have to 122 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:55,600 come ahead of him. If I come ahead of 123 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,120 him, I'm certain that enough of his 124 00:05:55,600 --> 00:06:00,880 voters will make me their second 125 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:03,600 preference that could put me over the 126 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:07,840 finishing line. So, I'm out to 127 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:12,400 demonstrate to voters on the center left 128 00:06:07,840 --> 00:06:14,400 and others of independent mind that I'm 129 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,639 a better Labor man than the Labor 130 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,960 candidate. I'm much closer to the 131 00:06:16,639 --> 00:06:21,120 positions of Jeremy Corbin than the 132 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:23,720 Labor candidate is. So if you like 133 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:26,120 Corbin kind of should vote for 134 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:28,720 me. I just wanted to talk a little bit 135 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:31,400 about I was very surprised and I think a 136 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,919 lot of other people were to 137 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:37,000 see 138 00:06:32,919 --> 00:06:41,880 comments about Palestinian 139 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,880 resistance. What was your take on? 140 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,720 Well, he uh 141 00:06:44,039 --> 00:06:49,160 he 142 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:52,039 equates the Palestinian resistance with 143 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:56,080 terrorism. And this is completely 144 00:06:52,039 --> 00:06:59,400 unacceptable because it is the legal and 145 00:06:56,080 --> 00:07:02,240 the moral but definitely 146 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:04,800 legal right of every occupied people to 147 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:07,919 resist their occupy to rise up against 148 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:12,360 them. Uh you're talking to me for Russia 149 00:07:07,919 --> 00:07:16,000 today when the occupation captured parts 150 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:18,720 of of of the the then Soviet Union in 151 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:21,800 the Second World War. The Russian 152 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:23,919 partisans and Ukrainian 153 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:27,520 partisans would have killed them with 154 00:07:23,919 --> 00:07:30,720 their teeth if they could because they 155 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:33,440 could not accept a foreign occupation of 156 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:36,880 their country. And who would? Mr. 157 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:39,680 Churchill promised the Nazis when they 158 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:41,280 were at the Channel ports that if they 159 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:44,720 crossed the English Channel and landed 160 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:47,680 here, he promised them uh never ending 161 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:50,840 guerrilla warfare. He said, "We'll fight 162 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:53,280 them on the beaches, uh on the landing 163 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:55,840 grounds, from roof to roof, from house 164 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:58,400 to house, in the streets, in the hills. 165 00:07:55,840 --> 00:08:00,400 We will never surrender," he said. Well, 166 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:03,360 that's what the Palestinians are doing. 167 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,960 They're saying we've been militarily 168 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:08,639 occupied 169 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:10,319 illegally, brutally for almost 50 years 170 00:08:08,639 --> 00:08:13,039 in the case of Jerusalem and the West 171 00:08:10,319 --> 00:08:17,039 Bank and Gaza and much much longer than 172 00:08:13,039 --> 00:08:19,840 that in other parts of Palestine. So to 173 00:08:17,039 --> 00:08:22,639 equate people rising up against foreign 174 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:25,680 military occupation of their country uh 175 00:08:22,639 --> 00:08:28,000 with terrorism is is wholly wrong and he 176 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:30,080 should never have done it. 177 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,240 Do you think it's fair to say that 178 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,560 London is an international city. We had 179 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,320 huge demonstrations last year in support 180 00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:37,839 of 181 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:40,080 Palestine. It seems like London really 182 00:08:37,839 --> 00:08:42,000 might be ready for a mayor who 183 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,560 understands these international issues 184 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,839 and speak to a 185 00:08:43,560 --> 00:08:49,120 cosmopolitan London. Is that the kind of 186 00:08:45,839 --> 00:08:51,880 platform? It it is. I mean my my my main 187 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:54,399 platform is on specifically London 188 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:56,640 things, the policing of London, the 189 00:08:54,399 --> 00:08:59,760 transportation of London, above all the 190 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:02,040 housing situation in London. But London 191 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,800 is a world city. It's a 192 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:07,120 worldclass, 193 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:09,600 worldleading world city. And so it kind 194 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:13,120 of deserves a mayor who knows about the 195 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:15,519 world and who's known in the world. And 196 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:18,240 I think that my qualifications on that 197 00:09:15,519 --> 00:09:22,000 are better than the other two uh by 198 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:23,320 quite a long chalk. Actually, I can 199 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:27,399 speak 200 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:31,040 to the Chinese, the Russians, the Arabs, 201 00:09:27,399 --> 00:09:34,880 the Asians, the Africans. I can speak to 202 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:37,120 them and they'll know who I am and I can 203 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:41,200 set out London's attractions and 204 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:43,360 London's store uh in the world with 205 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:47,360 without having to, you know, give a 206 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:49,279 business card to say who I am. Uh, and I 207 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:51,600 think that that's an advantage. But 208 00:09:49,279 --> 00:09:55,480 there's another side to that coin that 209 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:58,240 you your viewers may not have quite yet 210 00:09:55,480 --> 00:10:00,560 grasped. Although people will be voting 211 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:03,839 for a London mayor and they will be 212 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:05,959 voting on London issues, they also have 213 00:10:03,839 --> 00:10:09,519 their own point of view on international 214 00:10:05,959 --> 00:10:11,360 issues. And if the candidate doesn't 215 00:10:09,519 --> 00:10:14,320 square with their view on international 216 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:16,480 issues, that candidate's got a problem. 