Caroline's blog

Campaigning in Hampstead

Caroline — Wed, 01 May 2024 09:45:58 +0000

Caroline had an excellent trip to Hampstead to campaign with Camden Liberal Democrats.

1 May 2024 - 10:45am

Campaigning in Lambeth

Caroline — Wed, 01 May 2024 09:42:46 +0000

Caroline had an excellent campaigining session with fabulous Lib Dem women in Lambeth including Donna Harris, Claire Bonham and Sarah Lewis.

1 May 2024 - 10:42am

Campaigning in East Sheen

Caroline — Wed, 01 May 2024 09:38:32 +0000

Caroline had a great day campaigning in East Sheen with London Assembly candidate and Richmond Council leader Gareth Roberts, Councillor Julia Cambridge, and Sarah Olney MP.

1 May 2024 - 10:38am

It’s time for more devolution to London

Caroline — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 09:10:01 +0000

Following up on her last question to the Mayor, Caroline Pidgeon has written an article for OnLondon, arguing for London to have more power over its own taxation, borrowing and public spending.

Caroline writes:

Giving London and other city regions greater power over their tax base and delivery of public services could be hugely beneficial all round, allowing those services to be reformed and giving everyone an incentive to see their local economy develop and grow.

It makes sense to bring London in line with most other global cities by allowing its government bodies to control a much wider range of taxes – crucially in exchange for lower levels of government grant.

Read the full article at OnLondon.

3 April 2024 - 10:10am

Hammersmith Bridge must stop being a political football

Caroline — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:31:42 +0000

Caroline spoke to London Live about the closure of how Hammersmith Bridge is affecting residents in south west London, and why the Conservatives need to stop trying to absolve themselves of the Government's responsibility to help get the bridge open again.

Caroline also argued for a funding pool should be set up for all river crossings in London to avoid this situation ever happening again – as proposed in the report on river crossings by the London Assembly's Transport Committee which she chaired.

20 March 2024 - 12:31pm

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Female victims of crime are being let down by the Met

Caroline — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:22:44 +0000

Caroline Pidgeon has highlighted the failure of the Mayor of London, the UK government and the Metropolitan police to properly prioritise tackling violence against women.

New data obtained by the Liberal Democrats shows that the number of cases of violent crime involving female victims that result in a charge has dropped across most categories over the last few years. Notably, last year just 10% of domestic abuse cases resulted in a charge compared to 18% five years ago. The number of murder or manslaughter cases involving female victims resulting in a charge has dropped from 98% to 88% over the same period, and the number of sanction detections for violence against the person (including assault and GBH) against female victims has decreased from 12% to 8%.

The sanction detection rate has also fallen for several other categories of violent crimes against women including gang violence, gun crime, alcohol and drug-related violence, robbery and knife crime.

Caroline said:

“I think it is truly shocking that despite the widespread outcry in recent years over the levels of violence against women in London; the percentage of cases resulting in a charge across several categories of violence crime involving female victims has actually dropped.

“This data shows an abject failure by the Mayor of London, the UK Government and the Met Police to tackle one of the most serious issues facing Londoners.

“The Baroness Casey Review outlined why so many women in London have lost faith in the Met and a large part of restoring that faith will come down to making sure that violent crime against women is tackled and charges brought against perpetrators.

“Education and a culture change is only one part of eradicating violence against women, we have to see more high-profile convictions and more cases being solved. The current situation is just not acceptable.”

20 March 2024 - 12:22pm

Too many hate criminals are escaping justice

Caroline — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:15:24 +0000

Caroline Pidgeon has expressed concern that too many hate crimes are not being properly dealt with.

The number of cases of hate crime that have resulted in a criminal charge in London has dropped over the last three years, new data uncovered by the Liberal Democrats shows. Across every single individual category of hate crime – including homophobia, transphobia, racism, disability hate crime, antisemitism and islamophobia – fewer incidents result in a charge.

Despite a 20 per cent surge in hate crimes reported to the police across the Capital in the last five years, the number of charges from the Met has dropped by 9 per cent over those five years, and by a staggering 37 per cent in the last three years. Overall, just 8 per cent of reported hate crimes in 2023 resulted in a charge, compared to 12.7 per cent three years earlier.

The Liberal Democrats have urged the Mayor of London to do more to ensure that the Met tackles hate crime and treats it as a priority, and have also called on the UK Government to do more at a national level to tackle the issue, abandoning their divisive language that over recent times has often inflamed hate crime rather than helped to tackle it.

