A dozen London Labour MPs in revolt over Corbyn's three line whip on Brexit

Political reporter(wp/es):

Jeremy Corbyn faces a growing revolt over Brexit tonight as a dozen London MPs including three shadow ministers will vote against triggering Article 50.

The Labour leader has demanded that his MPs back the Government moves to leave the EU by issuing a three line whip.

But rebels include Vicky Foxcroft, MP for Lewisham Deptford and a shadow whip, who is supposed to be one of Mr Corbyn’s key enforcers of his decision.

Shadow foreign minister Catherine West, the MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, and Dr Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central and Acton and shadow home office minister, confirmed to the Evening Standard they will also be voting against triggering Article 50. 

Hampstead & Kilburn MP, Tulip Siddiq, quit the frontbench in protest last week.

Dr Huq said: “It is the right thing to do and in accordance with the will of the people of Ealing Central and Acton, 70 per cent of whom wanted to remain in the European Union.

“My issue is not with Jeremy, who I’m happy to serve under, it’s with Theresa May’s hardest of hard Brexits.”

Labour refused to say whether they would sack the frontbench rebels. 

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, a close ally of the leader, sidestepped the question on BBC radio, saying the party was focusing instead on the needs of the country.

She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I think that what is more important is what we talk about what is going to happen to the country. What is going to be the consequence for the country.”

Tshines a spotlight on divisions between the capital’s MPs and his tight-knit inner London leadership.

Shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler told a meeting in her Brent constituency that she had  “tossed and turned” about the decision - and is still to make up her mind.

Mr Corbyn’s decision to back the Government on Article 50 is a source of immense frustration for some backbench rebels, 

Bermondsey MP Neil Coyle said Labour’s frontbench had committed to the Government’s “rushed and incoherent timetable” which would see Article 50 triggered by March. 

He said: “Members are rightly appalled at a frontbench acting without taking into account party policy or views.”

Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy said she would be voting against giving Theresa May “the green light” for hard Brexit which would take Britain out of the single market because “it isn’t the best or even a good deal for Britain”.

Mike Gapes, Ilford South MP, hailed London’s frontbench rebels today, adding: “They are brave and principled and I respect them.”

“They are committed to the interests of London,” he said. “This city will be seriously damaged if we have Threresa May style withdrawal from the single market and the customs union.” 

Despite the Labour rebellion, the Government is expecting a comfortable win today, with their only known rebel, Tory grandee Ken Clarke, set to vote against the triggering of Article 50.

The real difficulty for Theresa May could come next week when amendments are thrashed out in the Commons and pro-Remain Tories such as Anna Soubry and Nicky Morgan may chose to back plans to curb the Government’s proposals.

MPs will have also had a chance to scour the Prime Minister’s long-awaited White Paper due to be delivered tomorrow and which will set out crucial negotiating priorities for leaving the EU. 

This will swing the spotlight onto Mrs May’s 12 leaving terms she aims to achieve, including control over immigration, ending the European Court sway over British law, and leaving the single market.

Former Masterchef star Tom Simmons to open Welsh restaurant at One Tower Bridge

Pic:Tom Simmons and girlfriend Lois Thomas
Staff reporter(wp/es):

A leading chef is flying the flag for his native Wales by opening a London restaurant championing the food produced by the country — and his mum.

Tom Simmons, a former star of MasterChef: The Professionals, launches the self-titled venture at the One Tower Bridge development that will also house a new Ivy brasserie and a 900-seat theatre, opening this autumn.

The chef, from Pembrokeshire, is first to open on the Southwark site in April, and aims to elevate the simple cooking of his homeland with offerings including cockle popcorn, laverbread mayonnaise, leek bread and a “refined” version of the lamb stew, cawl.

Simmons, 28, told the Standard: “Wales isn’t known for its culinary delights, but it’s all about making the ingredients speak for themselves.

“I’ve been very lucky in having excellent produce around me my whole life, and it’s something I want to bring to London. The cawl is my mum’s recipe and the best I’ve ever had. She would throw all the veg in at the same time but in a professional kitchen those will be cooked as they should be. 

“So it’s a refined version of my mum’s. Perfected by me — but I won’t ever say that to her.”

Almost all of the produce will come from Wales. He says laverbread (seaweed) isn’t to everyone’s taste but he is using it alongside deep-fried cockles in a complimentary course to “introduce” Londoners to it.

It’s too overpowering to be used on its own,” the chef added. “But in a mayonnaise it’s a seasoning, and something I don’t think a lot of people in London will have had. 

“It’s going to be given as a free course in the evening as a lot of people wouldn’t necessarily order it. It’s our way of trying to entice people to try it.