217 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:18,800 Uh so for example, if you're one of the 218 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:21,200 millions in London that really cares 219 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:25,440 about the Palestinian people, why would 220 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:27,839 you be attracted to vote for uh for Sadi 221 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,240 Khan who believes that the Palestinian 222 00:10:27,839 --> 00:10:32,880 resistance are 223 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:37,360 terrorists? Uh the same would be true uh 224 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:40,480 on issues uh like uh Syria for example, 225 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:43,760 uh issues like the Ukraine. Um, these 226 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:46,640 are issues where large numbers of voters 227 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:48,079 in London have a point of view. Now, it 228 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:51,519 may be the opposite point of view to 229 00:10:48,079 --> 00:10:55,519 mine, and I'll expect to suffer a bit as 230 00:10:51,519 --> 00:10:57,600 a result of that, but most often I think 231 00:10:55,519 --> 00:11:00,320 you'll find that my point of view is 232 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:03,440 shared by the majority. 233 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:06,240 With the election of Jeremy Corbyn, who 234 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,839 was elected largely on the ticket of a 235 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,399 clear anti-husterity ticket and an 236 00:11:07,839 --> 00:11:12,480 anti-war ticket, Many people now feel 237 00:11:10,399 --> 00:11:14,560 that's an indication that number one 238 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:17,360 these issues alone seen as protest 239 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:19,519 politics along the fringe and number two 240 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,920 that there's a resurgence of real 241 00:11:19,519 --> 00:11:25,120 energy. Do you think your your platform 242 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:29,240 could be part of that resurgence? I do. 243 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:33,360 Uh, I'm expecting to benefit from the 244 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:36,240 Corbinista search, not least since Sadi 245 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:38,640 Khan has begun attacking Jeremy Corbin 246 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,640 almost on a daily basis, which must be 247 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:43,440 very dispiriting for the for the new 248 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:45,440 party leader to have his own meal 249 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:49,440 candidate criticizing him in the 250 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:52,160 right-wing newspapers all the time. Uh 251 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:55,600 so I'm working on the assumption that 252 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:57,600 the people who liked Corbyn most are 253 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,680 likely to vote for me in the mal 254 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:04,200 election. And that's a very important 255 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:08,240 part of my uh my coalition. Uh real 256 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:09,680 labor never went away. Real labor 257 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,000 standing up for the working people. 258 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:14,240 Well, Sadi Khan, for example, says, and 259 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:17,839 he said it over and over again, "I want 260 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:21,279 to be the most pro business mayor in 261 00:12:17,839 --> 00:12:23,440 London's history." Well, big business 262 00:12:21,279 --> 00:12:25,600 and the banks don't actually need a 263 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,279 mayor on their side. You know, it's the 264 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,519 working people who need a mayor on their 265 00:12:27,279 --> 00:12:31,600 side. It's the tenants. It's the people 266 00:12:29,519 --> 00:12:33,680 struggling to pay their mortgage. The 267 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:36,000 people packed like sardines into 268 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:37,839 overcrowded, overpriced London 269 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:42,560 underground trains. I've just been in 270 00:12:37,839 --> 00:12:44,560 Moscow. uh on the Moscow metro which is 271 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:46,079 a thing of beauty like going into a 272 00:12:44,560 --> 00:12:49,200 theater 273 00:12:46,079 --> 00:12:53,040 uh and where the fairs are way less than 274 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:54,639 half what people are paying in London uh 275 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:58,240 these are the people who need a mayor on 276 00:12:54,639 --> 00:13:00,160 their side uh big business the banks 277 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,920 they've got plenty of power they don't 278 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:06,240 need the counterveailing democratic 279 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:09,200 power uh of an elected mayor so yes I 280 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:13,040 think uh these are ideas whose time has 281 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:15,959 come. The zeitgeist, as Corbin proved, 282 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:19,040 is definitely with those who say enough 283 00:13:15,959 --> 00:13:22,399 austerity. The working people have paid 284 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:25,200 enough for a crisis they didn't create 285 00:13:22,399 --> 00:13:27,360 and from which they never benefited. Let 286 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:29,760 the people who benefited and who did 287 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:33,880 create it pay the price for it. We've 288 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:37,200 paid enough. And so I think that 289 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:40,720 austerity is coming to an end. uh it 290 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:43,360 needs to be brought to an end, needs to 291 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:45,120 come to an end, to a stop, with a jolt. 292 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:48,000 And my election as London mayor would 293 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:49,760 certainly be quite a jolt. Um just 294 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,680 focusing on London for a minute, what 295 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,200 are your main policy pledges to the 296 00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:56,480 people of London? What are the 297 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:59,160 centerpiece policies if you like? Uh 298 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:02,480 well, uh you know, 299 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:05,800 housing, the word crisis is banded 300 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:09,040 around a lot in politics. This is a real 301 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:12,079 crisis. This is a crisis of hundreds of 302 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:15,040 thousands of people who simply can't 303 00:14:12,079 --> 00:14:16,639 afford to go on living in London yet 304 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:19,440 have to be in London because they're 305 00:14:16,639 --> 00:14:22,800 working here. people who are traveling 306 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:25,600 hours to get to their work as vital 307 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:29,040 public servants, as nurses, as teachers, 308 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:33,120 as police officers, as firefighters, 309 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:35,839 uh essential workers in inner London who 310 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:38,000 couldn't dream of living in inner London 311 00:14:35,839 --> 00:14:40,320 and increasingly not even in outer 312 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:44,800 London, who've had to move entirely out 313 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:47,920 of the city. Um, housing is in crisis 314 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:49,920 for a lot of reasons. The first one 315 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:53,680 going back to the time of Mrs. Thatcher 316 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:56,480 was the sale of huge numbers of council 317 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:59,600 houses that have never been replaced. 