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June 12, 2008

Advice for Mayor from Policy Exchange

City-hall-sq The Million Vote Mandate: The Challenges facing Boris Johnson

The new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was elected a month ago with the votes of over 1 million Londoners.  Now, a new pamphlet from the Policy Exchange and Localis think tanks, looks at the big issues the new Mayor will face in his first term as set out by commentators on London politics and Steve Malanga of the Manhattan Institute.

   "Boris has not yet articulated a coherent counter-narrative, and he needs to do so. So here is one suggestion: a less divided, less prescriptive city; a more enabling Mayoralty, working not top-down but through free associations of empowered individuals; a closer focus on the dull details of delivery which matter to Londoners' lives. " Andrew Gilligan

Archive: 2004 Boris Johnson on New York and think-tanks

June 04, 2008

A city built on sanctuary

A Sheffield-based project is dispelling misconceptions about asylum seekers and offering long-term support

City of Sanctuary is a movement to build a culture of hospitality for refugees and asylum-seekers.

Sanc The first steps Sheffield took towards becoming a City of Sanctuary was for community and faith groups to pledge their support. Over the next two years, representatives spread the word and Sheffield city council came on board. Organisations agreed on a long-term vision of inclusion for asylum seekers and refugees - talks at schools and launching social and cultural events, for example. Gathering community support and drawing up an inclusion strategy are two of the main criteria for becoming a City of Sanctuary.

March 26, 2008

Learning from Curitiba

Lerner Jaime Lerner's 'urban revolution' successfully transformed a congested, grimy, crime-ridden city into a world-renowned model of green living and social innovation.

'Taking care of a city is a process that you start, and then give the population space to respond.'

Guardian interview

Exemplar Open City talk at Somerset House Monday 31st March

December 19, 2007

Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on Empowerment

The Urban Forum Lecture

22nd January 2008 London

Uf Despite empowerment rising up the political agenda, there remain fundamental tensions at the heart of our political institutions. The lecture will be given by the distinguished author, broadcaster and psychologist Oliver James.

My Photo

URBooks