“The key is not to be in-your-face Welsh because it can become slightly too much. Throwing in subtle references is what we want to do.”

Simmons and his girlfriend Lois Thomas, 24, who is running the front of house, have decamped to the capital for the venture. “Welsh is our first language and we are very proud Welsh people,” Simmons added. “At the same time, we’re in London and need to be careful not to alienate ourselves. The Welsh and English don’t have a great track record — especially when it comes to rugby.” 

He says the “refined casual” restaurant will be “affordable” and he hopes to one day win a Michelin star.  “If you stick by your roots you might get one, but a lot of people end up changing their style to suit the inspectors.”

The One Tower Bridge development also has hundreds of flats, many of which have already sold.

Scotland Yard to adopt new fleet of hybrid police cars and bikes to combat toxic air in London

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Scotland Yard is launching a ‘green revolution’ with a new fleet of hundreds of hybrid electric cars to help combat London’s toxic air crisis.

The force is planning to put 250 alternative energy cars on the roads within 12 months in the first stage of a major overhaul of its 4,000 or so vehicle fleet.

They will include revolutionary hydrogen fuel cell vehicles being used as emergency response cars for the first time in the UK.

In addition, more than 30 hybrid electric cars will be rolled out across London boroughs to respond to 999 calls.

Among other options being tested are hydrogen scooters for PCSOs patrolling bus lanes and roads.

The Standard can also reveal that Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe spoke to Elon Musk, the billionaire chief executive of electric car maker Tesla, about trialling his cars for front line operations. 

The moves come as London is facing increasing fears over levels of pollution with a series of toxic “black” alerts over air quality in recent weeks. 

The Met say officials are working with Mayor Sadiq Khan who has stepped up measures to combat pollution with plans for five low emission neighbourhoods spanning eight boroughs.

The force, which has stopped buying new diesel cars, wants to put around 250 hybrid electric or alternative energy vehicles on the roads in London in the next 12 months.

The force is planning to test vehicles in the low emission areas in central London where it is hoped around half of all police cars will be hybrids by next year.

The move is part of a £21 million programme to replace 700 of the Met’s 4,000 or so vehicle fleet in 2017/18.

Senior officials say they are in discussions with nearly all major car manufacturers including Ford, Mercedes, Nissan, Renault and VW to test vehicles ranging from cars to mopeds and vans.

The force is working with Suzuki on a trial of a hydrogen scooter as well as testing Toyota’s £66,000 Mirai hydrogen cell car as a front line response vehicle.

So far, tests involving a £30,000 BMW i3 Range Extender, which can do O-62mph in 7.3 seconds, as a fast response car have proved successful in several Met boroughs.

Now the force is planning to trial five hydrogen powered vehicles as emergency response vehicles, though the pilot scheme will be limited to areas close to the five hydrogen cell charging points in the capital.

Police say they could have 32 hybrid electric front line response cars deployed in London by next year with trials under way in Westminster, Wandsworth, Greenwich, Bexley and Lambeth.

Electric vans are planned for scenes of crime officers and Royalty protection officers are to get 10 hybrid vehicles.

Jiggs Bharij, the head of the Met’s fleet services, said: “The response from police drivers to the BMW i3 has been very positive. It’s actually a very quick car.”

He said the Met was examining different “plug-in hybrid technologies” and hydrogen and compressed natural gas as possible alternative fuels.

He said: “We have to make sure that we have an operational police fleet which can respond to 24/7 policing, that is our top priority.”

Police said the initial cost of buying alternative energy cars will be higher but claim the costs even out in the long term.

Mr Bharij said: “We have an ambition to deploy 250 alternative energy cars, vans and motorcycles on the road within the next 12 months.

"To support this we need to make sure that there are charging points available across the estate and that the vehicles are capable of carrying and powering additional police equipment which enables officers and members of the public to remain safe at the scene of an incident.”

He said the Met had stopped buying diesel cars in 2015 and were talking to nearly all manufacturers about testing cars for police use.

He added: “The Met is leading the way certainly in the police sector. Our aim is to make the fleet as clean as we can whilst maintaining operational capability and we are working with the Mayor on his new low emission zones and the fleet deployment will compliment the low emission neighbourhoods.

“These first vehicles are a stepping stone that will allow us to build the volume over time once we have the right technology and infrastructure in place.”

London Assembly Green Party member Sian Berry said: “A lot of new and positive ideas are being trailed and considered by the Met here. 