318 00:14:56,480 --> 00:15:04,079 Last year in London we built 80 council 319 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:05,360 houses 8 in a city of 8 million where 320 00:15:04,079 --> 00:15:08,480 hundreds of thousands of people are on 321 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:11,839 the waiting list. But more importantly, 322 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:14,480 even than that, over the last 20 years, 323 00:15:11,839 --> 00:15:17,839 as London has boomed, as the city of 324 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:21,120 London bmed, the price of land rose and 325 00:15:17,839 --> 00:15:23,519 rose, and we now have the highest rents 326 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:26,160 and the highest house prices in the 327 00:15:23,519 --> 00:15:28,000 entire world, bar none. Higher than 328 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:31,480 Moscow, higher than New York, higher 329 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:35,120 than Monaco, bar none. 330 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:38,800 And these eyewatering prices are 331 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:41,360 continuing to rise because the London 332 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:44,320 mayor over the last eight years has 333 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:47,120 given developers permission to develop 334 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:49,519 luxury housing for the richest people. 335 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:51,440 And you know what? Much of the time they 336 00:15:49,519 --> 00:15:54,079 don't even live in the houses. They're 337 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:56,720 actually buying property and thus 338 00:15:54,079 --> 00:15:59,680 helping to drive up prices. They're 339 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:02,720 buying it just as a place to park their 340 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:05,519 money. And sometimes it's stolen money. 341 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:08,800 London is the hot money capital of the 342 00:16:05,519 --> 00:16:12,240 world. And people are essentially using 343 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:14,880 London housing as a safety deposit box, 344 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:18,480 as a cash deposit box where they can put 345 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:21,040 their gains, sometimes illotten gains, 346 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:23,199 safe from the regulator, safe from the 347 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:25,920 police, safe from the media and the 348 00:16:23,199 --> 00:16:29,519 government in their own countries. And 349 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:32,480 this will have to stop. So, I'm going to 350 00:16:29,519 --> 00:16:34,320 compulsorily purchase any house in 351 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:38,600 London that isn't lived in for a year 352 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:42,160 without a proper excuse. I'm going to 353 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:44,240 insist that property developers include 354 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:46,399 in any development proposals that come 355 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:49,519 before me, and they all come before me 356 00:16:46,399 --> 00:16:51,519 if I'm the mayor, that 50% of the 357 00:16:49,519 --> 00:16:54,639 housing units are what we call 358 00:16:51,519 --> 00:16:58,800 affordable housing. Now, by affordable, 359 00:16:54,639 --> 00:17:01,759 I mean 50% of the average rents in the 360 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:04,240 area. Now, developers will squeal. 361 00:17:01,759 --> 00:17:06,640 They're not queuing up to invest in my 362 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:09,520 MER campaign. They'll say, "Well, that 363 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:11,679 means we won't develop." I say, "You 364 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:14,959 will develop because you'll make enough 365 00:17:11,679 --> 00:17:17,600 money out of the other 50% to make 366 00:17:14,959 --> 00:17:19,919 development worthwhile." uh but you 367 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:23,319 won't be developing unless you meet that 368 00:17:19,919 --> 00:17:25,520 uh that uh uh character uh 369 00:17:23,319 --> 00:17:28,000 characteristic. The other thing I'll do 370 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:30,799 and I don't have the power as a mayor to 371 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:34,640 do it, but I'll campaign with Jeremy 372 00:17:30,799 --> 00:17:37,200 Corbin for a mass council house building 373 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:41,039 program. You know, when I was a kid, 374 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:43,440 Britain built 300,000 council houses 375 00:17:41,039 --> 00:17:46,000 every year. That was under a 376 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:50,080 conservative government. it was under 377 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:52,799 Winston Churchill and Harold McMillan 378 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:54,720 that these house numbers were achieved. 379 00:17:52,799 --> 00:17:56,240 Uh and if we could do it then just after 380 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:59,880 the second world war when we were 381 00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:02,960 absolutely broke we can do it now. 382 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:04,640 Given just talking about housing how 383 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:10,000 does it look when the Labor candidate 384 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:10,000 for the London race has 385 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:22,880 disting supposed to represent the values 386 00:18:19,679 --> 00:18:25,919 of the labor movement? Well, he who pays 387 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:28,799 the piper in politics calls the tune. 388 00:18:25,919 --> 00:18:31,919 Everyone in the world knows that if a if 389 00:18:28,799 --> 00:18:34,720 a property developer is funding your 390 00:18:31,919 --> 00:18:37,280 election campaign, you can be sure that 391 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:40,080 he either believes or maybe even is 392 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:42,240 fairly confident that the person he's 393 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:44,880 paying for is going to deliver the 394 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:48,160 goods. which in this case means business 395 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:52,000 as usual where property developers snap 396 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:54,960 up land, build very very blue chip high 397 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:57,440 value housing, pay lip service to the 398 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:59,360 need for affordable housing. I mean at 399 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:02,799 Battery Power Station for example which 400 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:05,840 is the latest big uh private development 401 00:19:02,799 --> 00:19:09,600 very beautiful site on the river temps 402 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:13,039 uh only 8% of the houses there are 403 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:16,960 affordable houses and by affordable they 404 00:19:13,039 --> 00:19:22,200 mean 80% of the average rents not my 405 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:24,880 50%. Uh so actually Sadiq Khan his 406 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:28,320 campaign was paid for by property 407 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:31,760 developers who donated the lion share of 408 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:33,919 his election expenses. But frankly all 409 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:36,559 the Labor candidates who were fighting 410 00:19:33,919 --> 00:19:38,640 for the Labor nomination were all funded 411 00:19:36,559 --> 00:19:42,080 by property developers just different 412 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:43,520 ones. Uh some property developers uh 413 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:46,559 thought they'd put their money on this 414 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:49,919 one or that one. Uh and uh as it 415 00:19:46,559 --> 00:19:52,000 happens, it was Sadi Khan's uh property 416 00:19:49,919 --> 00:19:53,039 developers that won the day, but I don't 417 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,600 think they'll win the day in the 418 00:19:53,039 --> 00:19:58,400 election. 