Brian Coleman
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| Brian Coleman | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 4 May 2000 |
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| Preceded by | New constituency |
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| Born | 25 June 1961 |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Religion | Methodist |
Brian Coleman (born 25 June 1961) is a Conservative Party politician and member of the London Assembly for Barnet and Camden, England. He is a Councillor in the London Borough of Barnet.
He is a former Chairman of the Finchley Friends of Israel and remains member of Conservative Friends of Israel. Governor at two local Secondary Schools, he is also involved with the Scouts and the Rotary Club, and is a vocal supporter of the rights of Falun Gong practitioners[1] and the Greek Cypriot community.
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[edit] Politics
Coleman has tended to take strong and often controversial lines on many topics including the development of Barnet Football Club, the London 2012 Olympic Bid and the expansion of Tesco into small shopping parades. He was against Middlesex University's plans to expand its Trent Park campus because it was "a crap university"[2]. Following the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, Coleman questioned on radio how safe it was for Londoners to travel by public transport. In June 2006 he criticised the planned refurbishment of Potters Fields Park (between City Hall and Tower Bridge), saying that it should be replaced by a multi-storey car park[3].
In August 2006 Coleman criticised people legally protesting against a provision of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 as "sad, mad and bad". On the restrictions on the right to demonstrate, he stated "It's not a matter of free speech - it's a matter of a proper way of running a world city".[4]
In August 2007, residents of New Barnet campaigning on the environmental and transport details connected with the redevelopment of the East Barnet School site (metropolitan open land adjoining the green belt), were criticised by Coleman as "idiots" and "the usual Nimby brigade".[5] The previous month Coleman was the only objector to the erection of a wind turbine at Frith Manor Primary School (opposite Partingdale Lane), as he believed it was "out of character in the green belt".[6]
In 2002, Coleman announced his intention to seek the Conservative Party nomination to be candidate for Mayor of London but he was rejected at a very early stage.[7] During the 2005 Conservative Party Leadership Election, Coleman publicly supported David Davis.
In April 2007, Coleman caused a small media storm when he claimed that the former Prime Minister Edward Heath was gay and that it was "common knowledge" in the Conservative party that he had been told to keep it secret for the sake of his career.[8] Writing on the website of the New Statesman on the issue of outing, he said: "The late Ted Heath managed to obtain the highest office of state after he was supposedly advised to cease his cottaging activities in the 1950s when he became a privy councillor."[9]
An article by Coleman entitled "Politics and alcohol" for the New Statesman in August 2007 made allegations that Sir Ian Blair the Metropolitan Police Commissioner was "somewhat the worse for wear at a number of official functions" and "needed assistance from his protection officers to manage the stairs".[10] Mayor Ken Livingstone was reported to have responded that "The London Assembly should stop giving a platform to a person who in addition to putting out all sorts of smears and gossip is also a died-in-the-wool Thatcherite who in no way represents the views of most Londoners".[11]
[edit] Barnet Council
Coleman was elected as councillor for Totteridge ward in 1998.[12]
Immediately following the local government election in May 2006, Coleman successfully proposed a vote of no confidence in the Leader of the London Borough of Barnet, Councillor Brian Salinger, causing his replacement as Leader by Councillor Mike Freer[13].
He is Cabinet Member for Community Engagement and Community Safety of Barnet.[14]
[edit] Pro-car policy
During his time as a councillor in the London Borough of Barnet, Coleman has built up a reputation as an outspoken supporter of car driving, leading Richard Littlejohn to label him a "hero" for introducing a policy of removing road humps when the roads of Barnet are resurfaced.[15] Coleman quotes the Metropolitan Police and the London Ambulance Service as being supporters of this policy while road safety critics argue that the policy is reckless and driven by populism and self promotion.
Coleman was caught by a speed camera exceeding a 30mph speed limit in Borehamwood in January 2006. He already had 9 points on his driving licence. On 9 August 2006 at St Albans Magistrates' Court, Coleman was given three points on his licence, banned from driving for six months and fined £300.[16][17]
In August 2007 Coleman received an apology from the BBC after he complained that the appearance of Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq at the media launch of a London cycling event was political. Speaking at the launch, the Mayor of London and a Green party assembly member had accused Conservatives of pursuing a pro-car policy.[18][19]
[edit] Partingdale Lane
Coleman takes great pride in his campaign to re-open Partingdale Lane, a narrow country road with no pavement, between Mill Hill and Woodside Park in London. The lane was closed by Barnet's previous Labour council for safety reasons, not least that residents of nearby Woodside Park had been using the road as a high speed rat-run[20].
The road was reopened in December 2002[21], before being closed again two months later following a High Court judgement[22].
Following a £250,000 safety improvement project (including a pavement, traffic islands, 20mph flashing speed-limit signs and width restrictions) the road was reopened in September 2007[23]. Coleman accused residents of staging one of the two car accidents reported in the weeks following the reopening of Partingdale Lane[24].