“But what we need from them is a firm deadline for getting all diesel police vehicles off the road. Every organisation with a fleet in London needs to be making plans for this to happen as soon as possible, and this needs to start with the Mayor’s own bodies, including TfL and the Met.”

Battersea Power Station opens to public for first time since 1930s

Pic:The river bank in Battersea
Staff reporter(wp/es):

A stretch of riverbank in front of Battersea Power Station opens to the public today for the first time since the generator was built in the Thirties.

The one-acre space lies along the initial phase of the £9 billion redevelopment of London’s most famous industrial building.

The land had previously been the site of a warehouse and coal storage for the huge turbines that created power for thousands of London homes and had been out of bounds to the public for at least 90 years.

It will be accessible through a new entrance in a former railway arch called Grosvenor Bridge Arch, near Chelsea Bridge and Battersea park.

Residents are expected to start moving into the first phase of the Malaysian-backed scheme, called Circus West, by the end of this month. Restaurants, bars and shops are to open in the summer. The space will eventually form part of the six-acre Power Station Park, which will run in front of and to either side of Europe’s largest brick building. This will open up the entire stretch  of the Thames riverbank in front of it by 2020. 

Londoners will then be able to walk on the south side of the river from Chelsea Bridge all the way to Tower Bridge for the first time.

Rob Tincknell, chief executive of Battersea Power Station Development Company, said: “We are delighted that we are able to open new public spaces for London and are starting to bring the power station and its surrounds back into London life. This new stretch of the Thames that is opening has always been off limits.

“When Circus West village’s exciting mix of independent retailers, restaurants and cafes begin to trade this  summer, the riverbank will be brought alive and become a new riverfront neighbourhood for London.”

Westminster accused of 'grubby tax grab' over planned charges for diesel cars

Staff reporter(wp/es):
Westminster council             

 was accused of a “grubby car tax grab” as MPs condemned its planned parking slurcharge for diesels.

With Birmingham and other cities copying the borough by slapping charges on diesel cars, a cross-party group of MPs said it was wrong to hammer owners who bought in good faith.

“The right approach is not to have [a]  grubby car tax grab by local authorities seeking to punish motorists,” said Charlie Elphicke, the Dover Tory MP who chairs the parliamentary group for Fair Fuel.

John Spellar, the Labour former Transport Minister, claimed: “Westminster have been ripping off motorists for parking for decades. This looks like another money grab. 

The 10 million diesel drivers deserve a better deal.”

Diesel cars are being targeted because they emit tiny particulates plus nitrogen dioxide, which cause thousands of premature deaths.

Westminster may charge diesel drivers 50 per cent more to park their cars in the most polluted areas, leaving them paying £7.35 an hour instead of £4.90.

But the Government still taxes diesel company cars more lightly because they emit less carbon, blamed for global warming. This helps meet Kyoto green targets. Baroness Cavendish of Little Venice, the former head of the Downing Street policy unit, told the BBC that the danger posed by diesel pollution was only now becoming fully understood.

Nottingham, Derby, Leeds and Southampton are thought to be considering measures to discourage diesels. The AA has said if Westminster makes money, schemes will spread “like wildfire”. 

Sadiq Khan is set to introduce a toxicity fee or T-charge for the most polluting cars.

A Westminster council spokesman said: “We are trialling a diesel surcharge in the hope that it will deter drivers of the most polluting vehicles from entering Marylebone, a pollution hotspot.”

Capital to be battered with strong winds as stormy weather hits UK

Staff reporter(wp/es):

London is set to be battered by strong, gusty winds as forecasters issue a severe weather alert for commuter towns south of the capital.

Parts of the south east could see gales of up to 70mph while more coastal areas are set to be hammered with winds of more than 80mph as stormy weather sweeps the UK on Friday.

Met Office weather experts told the Standard it is as yet “uncertain” how badly the storm could affect London – but added the capital could certainly see some “unsettled weather”.

Power cuts and delays to travel have been warned for western England, Wales and parts of the south east as part of a yellow weather alert put in place for 6am on Friday.

The strong winds could also cause flooding, bring down trees and damage buildings, forecasters warned.

The gales are set to last until just before midnight on Friday – but the Met Office said more updates could come within the next few days.

The stormy weather across the UK follows weeks of freezing temperatures and heavy fog which blighted flights from London’s airports.

The Met Office said: "At the moment, there remains a lot of uncertainty over the locations most likely to be affected and the timing.

"A national severe weather warning for wind has been issued for Friday but at this stage, because of the uncertainty around the level of impact it could bring, the storm has not been named."

Temperatures this week have risen to around 10C and 11C with heavy cloud and patches of rain and drizzle. The weekend in London looks set to be similar in temperature.