419 00:19:55,600 --> 00:20:00,320 Zack Goldmith has no need uh of uh 420 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:04,799 assistance from property developers. 421 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:07,039 He's richer than any property developer. 422 00:20:04,799 --> 00:20:08,640 Just sticking with this theme of 423 00:20:07,039 --> 00:20:11,280 corruption for a minute because I think 424 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,280 another reason 425 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:16,320 why people 426 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,400 Clearly because people are are sick of 427 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:21,039 the corrupt elite, however we might want 428 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:23,280 to characterize it. Do you have a plan 429 00:20:21,039 --> 00:20:26,000 to clean up the city of London? This is 430 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:28,760 an strikes. 431 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:33,840 I have a plan and his name is Max 432 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:37,600 Kaiser. I'm going to appoint Max as my 433 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:40,000 uh my finance economics zar. He'll be 434 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:42,640 effectively London's chancellor of the 435 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:44,320 excheer. And when people ask me what you 436 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:47,120 going to do on the first day if you're 437 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:49,760 elected mayor, I say I'm going to send 438 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:51,840 in Max Kaiser into the city of London, 439 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:54,799 into the square mile, the richest square 440 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:58,720 mile on the earth to tell them that the 441 00:20:54,799 --> 00:21:03,159 party is over. We cannot tolerate a 442 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:07,600 situation where rampant criminality at 443 00:21:03,159 --> 00:21:11,039 worst and at best criminal negligence 444 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:14,440 which took London and Britain as a whole 445 00:21:11,039 --> 00:21:17,600 over the cliff in the crash of 446 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:19,760 2008 and in which by the way virtually 447 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,200 nobody has been convicted of any crime. 448 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,440 If you pick someone's pocket in 449 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:26,080 Liverpool Street Station you'll be 450 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:28,720 behind bars very quickly. But if you 451 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:32,400 pick the bank's pocket of a million, 10 452 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:34,720 million, 30, 40, 50 million pounds, no 453 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:38,559 one will touch you. No one goes to jail. 454 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:42,240 The banks were too big to fail. The 455 00:21:38,559 --> 00:21:44,640 bankers too big to jail. We've got to 456 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:47,120 end that culture. And so, one of the 457 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:49,679 things I intend to do is bring about a 458 00:21:47,120 --> 00:21:52,400 merger of the Metropolitan Police, which 459 00:21:49,679 --> 00:21:55,120 serves London as a whole, and the 460 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:57,840 so-called City of London Police. It's a 461 00:21:55,120 --> 00:22:00,080 little known fact that the city of 462 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:02,080 London, the one square mile, has its own 463 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:05,280 police force and they haven't been doing 464 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:08,320 a very good job. They didn't catch 465 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:11,200 hardly any of the people who've been 466 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:13,200 robbing us blind. Uh, and that's not 467 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:16,240 acceptable. So, we we need a police 468 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:19,120 force that will police irrespective of 469 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:22,360 the color of someone's face or the color 470 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:26,400 of their collar. You see blue collar 471 00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:29,360 crime can be nasty of course and no one 472 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:32,320 tolerates crime of any kind but the 473 00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:34,320 white collar crime is far far more 474 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:36,400 lucrative far far more profitable and 475 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:38,159 they never get caught and when they get 476 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,400 caught they rarely get prosecuted. When 477 00:22:38,159 --> 00:22:43,679 they get prosecuted rarely convicted 478 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:46,240 when convicted rarely jailed and that's 479 00:22:43,679 --> 00:22:48,559 what we intend to bring about an end to. 480 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:51,840 So, um, if any of your viewers have ever 481 00:22:48,559 --> 00:22:55,280 seen Max Kaiser on RT on the Kaiser 482 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:58,640 report, you'll know just how fearsome a 483 00:22:55,280 --> 00:23:00,679 prospect unleashing Max on the city is 484 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,960 going to be. 485 00:23:00,679 --> 00:23:04,880 Um, one of the other things I think 486 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,600 people feel very strongly about is tax 487 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:09,440 avoidance by big corporations. I mean, 488 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:12,000 obviously as there will be a limit to 489 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:13,760 your power, but what would you use your 490 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,919 bully? 491 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:20,720 Yeah. Well, the the bully pullpit will 492 00:23:15,919 --> 00:23:22,039 be one of the uh clubs that I shall use 493 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:25,200 uh 494 00:23:22,039 --> 00:23:28,000 to name and shame these people, these 495 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:31,840 companies, these corporations. But we're 496 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:35,280 also looking with Max and his team of uh 497 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:39,760 very smart uh young people who know 498 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:42,559 about finance to the razor sharp degree. 