Peter's Hackney Mayoral Campaign

Hi all,

i'm Peter Smorthit and I'm running for the Mayor of Hackney election on the 9th November. I'm an independent candidate, not a politician just a resident and urgently need to raise £1500 for my candidacy and for the campaign. Can you Help? If like me you want rid of LTNs, want to be heard and no longer be fobbed off then I need your support. None of the main parties can be trusted anymore so if we truly want change we've got to vote them out.

A bit more about me.

I'm a longtime disabled Hoxton resident, a full time wheelchair user (T10 paraplegic) and have been active in the fight against LTNs and Ulez from pretty much day one. Some of you may have seen me on the HHRC demos and Ulez demos, I'm the guy in the wheelchair that doesn't hold back, speaks out and fights for what's right. I also advocate for and represent many disabled and elderly residents who too deserve a voice and are often sidelined and ignored by their Councillors and MP's.

I stood as a ward councillor last year in my ward of hoxton East and Shoreditch and did better than i could've imagined polling more than the conservative candidate. I'm not a politician but i'm so incensed at how badly our labour run council continues to treat us residents that i've now decided to run again this year, this time for the Mayor of Hackney. The council continues to run roughsod over us ignoring consultation results and doing as they please. I think they need to be reminded this is democracy not a dictatorship and enough is enough. This fundraiser is to help fund my mayoral campaign and give all residents a voice. At the end of the day, we the residents live here and should be allowed to have a say in what happens to our local areas. The council have too much power and it’s about time this was given back to the residents to decide for themselves.

I think we also need to remind ourselves why we're having this Mayoral election in the first place, just a year after the last one. The fact Hackney Labour allowed Tom Dewey to stand for councillor in Debeauvoir last year knowing full well he had been arrested at the time for child porn and was under investigation by the national crime agency. And the fact Glanville knew about this as he was informed on the day of Dewey's arrest, but still decided to attend last years eurovision party with him after being made aware of the arrest and the serious charges surrounding it. Hackney Labour covered this up for over a year keeping it from the public and it only came to light recently when a photo was leaked showing Glanville and Dewey together after Dewey's arrest attending last years eurovision party. Glanville lied throughout to the police changing his story on multiple occasions as well and yet labour only suspended him last month a year after the fact. If they can cover this up it begs the question what else are they hiding and not telling us? Hackney Labour has a lot to answer for and cannot be allowed to get away with this. We demand a truly independent public enquiry into what happened and the subsequent coverup and I will not stop until we get one.

A vote for me will also mean as well as all residents getting a voice.

* Giving more power back to the residents and TMO’S and a referendum on abolishing the role of an elected mayor.

*Cutting ridiculously high business rates to help local businesses.

* Working towards solutions to provide cleaner air for everyone and Scrapping undemocratic LTNs on day 1

*Scrapping parking permits for motorcycles and a full review into all controlled parking zone operation hours throughout the borough. Also allow blue badge holder parking in resident bays in line with neighbouring boroughs like islington and bring back free parking on a Sunday.

* Safeguarding women and providing more neighbourhood patrols to make residents feel safer.

*Fighting for more much needed social housing and the needs of disabled and vulnerable residents in our community.

* More opportunities for Disabled and elderly residents.

*Partnering with local businesses to provide more apprenticeship schemes to young adults.

I've added the points in more detail below along with what I would do if elected.

If we truly want change then we've got to vote for it and as we all know none of the main parties can be trusted. Come election time they promise you the world to get your vote, then once they've got it you never hear from them again. It's time that changed and we the residents took back whats righfully ours. Local issues should be for the residents to decide and not these so called bureaucrats who make the decisions but don't have to suffer the consequences or fallout themselves.

* A referendum on abolishing the role of mayor

Giving more decision power back to residents and TMO’s and having a referendum on the position of a mayor. Local issues should be for the residents to decide not anyone else.

* Working towards solutions to provide cleaner air for everyone and Scrapping LTNs.

People live on boundary roads too and it's not fair that they should have to suffer the consequences of traffic displacement. Everyone has a right to cleaner air and we need to work with all residents to provide solutions. Absolutely no resident should be at a disadvantage because of the road they live on or their abilities. Not everyone can walk or cycle as well, i'm a paraplegic full time wheelchair user for example and allowances need to made for those of us who need to use their vehicles out of necessity not choice. At the moment opening up a few selected bus gates for blue badge holders with a companion badge doesn't go far enough. I believe LTNs are not the answer and need to be scrapped. If I get elected I will scrap all LTNs in Hackney on day 1. I will also be scrapping parking permits for motorcycles and reviewing all controlled parking zone CPZ hours of operation throughout Hackney and bring back free parking on a Sunday. I'll also be changing the parking rules to allow blue badge holders to park in resident bays in line with neighbouring boroughs like islington.

*Cutting ridiculously high business rates to help local businesses.

Businesses in Hackney are already suffering from the effects of the cost of living crisis we find ourselves in but the council keep hiking up the business rates regardless. This has to stop and if I get elected I will cut business rates as a matter of priority to help businesses survive and thrive in our communities.

* Safeguarding women and providing more neighbourhood patrols to make residents feel safer.

Crime rates in the borough have soared especially with muggings, a lot of which are happening in LTNs as thieves know they have an easy escape and the police unless they're on bikes themselves often cannot give chase. Having more regular neighbourhood patrols especially in these areas will hopefully act as a deterrent whilst at the same time if anything was to happen, would mean help could be available a lot quicker. Often when you call the police or for an ambulance you're waiting a while for anyone to attend, having neighbourhood patrols on hand that could be at the scene quicker could make all the difference and in some cases could save lives.

* Fighting for more much needed social housing.

Making a minimum percentage of social housing in a development a compulsory prerequisite for any developer planning to build in Hackney.

As we saw with the Shoreditch Park development, a percentage of social housing was allocated at the beginning but the council later scrapped it. This cannot be allowed to happen again.

Making more homes wheelchair accessible with existing council stock where possible alsongside newbuild developments.

* More opportunities for Disabled and elderly residents.

Health and social care especially is one sector that has been neglected by the council for some time now. A lot of elderly and disabled residents are stuck indoors and dont have an outlet or somewhere to go. I'd like to look into funding to keep existing daycare centres open and the possibility of maybe having more if funding allows. I'd also like to link up with schemes in neighbouring boroughs giving disabled people more opportunities, The Pedal power disability cycling club for example has 2 sessions a week in Neighbouring islington and Haringey completely free and open to all disabled people regalrdless of ability. There's also Bikeworks that do sessions in the Olympic park that we could possbly link up with.