Comments on: Ken hits back over Boris advisors http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/07/29/ken-hits-back-over-boris-advisors/ Left-wing news, opinion and activism Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:54:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Tom http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/07/29/ken-hits-back-over-boris-advisors/#comment-17718 Tom Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:26:48 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/?p=1053#comment-17718 Tish - I got my degree at 23, having spent two years in various places around Europe. I notice Boris doesn't mention that Kulveer Ranger got his job not because of his skin colour (which would be daft) or his experience in large scale public transport operations (which would be sensible) but seemingly because he's a card-carrying Tory, formerly the Party Vice-Chairman and an unsuccessful Parliamentary candidate. The only vaguely relevant bit of prior experience he could come up with when questioned was that he helped rewrite the Oyster PFI contract about six years ago. I watched his entire appearance in front of the Transport Committee and concluded he was a smooth talking, ambititious politician, not a rolled-up sleeves technocrat. This would be just a footnote if it weren't for the fact that Ranger's position effectively replaces Livingstone's close mate Dave Wetzel, who has a track record of, er, rolled up technocracy as long as your arm. However, he is genuinely very left wing indeed, so he's out. Tish – I got my degree at 23, having spent two years in various places around Europe.

I notice Boris doesn’t mention that Kulveer Ranger got his job not because of his skin colour (which would be daft) or his experience in large scale public transport operations (which would be sensible) but seemingly because he’s a card-carrying Tory, formerly the Party Vice-Chairman and an unsuccessful Parliamentary candidate. The only vaguely relevant bit of prior experience he could come up with when questioned was that he helped rewrite the Oyster PFI contract about six years ago. I watched his entire appearance in front of the Transport Committee and concluded he was a smooth talking, ambititious politician, not a rolled-up sleeves technocrat.

This would be just a footnote if it weren’t for the fact that Ranger’s position effectively replaces Livingstone’s close mate Dave Wetzel, who has a track record of, er, rolled up technocracy as long as your arm. However, he is genuinely very left wing indeed, so he’s out.

]]> By: john b http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/07/29/ken-hits-back-over-boris-advisors/#comment-17701 john b Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:52:00 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/?p=1053#comment-17701 "In reality, a higher proportion of females than males in London gain qualifications at ages 16, 19 and 23." Much as I hate to defend Boris and his cronies, that wasn't the case 30 years ago, which is when the current generation of experienced senior managers were at school/college/uni. (also, why the hell do they say "19" and "23"? Are London's schools and universities now so rubbish that it takes thre years to do A-levels and four to do a degree now...?) “In reality, a higher proportion of females than males in London gain qualifications at ages 16, 19 and 23.”

Much as I hate to defend Boris and his cronies, that wasn’t the case 30 years ago, which is when the current generation of experienced senior managers were at school/college/uni.

(also, why the hell do they say “19″ and “23″? Are London’s schools and universities now so rubbish that it takes thre years to do A-levels and four to do a degree now…?)

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