499 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:48,039 Um we've got one or two surprises up our 500 00:23:42,559 --> 00:23:52,600 sleeve. uh um for example uh if you are 501 00:23:48,039 --> 00:23:55,760 uh I don't know let's call it uh 502 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:58,799 Starbucks or Facebook 503 00:23:55,760 --> 00:24:01,280 uh or one of these other top shop one of 504 00:23:58,799 --> 00:24:03,120 these other big companies that make a 505 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:07,039 lot of money in London but don't pay any 506 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:12,000 tax. I think Facebook paid4,000 pounds 507 00:24:07,039 --> 00:24:15,240 last year in corporation tax despite 508 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:18,400 making billions of of pounds in in 509 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:20,799 profits. Uh well, we'll look at ways in 510 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:24,000 which we can financially penalize you. 511 00:24:20,799 --> 00:24:26,799 For example, um why should it cost you 512 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:29,520 the same to get your trash collected 513 00:24:26,799 --> 00:24:32,320 uh than it uh that than is paid by a 514 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:33,919 company that is paying its tax? Maybe if 515 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,520 you don't pay your tax, we'll charge you 516 00:24:33,919 --> 00:24:38,400 a very great deal of money to lift your 517 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:40,960 trash in the morning. Maybe we'll charge 518 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:44,000 you a very great deal of money to 519 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:46,960 provide uh London's services for you. 520 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:49,200 Maybe we'll get the tax that way rather 521 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:52,559 than uh through the inland revenue. 522 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:55,080 We're looking at ways uh to pursue that 523 00:24:52,559 --> 00:24:58,159 uh right at this minute. Um, so 524 00:24:55,080 --> 00:25:01,039 policing, housing, uh, and, uh, 525 00:24:58,159 --> 00:25:03,200 transport are going to be very, very big 526 00:25:01,039 --> 00:25:05,840 changes in London if we win. If you'll 527 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:08,080 allow me, there's a there the, if you 528 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:10,559 think the rest of it is radical. Would 529 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:12,720 you hear this? If I'm the mayor, 530 00:25:10,559 --> 00:25:15,760 there'll be no trucks. There will be no 531 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:19,360 heavy vehicles operating in London all 532 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:22,960 day between dawn and dusk because the 533 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:25,200 number of cyclists who are being maimed 534 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:29,200 and even killed, the number of 535 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:32,480 pedestrians likewise, and the thing that 536 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:35,679 tipped it for me is the figure that more 537 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:38,919 than 9,000 people a year in London are 538 00:25:35,679 --> 00:25:41,840 dying from the long-term exposure to the 539 00:25:38,919 --> 00:25:44,400 pollution caused by the congestion. 540 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:46,320 uh mainly created by these heavy 541 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:49,919 vehicles and the traffic jams that they 542 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:52,240 they produce. So if you're the driver of 543 00:25:49,919 --> 00:25:55,279 a truck, if you're a delivery vehicle 544 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:58,559 beyond a certain size, you'll have to do 545 00:25:55,279 --> 00:26:00,960 your deliveries between dusk and dawn. 546 00:25:58,559 --> 00:26:02,960 Thus, London will truly become a 24-hour 547 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:05,120 city. Of course, the workers involved 548 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:07,440 will have to be paid by their employers 549 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:11,360 commenurately for that. And there'll be 550 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:14,159 negotiation and maybe the odd exemption 551 00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:16,960 here and there, but it's my intention to 552 00:26:14,159 --> 00:26:19,600 make a much greener London in the 553 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:21,600 interest of everyone concerned. I know 554 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,200 that one of the issues you're 555 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:25,919 campaigning around has caught a few 556 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:27,440 people's attention, right? So, um I hear 557 00:26:25,919 --> 00:26:31,440 you've got a message for black cab 558 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:33,440 drivers and you have a plan for I do and 559 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:36,000 that's not disconnected to the 560 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:39,120 congestion issue. Uh, one of the reasons 561 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:42,000 why London streets are so congested is 562 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:45,760 because everyone can declare themselves 563 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:46,760 a taxi driver just by purchasing a a 564 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:50,960 phone 565 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:53,600 app, not knowing necessarily a single 566 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:58,799 street in London. You may you may have 567 00:26:53,600 --> 00:27:02,400 just arrived from the Czech Republic and 568 00:26:58,799 --> 00:27:05,320 get yourself an Uber app and hey presto, 569 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:08,840 you're a taxi driver and tens of 570 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:11,840 thousands are driving around with these 571 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:16,480 apps saying that they're taxi drivers. 572 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:20,000 If you add that level of congestion of 573 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:21,600 over supply uh to all these trucks and 574 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:24,559 heavy vehicles and the cars that are 575 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:26,880 there anyway, it's a real significant 576 00:27:24,559 --> 00:27:28,840 contributor to the pollution, to the 577 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,200 accidents. Uber are terrible for 578 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,880 accidents. And of course, you never know 579 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,000 when you get into an Uber whether the 580 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:37,840 cars insured. You don't know even that 581 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:40,559 the person who turned up to pick you up 582 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:42,960 is the person who had the app. And of 583 00:27:40,559 --> 00:27:46,480 course, you'll be charged what they call 584 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:49,120 surge pricing if it were to suddenly 585 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:50,960 become very heavy rain outside now. It 586 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:53,600 will be a different price to get an Uber 587 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:56,320 car than it was half an hour ago when 588 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:59,600 the weather was fine. Uh if there's a 589 00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:01,840 tube strike, the fair will be five times 590 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:05,360 as much as it was when there wasn't a 591 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:07,760 tube strike on holiday. I mean, it's a 592 00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:10,640 it's a big mess. and transport for 593 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:13,279 London have contributed mightily to it. 594 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:15,520 I believe that London cabs and the 595 00:28:13,279 --> 00:28:18,720 private hire businesses that have taken 596 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:22,720 many decades to establish themselves are 597 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:25,960 perfectly capable of providing the uh 598 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:29,240 the cab and private hire needs of 599 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:32,799 London. Cab drivers are small 600 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:36,240 businessmen, 25,000 of them. They study 601 00:28:32,799 --> 00:28:38,880 for four years the knowledge of London. 