My journey home from City Hall last week was a disaster. The Tube drivers’ decision to withdraw their labour from a number of Tube lines – including the Northern Line – out of concerns over public safety during the fire strike (nothing to do with sympathy for the strike or secondary picketing of course) meant London Bridge was horribly crowded. So I decided to go south on the Northern line in order to get out of the crush and go far enough to get a seat to then come back in the other direction home to Highgate.

My cunning plan worked – and I did indeed get a seat and avoid the crush – and I had plenty of time on my journey to ponder the woeful state of London.

This is a time of extreme stress for us Londoners. Travelling around London at present is often a nightmare. Add to this the fire strike – which makes us fearful and anxious. Add to this Tube drivers ‘concerns’ for our safety and withdrawal of labour – making our journeys worse in terms of delay, crushing and safety. Add to this the unspecified threat of a terrorist attack. And add to this the news that broke last Sunday that three people had been arrested for an alleged terrorist plot against the Tube. Add to this the fact that Christmas is coming. Add to this …

And in all this – where is the Mayor?

This isn’t the first time this cry has been heard echoing around our capital in times of trouble. Ken so admired Giuliani and the impressive leadership he showed after September 11th when New York so needed it. Not only are we Londoners not getting that type of leadership, but the Mayor is virtually invisible.

We need a Mayor who will come out and stand up for London against all comers – not one who gives us the sneaky suspicion that he is hiding until it all goes away. And certainly not one whose silence may in some part be due to his having been supported during his election campaign by the unions, or due to their support for his stooge Nicky Gavron as Labour Mayoral candidate to try to stitch up his re-election. Shame on you, Ken.

So then, when I emerged from the Tube, having made this ‘journey horribilous’ – full of thoughts of gloom and despair – I hurried to the local wine shop in Highgate to buy some wine for an informal meeting I was holding later that evening. Having chosen a few bottles and put them on the counter – I discovered I had no purse in my bag. Perfect end to a perfect day – not!

I thought it might have been pick-pocketed in the crush at the stations – and added to that was the thought of having to go home and come all the way back in order to pay. By this time I was definitely verging on the tired and emotional.

I tried to persuade the assistant to take a cheque without bankers card but, good employee that she was, she refused. Then, a gentleman in the shop suddenly stepped into this discussion and offered to pay for my purchases letting me write my cheque to him without guarantee. Thus restoring my faith in human nature and demonstrating that trust and chivalry are not dead. The gloom lifted – and as we all like happy endings – my purse was at home where I had left it!