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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 8 February 2008

Brian Paddick

Mayor Ken won’t face youngsters’ questions

KEN Livingstone will be missing from a line-up of London mayoral candidates due to face a grilling from Islington youths on Monday in a special meeting on youth crime.
Brian Paddick, Boris Johnson, Sian Berry and Len Duvall – taking Mr Livingstone’s place due to prior commitments – will face tough questions from the borough’s young people at St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, a short distance from where 16-year-old Nassirudeen Osawe was murdered in December.
The Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Green Party mayoral candidates have agreed to come to a special meeting of Islington Council’s Commission on Young People and Safety in Islington.
All four politicians will speak for several minutes about what they plan to do about youth crime before taking questions from the borough’s youngsters.
Commission chairman Councillor Greg Foxsmith said: “Following the spate of young people killed last year in London, crime prevention has rightly become a big issue in the mayoral campaign.
“Here in Islington we have two candidates with particular experience of our borough – Brian as a former policeman, and Boris as a resident. This is a chance for them, and other candidates, to be held to account.
“Young people often complain that politicians don’t listen to them – this is their chance to make sure they do. In Islington we are serious about young people having a voice and helping to change things.
“I am very pleased that the four politicians have agreed to come along and face young voters, and voters of the future.”
The meeting will start at 7pm and will be followed by the commission’s regular meeting, where evidence will be heard from young people about what can be done to stop teenagers from drifting into crime and gang culture.
The meeting is open to the public on a first-come, first-seated basis.
The commission was set up after the tragic death of teenager Martin Dinnegan, who was stabbed in June last year.
February’s meeting is the last to hear evidence before the final recommendations are produced on March 10.
Anyone who wants to submit evidence or ideas to the commission can do so by writing to Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1 2UD, or by emailing democracy@islington.gov.uk.
The deadline for submissions is February 15.

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