602 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:43,120 They have a knowledge of London and I 603 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:46,480 believe a strength of character and uh a 604 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:49,120 a durability and dependability that 605 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:53,240 Londoners can trust and we mustn't allow 606 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:56,320 them to be made extinct by an American 607 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:59,360 taxding multinational outfit called 608 00:28:56,320 --> 00:29:02,480 Uber. I wanted to shift gears just 609 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:04,320 slightly a little bit. 610 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,080 As London mayor, I think a lot of people 611 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:08,640 would be really interested in your view 612 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:11,360 of the government's position on the 613 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:14,279 refugee crisis and specifically Syria 614 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:17,520 and now the involvement of 615 00:29:14,279 --> 00:29:19,760 Russia crisis. What's your view of the 616 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:22,000 government's policy toward Syria, their 617 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:25,440 role in exacerbating the refugee crisis 618 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:28,360 and now Russia's role? Well, uh, it is 619 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:29,880 first of all, uh, 620 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:33,120 distinctly 621 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:34,799 uncchristian to go around the world 622 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:37,039 bombing other people's countries and 623 00:29:34,799 --> 00:29:38,799 then slamming the door shut on the 624 00:29:37,039 --> 00:29:41,760 people who are fleeing from your bombs 625 00:29:38,799 --> 00:29:43,919 and the wars that you unleashed. And 626 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:46,080 that's what these gallant Christian 627 00:29:43,919 --> 00:29:52,480 gentlemen who run the British government 628 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:56,880 are doing exactly. Uh, I'm not in favor 629 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:58,880 of mass influxes of refugees from Syria 630 00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:01,600 or anywhere else. I want them to go back 631 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:05,080 to Syria. Syria needs these people 632 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:08,640 there. the Syrian society is being 633 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:12,880 decapitated by the the war that's been 634 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:14,799 unleashed upon Syria and by the uh the 635 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:17,120 attitude of Western governments towards 636 00:30:14,799 --> 00:30:21,600 that war and the culpability of many 637 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:23,760 western governments in that war. So uh I 638 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:26,960 think and I've been a voice on this as 639 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:30,159 you know for a very very long time that 640 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:33,360 imperialism and its wars are the primary 641 00:30:30,159 --> 00:30:35,600 cause of so much suffering in the world 642 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:37,039 and we need to people say to me what 643 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:39,440 would you do I say I'd do the opposite 644 00:30:37,039 --> 00:30:43,440 of what we're doing now. So instead of 645 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:46,080 supporting uh ISIS and al-Qaeda I'd 646 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:48,480 support the Iraqi and Syrian governments 647 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:50,960 in trying to defeat them. And now that 648 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:54,000 Russia is much more heavily involved in 649 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:56,320 the war, why not join forces with Russia 650 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,880 and bring about an end to ISIS and 651 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:01,600 al-Qaeda? After all, our leaders were 652 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:03,919 telling us until just a few weeks ago 653 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:06,880 that these people were the scourge of 654 00:31:03,919 --> 00:31:10,000 the earth. They were the the worst thing 655 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:13,360 we'd ever seen in in world history and 656 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:15,840 so on. Well, in as much as that's true, 657 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:18,480 why are we complaining that Russia is 658 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:21,360 defeating them? Let's join Russia in 659 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:24,080 defeating them. Of course, defeating 660 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:26,000 ISIL and al-Qaeda is necessary but not 661 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:28,480 sufficient. There are many other changes 662 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:31,200 need to take place in the Middle East 663 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:34,559 and amongst these dictatorships in the 664 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:37,320 in the region. But defeating ISIS and 665 00:31:34,559 --> 00:31:39,840 al-Qaeda, whilst not sufficient, is 666 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:42,320 definitely necessary. I expect there 667 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:43,679 will be a lot of debate about this even 668 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:47,279 though it's not, of course, a London 669 00:31:43,679 --> 00:31:50,159 matter. It's not something the mayor has 670 00:31:47,279 --> 00:31:53,200 power over, but I'm not going to keep a, 671 00:31:50,159 --> 00:31:55,840 you know, a vow of silence when I have a 672 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:57,799 point of view, and moreover, one that 673 00:31:55,840 --> 00:32:00,519 has been proved 674 00:31:57,799 --> 00:32:04,880 right. I was amongst 675 00:32:00,519 --> 00:32:08,480 those who most loudly told Tony Blair 676 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:12,000 that invading and occupying Iraq would 677 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:14,640 be not just a crime, but a blunder. a 678 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:17,440 blunder that we would all suffer from 679 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:20,080 for generations to come. I was right 680 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:23,039 then. Everyone recognizes that now, even 681 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:25,360 if they don't want to admit it. And I'm 682 00:32:23,039 --> 00:32:27,519 right now about the Palestine issue, 683 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:30,240 about the Syrian question. I'm not right 684 00:32:27,519 --> 00:32:34,480 on everything. I've made mistakes, but 685 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:36,320 on these big issues, me and my friends 686 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:39,360 have been right. And people should 687 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:43,159 listen to us now. I think I agree with 688 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:46,240 all of that. I think One thing 689 00:32:43,159 --> 00:32:47,679 that is very close to a lot of London's 690 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:50,720 hearts, London being the big 691 00:32:47,679 --> 00:32:52,480 multicultural city that it is. Um, 692 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:54,720 please tell us about your film about 693 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:56,480 Tony Blair and also please just tell us 694 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:59,120 your view about the recent revelations 695 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:01,360 that have confirmed what we suspect to 696 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:03,760 be the case. Well, uh, it's good that 697 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:06,960 you mentioned that last point because, 698 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:09,440 uh, it's just as well our film, uh, 699 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:11,519 