As I See Things....by Semtex.

 With the annual Summer kipper about to strike us, it is difficult to find optimism for our future. I always endeavour to be careful of becoming a "trade doom writer" like the one's I used to dread reading when I was doing the knowledge. After all, this game's "been finished" since I started it almost 30 years ago !

But it is also difficult to write a balanced and honest view, when there isn't much optimism to write about!

For the scribe who fears becoming cast as either a doom monger or an optimistic fool, it is far wiser just to write nothing, and await a more favourable climate. However, never one to duck criticism, I write genuinely as I see things, for better, or for worse. But one thing is certain......I ain't always right, and my opinion is merely that....just my personal opinion.

For those who have nightmares, live on their own or who prefer to live a rose coloured existence........look away now, and read my views no further !
 
As most of us have recently seen, Labour MP and West Bromwich Politician, Tom Watson has sprung from seemingly nowhere, to take on the task of assisting our trade, particularly with the Uber problem.

Looking at his CV, Tom certainly does appear to be a hard hitter, and has held some respectable senior positions in his parliamentary 14 years or so in this domain. 

Furthermore, he is no stranger to investigating high end corruption cases and issues, so with the dubious infrastructure of Uber to deal with, perhaps Tom is the man to put our combined weight behind.

But under the spotlight, can Tom Watson really be our saviour ?
 
Personally, I honestly don't think he can. And I will tell you why.
 
Anyone with a mediocre level of intelligence, can plainly see that something isn't right at City Hall. There are inconsistencies, high command failures and lack of mutual respect from top to bottom.

At the pinnacle of this mountain, sits the head honcho himself, London Mayor and MP for Uxbridge & South Ruislip, Boris Johnson.
 
Now, love this man or hate him, his skills of manipulation, politics, academics, and guile are phenomenal.

What's more, his diary should anyone be lucky enough to ever see it, will probably contain contacts, and associates to make David Cameron's look like Billy No Mates.

Not only is Boris Johnson thoroughly capable of dealing with controversy, he is more than masterly at deflecting accusations of it, in flawless fortification too.

Apart from people who serve him, work under him or who are controlled by him, Boris Johnson is idolised across the country, nay the world.
 
My personal opinion, for what it's worth, is as genuine, experienced, and tenacious as Tom Watson is, if it came to Watson and Johnson locking horns, The London Mayor would tear Tom up for arse paper.

To prove corruption or illegal integrity with Boris Johnson, you would have to actually catch him bang to rights with his hand in the till. Allegations, slurs, accusations and demands would merely see Johnson swat them away like flies from a pot of jam.

We can sit and shout that Boris has to answers questions by law to the Assembly all you want, but again, allegations are just not good enough. To knock Johnson over, PROOF will be the only submittable requisite.
 
I have friends in the trade who are for attending City Hall  to show trade unity and support to the Greater London Authority Assembly. Apparently, by attending in our thousands and supporting the GLA, Johnson will "spill the beans" on Cameron and his other adversaries.

However, and again just my opinion, I would bet my mortgage on this never happening. If I honestly believed it, I would readily attend to show my confidence and support. That is not to say that I don't support my colleagues who do support the GLA attendance, I do of course. But in all honesty, think we are wasting precious time.
 
Any Court, Judiciary, Statutory Paper or Government Assembly have to trawl through democratic and drawn out legal processes and protocol.

Despite Tom Watson's intent to "forensically interrogate the regulators" we simply cannot afford our challenge to go along the legal and democratic policy a minute longer.
I personally know of three London Taxi Drivers who have had their houses repossessed in the last six months.

There are no doubt more. Not to mention falling behind with cab rental and purchase payments, marriage breakdowns and family devastation, totally due to the strain and stresses that driving a London Taxi demands.
 
I also think it's a mistake to gain too much comfort in the fact that Hendy and Allen are gone from TFL. Don't forget, I have been in Civil Service position myself. Granted, not as Senior as the two aforementioned, but high enough to see the mechanics of how the engine room works.

Reshuffles are a known and regular trick played by authorities such as TFL and others. Although they don't offer a hiding place for corruption, fraud or malpractice, they do give opportunity to wipe the slate clean, retrack some valuable time and start another spreadsheet.
 