Caroline said:

“Hate crime is a serious crime. Its impact leaves victims traumatised and feeling unsafe simply for being who they are.

“It is extremely worrying that not only has the number of incidents of hate crime surged in recent years but simultaneously the number of charges by the Met across London has actually fallen.

“We need the Met, the Mayor of London and the UK Government to work together to tackle this issue. London is and should always be an open and welcoming city for everyone, no matter your background.

“The Conservative Government has implemented brutal cuts to London’s police since 2015, with the number of PCSOs on London’s streets having fallen by 32 per cent. We need to see more bobbies back on the beat to deter this sort of crime.

“But we also need to see some high-level prosecutions demonstrating that hate crime, whatever form it takes, is never acceptable. The current data we have unveiled shows that far too few crimes are resulting in a charge, with the situation likely to be even worse in reality than even this data suggests given many people do not report hate crimes to the police due to a lack of faith in the service to act on the report.”

20 March 2024 - 12:15pm

Worrying to see Police Community Support Officer numbers falling

Caroline — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:08:46 +0000

Caroline Pidgeon has highlighted her concern at the ongoing shortage of Police Community Support Officers in London.

New data revealed by the Liberal Democrats has shown that London is still short of 416 PCSOs: a shortfall of 35% of the Met's target. In fact, the data shows that the Met has lost 36 officers since July.

Caroline said:

“PCSOs play a vital role in keeping our communities safe. It is extremely worrying to see that despite a new recruitment drive by the Met, the number of PCSOs has actually fallen from last summer rather than increased.

“Over the last five years, Londoners have suffered as the Conservative Government has enacted savage cuts which have left the police starved of the resources they need to keep people safe.

“Meanwhile Sadiq Khan had to hand back the Government £31 million in funding for the Met after failing to meet Police Officer recruitment targets.

“The target of hiring an extra 500 officers by the end of 2023 is now in tatters. What we need to see is for both the Conservatives and Labour to stop using community safety as a political football, and to work collaboratively to implement solutions and rebuild public trust in a police service that is an all-time low.”

20 March 2024 - 12:08pm

Caroline uses final Question Time to call for more devolution to London

Caroline — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:04:37 +0000

After her final Mayor's Question Time before standing down from the London Assembly, Caroline Pidgeon said:

"16 years, 160 oral questions to the Mayor, 8,300 written questions & countless committees later I've just asked my final question as a London Assembly Member.

It's been the honour of a lifetime to represent Londoners and champion their causes and concerns. Thank you!"

Caroline used her last question to focus on the need for more devolution for London, asking the Mayor what he has done to lobby for further devolution for London and what further powers he would support for the GLA as a whole, and also for the London Assembly, which currently only serves as a scrutiny body with limited powers of its own.

Caroline called on the Mayor to set up a third London Finance Commission, to present plans to the next UK government for devolved options for raising finance to fund infrastructure and services in the capital, along the lines of the new devolution deals with far-reaching powers in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.

Caroline commented:

“On my final Mayor’s question after 16 years on the Assembly, I want to leave the Mayor of London and others with some ambitious targets going forward.

“Over the last few years, we have seen the UK Government announce wide-ranging devolution deals for other urban areas including single funding pots and powers covering regional rail services, health and social care.

“Meanwhile London seems to have been left behind. I want to see the Mayor of London put forward an ambitious ask of any new incoming UK Government after the General Election that will give London the powers, levers and the finances to achieve the best possible results for our residents and to truly represent the global powerhouse it is.

“It is also important to see the London Assembly granted further powers to ensure that the Mayor is properly held to account and that Londoners are truly represented in decision-making processes by our City’s leaders.”

20 March 2024 - 12:04pm

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The Mayor and government need to finally get Hammersmith Bridge repairs moving

Caroline — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:43:54 +0000

The London Assembly has approved Caroline Pidgeon's motion calling for the Mayor to do everything possible to support Hammersmith & Fulham Council in repairing Hammersmith Bridge, and for the Government to accept its responsibility in the delays to date, and finally release the funding needed.

The bridge has been closed to motor vehicles for five years now, causing travel chaos not just in the immediate neighbourhood, but across southwest London.

Caroline said:

This Government needs to play its part and work with Transport for London and Hammersmith & Fulham Council to end this sorry saga and get remedial work started.

13 March 2024 - 3:43pm

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