hadn't been released yet because the 700 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:14,480 revelations come thick and fast. In 701 00:33:11,519 --> 00:33:16,640 fact, there's hardly a weekend goes by 702 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:20,960 where some new crime of Tony Blair is 703 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:25,039 not revealed. Uh, and so our film, which 704 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:27,519 was finished and in postp production, is 705 00:33:25,039 --> 00:33:30,000 on Saturday. So, a couple of days from 706 00:33:27,519 --> 00:33:32,960 now, I'm going to have to film yet 707 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:35,760 another new ending and stick it on the 708 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:38,000 end of the film. And that'll have to be 709 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:40,399 it. I I can't keep doing this every 710 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:44,080 every weekend after I've read the 711 00:33:40,399 --> 00:33:46,240 newspapers. We refer of course to the 712 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:48,399 Powell memorandum 713 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:51,559 uh in which I'm mentioned a couple of 714 00:33:48,399 --> 00:33:55,840 times uh in 715 00:33:51,559 --> 00:33:59,640 which Powell is explaining to Bush 716 00:33:55,840 --> 00:34:02,000 uh that Tony Blair has signed up 717 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:04,559 guaranteed that Britain will be in the 718 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:09,200 war. Britain will invade Iraq. Britain 719 00:34:04,559 --> 00:34:12,399 will will will occupy Iraq. this a full 720 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:15,760 year and and a month 13 months before 721 00:34:12,399 --> 00:34:17,839 Parliament actually voted to go to war. 722 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:21,919 Which means that every word that Tony 723 00:34:17,839 --> 00:34:26,560 Blair said between Powell's memo and 724 00:34:21,919 --> 00:34:30,000 actually going to war was a brazen lie. 725 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:32,639 He kept repeating that he didn't want to 726 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:35,359 have to go to war, that we were not 727 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:38,079 planning war, that we intended 728 00:34:35,359 --> 00:34:41,440 diplomatic solutions, that we intended 729 00:34:38,079 --> 00:34:44,240 the United Nations to be uh the agency 730 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:47,919 that would solve the differences that 731 00:34:44,240 --> 00:34:51,599 exist, and it was all a pack of lies, as 732 00:34:47,919 --> 00:34:56,000 uh as General Powell points out in this 733 00:34:51,599 --> 00:34:59,040 uh memo. So, not only is our film having 734 00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:01,520 to be amended, so the Chilcot inquiry 735 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:04,240 will have to be amended because if there 736 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:06,880 was any doubt that Mr. Blair 737 00:35:04,240 --> 00:35:09,200 systematically lied to the parliament 738 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:13,400 and the people and the queen and the 739 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:16,240 armed forces, that doubt has now been uh 740 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:19,520 removed. Uh the film, The Killings of 741 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:22,560 Tony Blair will be out very soon. It is 742 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:26,000 going to be distributed by one of the 743 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:27,599 world's uh the world's leading film 744 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:30,880 distributors 745 00:35:27,599 --> 00:35:34,640 uh with a long long long list of credits 746 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:39,000 to their name and I think it's going to 747 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:42,320 be a tremendous success because it pulls 748 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:44,960 together all the crimes of Tony Blair. 749 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:48,320 Some of which even a smart man like you 750 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:51,040 has forgotten and some of which many 751 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:53,440 people have never heard of. It talks 752 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:56,400 about the attempt to kill the Labor 753 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:59,440 Party. The killing of millions in the 754 00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:02,480 wars and the financial killings that 755 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:05,920 Blair and his associates by the way have 756 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:09,200 made as a result of the previous two uh 757 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:12,640 killings. So, uh, it's going to be on 758 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:15,640 cinemas near you very soon after 759 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,640 Christmas. 760 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:20,400 Yes, it's a popcorn night. Definitely. I 761 00:36:19,119 --> 00:36:21,520 saw a tweet from you the other day 762 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,880 actually which I thought was very 763 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:26,720 interesting. You 764 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:29,839 said the establishment is preparing to 765 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:32,240 sacrifice Tony Blair. Just final point 766 00:36:29,839 --> 00:36:34,240 on sort of this topic. Do you think 767 00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:37,359 Blair is going to face charges and do 768 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:40,560 you think he may well 769 00:36:37,359 --> 00:36:43,520 Uh I do think he will face charges and 770 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:45,040 if he does face charges if there's any 771 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:48,320 justice 772 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:51,440 uh he's bound to be guilty as uh one of 773 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:53,280 the British ambassadors says in our film 774 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:57,280 when I asked him do you think Tony 775 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:59,280 Blair's a war criminal? He said uh well 776 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:01,440 if Tony Blair is not a war criminal 777 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:03,440 there can't be any war criminals. There 778 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:06,000 can be no such thing as a war criminal 779 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:09,920 if Tony Blair isn't one. This is a 780 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:13,760 British ambassador. Uh and I think that 781 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:17,160 uh the net is closing on Blair. I think 782 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:19,760 these revelations drip by drip all 783 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:22,599 indicate that the British establishment 784 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:26,280 has decided that he's too much of a 785 00:37:22,599 --> 00:37:30,800 liability and having backed him and made 786 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:34,320 him surf these waves over these decades 787 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:37,440 in parliament as Middle East peace envoy 788 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:39,040 and as multi multi-millionaire business 789 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:42,960 magnate. 790 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:46,560 uh they're now prepared to drop him and 791 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:49,839 uh I think it can be seen on his face 792 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:52,320 that that net is closing in. Um let's 793 00:37:49,839 --> 00:37:54,240 fast forward a bit. It's now May 2016. 