A third collision in Partingdale Lane in May 2008 brought further criticism of Coleman. A Lib Dem councillor commented that "Brian Coleman is like a child with a favourite toy. He just wouldn't let this go and his colleagues let him do it to make up for the fact that they'll never make him leader of the council". Coleman, cabinet member for community safety, said he was too busy to comment.[25]
[edit] London Assembly
He was elected to the Assembly at the 2000 election, and retained the seat both in 2004 and 2008. He served as the first Conservative Chairman of the London Assembly in 2004/5 and again in 2006/07, and was Deputy Chair(man) in 2005/6 and for the 2007/8 session. He is also currently chair of the Business Management and Appointments, and the Elections Review Committee. He is vice chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.
As Chairman of the London Assembly, Coleman introduced the old Greater London Council Chairman's badge [26] and has made the role considerably more civic-based than previous holders of the post. This has led some critics to label Coleman as "pompous" and "self important"[27], not least because of the high number of honorary and civic positions he has held in the past and continues to hold at present.
Coleman's politics and style has led him to be one of Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's principal critics, publicly falling out with the Mayor over the London Borough of Barnet's resurfacing policy, congestion charging and Livingstone's comments in 2005 likening a Jewish reporter to a concentration camp guard.
[edit] Cab fares
In July 2007 he was criticised by Livingstone for spending £10,000 on taxi fares from 1st April 2006 to 30th March 2007, compared to the average figure for a London Assembly member of around £845.[28][29][30] This period coincided with the six months that Coleman was banned from driving.
A GLA audit panel report in October 2007 showed that Coleman had run up taxi expenses of £1740 in the period 1st April 2007 to 31st August 2007.[31] This accounted for one third of all cab expenses for the Mayor and 25 GLA members. He was criticised by Livingstone for "creating a chauffeur service for himself" and by the leader of the Barnet Council Labour group for his "breathtaking arrogance".[32]
A further GLA audit panel report in March 2008 revealed that Coleman had run up taxi expenses of £4157 in the period 1st April 2007 to 31st December 2007.[33] This accounted for half of all cab expenses for the Mayor and 25 GLA members. Livingstone asked "Brian Coleman must explain to Londoners how he can possibly justify spending more on taxis in four weeks than the average Assembly member does in nine months."[34]
When questioned about his cab fares by the Metro Newspaper, Coleman claimed not to use taxis but thought he was being ferried about in 'an official GLA car'. They reported that in December 2007 he ran up a £412.50 cab fare on a round-trip from his home in Finchley to a nearby meeting where the driver kept the meter running before taking him to City Hall.[35]
[edit] References
- ^ Councillor Pledges "Full and Firm Support to the Falun Gong and its Followers" Clear Harmony 14 October 2001
- ^ University is labelled 'crap' by Coleman Times Series Newspapers 8 April 2004
- ^ Turn Potters Fields into multi-storey car park says top Tory London SE1 2 June 2006
- ^ Parliament protesters fight ban BBC News 31 August 2006
- ^ History repeating over JCoSS TotallyJewish.com 2 August 2007
- ^ Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Barnet Council 19 July 2007
- ^ Coleman silent as bid fails Times Series Newspapers 7 January 2003
- ^ Ex-PM Heath 'gay warning' denied BBC News 25 April 2007
- ^ The closet is a lonely place New Statesman 23 April 2007
- ^ Politics and alcohol New Statesman 13 August 2007
- ^ Senior Tory accused of smearing Sir Ian Blair Daily Telegraph 15 August 2007
- ^ Community Spirit: Brian Coleman Times Series Newspapers 6 June 1998
- ^ 'Right-wing coup’ Times Series Newspapers 18 May 2006
- ^ Barnet Council Local Democracy
- ^ Coleman briefly raised on high Times Series Newspapers 8 July 2003
- ^ Times Series Newspapers 31 August 2006
- ^ Diary The Guardian 6 September 2006
- ^ Blue Peter woman defies BBC to share platform with mayor The Times 15 August 2007
- ^ Blue Peter star in bias warning BBC News 15 August 2007
- ^ Save The Lane Website
- ^ Partingdale Lane opens after controversial ceremony Times Series Newspapers 20 December 2002
- ^ Judge says Partingdale Lane should stay shut Times Series Newspapers 2 April 2003
- ^ Lane change is a 'victory' Times Series Newspapers 27 September 2007
- ^ Another car accident in reopened 'danger lane' Times Series Newspapers 27 September 2007
- ^ Third car crash in £250k 'safer' road Times Series Newspapers 22 May 2008
- ^ Diary The Guardian 16 September 2004
- ^ Duels and dignity for Brian Times Series Newspapers 24 June 2004
- ^ Mayor criticises 'huge' taxi bill BBC News 7 July 2007
- ^ Brian Coleman's extraordinary £10,000 taxi bill Mayor of London Press Release 6 July 2007
- ^ Cab for Coleman? That will be £10k Times Series Newspapers 11 July 2007
- ^ Monitoring Of Expenses 2007/08 GLA Audit Panel Report 17 October 2007
- ^ GLA audit says follow that 'massive' cab bill Times Series Newspapers 23 October 2007
- ^ Monitoring of Expenses 2007/08 GLA Audit Panel Report 4 March 2008
- ^ Coleman fails to curb taxi spending Times Series Newspapers 11 March 2008
- ^ 'Grab-a-cab Coleman' under fire Metro 9 April 2008
