Meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) committee that I sit on which monitors the Met performance. Bit of a barney over crime recording. The Met always try and have it both ways. When there is a bad stat – such as recently the rise of violent crime – we are told that the increase is not real – it is due to better recording and better reporting. On the other hand when the stat is good and crime rate is dropping – then of course the drop is real and the recording is totally accurate.

Afterwards, have my surgery at Muswell Hill library. Interesting case where a guy developing a site is going to appeal after his planning application was refused. I had backed residents in opposing the application as, from what I saw of the original drawings, the new house would be over dominant, over development etc. This chap not surprisingly disagreed! He disputed some of the pictures used previously. Am doing some research to try and find where the truth lies on this one.

Then off to the local branch meeting of the Liberal Democrats – but have to do a quick radio interview from the chair’s bedroom on arrival. I am attacking Mayor Ken for raising taxi fares.

Together with the tube and bus fare rises (above inflation and breaking his election promises) the cost of using public transport is rising fast in London. And this from the man who made his name on ‘fares fair’! And to add insult to injury, raising black cab fares can only serve to drive more people into unlicensed mini-cabs – which we are supposed to be trying to exterminate. Not clever! But Ken is short of cash. He’ll probably try and put a tax on walking next!