794 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:55,760 You just won the London May. It's the 795 00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:58,560 morning after you had your victory 796 00:37:55,760 --> 00:38:02,720 cigar. What's your first act as London 797 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:06,800 may very first? Well, I hope I will have 798 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:09,440 m maintained uh my stopping of smoking 799 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:11,440 so I won't have the celebratory cigar. 800 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:13,839 I've uh I've stopped smoking now for 801 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:17,040 some months after a mere 40 years of 802 00:38:13,839 --> 00:38:20,320 smoking cigars. Uh so I'm I'm hoping I 803 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:24,640 won't lapse even on such a night. Uh I'm 804 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:28,320 serious. I will send Max Kaiser across 805 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:31,040 to meet the Lord Mayor of the City of 806 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:33,560 London, which is an honorary position, 807 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:37,200 but a powerful one, to see the older 808 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:39,280 men, and uh I'll be meeting at the same 809 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:41,680 time with the commissioner of the 810 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:43,440 Metropolitan Police. 811 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:45,839 Max will be telling those in the city 812 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:47,440 that the party's over and I'll be 813 00:38:45,839 --> 00:38:49,920 telling the commissioner of the 814 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:52,800 Metropolitan Police that many things are 815 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:56,400 going to have to change. That the people 816 00:38:52,800 --> 00:39:00,040 have spoken and that London wants a 817 00:38:56,400 --> 00:39:03,359 police force that looks like London that 818 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:04,960 polices impartially, justly, 819 00:39:03,359 --> 00:39:07,359 irrespective of the color of the 820 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:10,480 person's face or the color of their 821 00:39:07,359 --> 00:39:12,800 shirt collar. Uh, that'll be a double 822 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:15,119 action. Max will be over the road in the 823 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:17,119 city. Sometimes, you know, some people 824 00:39:15,119 --> 00:39:20,160 think I'm quite radical. Max is much 825 00:39:17,119 --> 00:39:23,760 more radical than me. I'll have to stop 826 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:25,839 him from dragging these city types down 827 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:28,720 to the Tower of London and strapping 828 00:39:25,839 --> 00:39:30,640 them to the traitor's gate. Uh, I'm 829 00:39:28,720 --> 00:39:34,680 against capital punishment, so we'll 830 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:34,680 have to stop short of that. 831 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:40,079 Uh, yeah. Okay. Final couple of 832 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:43,720 questions. Sure. 833 00:39:40,079 --> 00:39:43,720 What's your message? 834 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:49,680 What's your This is obviously RTV is 835 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,880 going to be watching this. What's your 836 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:52,720 message given that they're watching 837 00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:54,640 this? What's your message to the to the 838 00:39:52,720 --> 00:39:57,599 government and what's your message to 839 00:39:54,640 --> 00:40:00,640 the Labor Party? Well, the Labor Party 840 00:39:57,599 --> 00:40:02,320 should uh should uh return to its first 841 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:06,480 principles. 842 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:08,880 It should expel Tony Blair and Jack 843 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:12,920 Straw and Alistister Campbell and all 844 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:16,800 those that dragged us into the mess of 845 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:19,440 Iraq. It should stick to the politics 846 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:22,800 that have been enunciated by its new 847 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:26,200 leader uh which achieved such a 848 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:29,839 tremendous mandate uh in the summer of 849 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:32,400 2015. And if they do that up against 850 00:40:29,839 --> 00:40:35,280 George Osborne, my money would be on 851 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:37,440 Jeremy Corbin. Don't forget, it won't be 852 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:40,000 Cameron next time. It'll probably be 853 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:41,920 George Osborne. And between now and 854 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:44,480 then, we'll probably have a downturn in 855 00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:48,000 the British economy, maybe a severe one. 856 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:50,400 So by the time 2020 comes along, the 857 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:54,880 Tories will be very damaged goods. 858 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:57,520 George Osborne is David Cameron minus 859 00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:59,640 and Jeremy Corbin can beat him. But 860 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:03,520 people have to have the courage of their 861 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:06,480 convictions and stick to the course. My 862 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:09,880 message to the government would be as 863 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:13,319 Cromwell said in dismissing the long 864 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:16,319 parliament centuries ago in the name of 865 00:41:13,319 --> 00:41:22,440 God for all the good that you have been 866 00:41:16,319 --> 00:41:22,440 doing. Go now. Just go. 867 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:28,599 A quick piece of the camera just to 868 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:37,119 Britain's had enough of government by 869 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:39,599 the millionaires for the millionaires. 870 00:41:37,119 --> 00:41:42,200 It's time the millions took up the 871 00:41:39,599 --> 00:41:47,599 power. The 872 00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:49,839 99% who are cruy exploited by the 1% who 873 00:41:47,599 --> 00:41:52,400 can only do it so long as they can fool 874 00:41:49,839 --> 00:41:53,920 enough of us to keep them in power. 875 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:55,839 That's why David Cameron's still in 876 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:58,839 Downing Street. I hope his days are 877 00:41:55,839 --> 00:41:58,839 numbered. 878 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:04,400 And I hope Jeremy lost the distance, 879 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:06,119 which I think is going to be tough. 880 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:09,599 Rather than Osborne, do you think Boris 881 00:42:06,119 --> 00:42:12,640 Johnson clearly got his eye on Well, it 882 00:42:09,599 --> 00:42:16,040 depends on the on the economy. If the 883 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:19,599 economy tanks, then Osborne shares go 884 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:21,680 down. If they avoid another recession, 885 00:42:19,599 --> 00:42:23,920 then it'll definitely be Osborne. But 886 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:27,520 you're right, if there's a full scale 887 00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:29,440 recession in 2017, 2018, especially if 888 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:32,480 it's 2018, 889 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:35,440 uh then Cameron and Osborne will sink 890 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:38,240 together and Boris Johnson might be the 891 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:40,800 might be the choice. It's either Johnson 892 00:42:38,240 --> 00:42:44,280 or it's Osborne. I'm hoping, frankly, 893 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:44,280 it's Osborne.