When was the last time our trade had a pop at Addisson Lee ? I can't remember ! That's because Uber are here on the scene. I remember the pre-Uber days when all the firepower coming from us was against John Mason and Addisson Lee. A quick reshuffle, a few new players and then the landscape changes. That's just what is happening at City Hall and TFL. It is a deliberate and practised ploy too. Very soon, Johnson will be a ghost at City Hall and building his life long parliamentary dream and ambition. An ambition held since he announced his plans at the Bullingdon dinners, all those years ago..

Hendy gone, perhaps even Emmerson and Daniels too. But what will change? Nothing.....that's what ! Another City Hall spreadsheet is opened, new players emerge, new promises announced, and the TFL and City Hall new brushes sweep clean the murky dodgy corridors of deceit, and then..................... .................BACK TO SQUARE ONE !

 TFL, like any Civil Service department, is like a stew. If you don't stir it up from time to time, a scum appears at the top.
 
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans, John Lennon said. For us, Uber are becoming more and more stronger. More and more established, more and more of a London Institution, more and more recognisable by winning awards, more and more decent, and believe it or not, more and more trusted. 

And what are we doing ?
We are attending meetings to forensically challenge the regulator, writing to Chair's of Select Transport Committee's, scrutinising the Prime Minister's relationships and friends and accusing the London Mayor of corruption.

Tom Watson has promised to "have a look at" the procedures that Uber have got round to ply their trade. Val Shawcross promises to forensically interrogate the regulator.
 
Folks, I am a London Green Badge Taxi Driver. Ex Military and did a bit with both the Police and other Civil Service Positions. That's all. I'm just like my mate's and colleagues. I am not a clairvoyant, I am not a expert in politics and neither have I the ability to predict what will happen in the future.
 
So why is it just me, that thinks that "having a look at" "intending to forensically challenge" and " looking forward to get stuck in after the end of the Parliamentary Summer rising" .............all appear too effing late?!!!!

 
Anyone who has any faith or belief in these drawn out, long winded democratic judicial and assembly meetings, must have a nice bit of dough pugged up for a rainy day, that's all I can say !

How can the normal, run of the mill, working London Cabby with a mortgage, three kids, a wife and a cab to pay for.......wait for these lot to come back from the summer rising, before they "have a look at it"?

We are dead in the water for God sake ! We can't wait for this lot to start their brief from scratch again !
 
No doubt, colleagues will say to me, if I know all the answers, why don't I do something about it ? I don't profess to know all the answers of course, and it would be arrogant of me to think I did.

But what I do know is this.
We have seen these politicians, assembly leaders and others in the past. We are still on our arse, backed into a precarious corner and struggling for our lives.

Most of these "leaders" will be aware of the dodgy Tim Yeo dealings, aware of the dubious Uber acceptance, aware of the taxi scrappage scheme illegal scandal, aware of the behind the scenes deals with BMW at the Olympics, aware of the dirty tricks used against us time after time after time. 

And what do they do? .........Absoultely EFF ALL ! They are terrified to "spill the beans"! If they did, and Boris proved otherwise, their political career would be over.

And they do eff all, not because they aren't aware of it, not because they are unsure of it...........but simply because they CANNOT PROVE IT !

And for all these supporters of the Assembly meetings, Judicial dates, and Government forensic challenge, bear in mind the above. If we cant prove it, we don't win ! Like a nut and a bolt....nothing could be simpler! I know people inside TFL. I know senior people inside City Hall, NONE of them will give me the proof of corruption that we need ! 

Whether they have it and don't want to give it to me, or don't have it at all, I don't know. But without it, a planned attack from that angle is pointless.
 
And that is why folks, that I believe we have No Viable Alternative, other than to use our taxi cabs and unity, to prevent the corrupt, bent, decomposing authority system from moving about their business, anywhere in the City and West End for a given time of day each week, until our demands are not just answered, but met in full.
 
One of the greatest posts I have ever read in either Taxi Leaks, the Forum or other trade platforms, comes from a colleague of ours under the posting: "United Trade Meeting : Uber, The Worst Kind Of Predatory Capitalism...Tom Watson MP."
 
It is the first comment on the comments page. Read it. It is excellent and in my lowly opinion, so, so correct.
 
The way I see it is simple. We either take the war to these bent shysters ourselves.........or we lose.
 
Gaining Parliamentary support is all very well if we have time to spare, but we haven't. And as Henry Kissenger quite correctly said " Corrupt Politicians make the other ten percent look bad !"
 
He wasn't wrong..........was he ?
 
Be Lucky all.
 
8829 Semtex.