Kennedy and Hughes Announce New Anti-terrorism Plan For London

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Apr 2004

A new MI5-trained anti-terrorism specialist adviser would be one of the first appointments to be made by Simon Hughes as the new Mayor of London.

A full-time Mayor's Anti-terrorism Adviser is just one of ten new initiatives planned by Mr Hughes to protect Londoners from the threat of a terrorist attack. Simon Hughes launched the initiative while visiting Canary Wharf with Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy today.

Mr Hughes said: "The war in Iraq increased the risk of terrorism in London even more than before. The threat of terrorism has not, and will not, go away. Warnings from the Met Police show that we cannot afford to be complacent."

"The Met Police have done a magnificent job so far in preventing an attack on London, but it is vital that sensible, simple measures are taken to stay one step ahead of any terrorist plans."

"My proposals aim to both prevent a terrorist attack by encouraging more vigilance, and better protect people if there is an attack."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Charles Kennedy MP, will say: "Simon's ten point plan is a necessary, sensible precaution to help guard against terrorist attack in our capital. As Mayor of London, Simon will be dedicated to prioritising the safety of the city's citizens without infringing their civil liberties".

ENDS

Notes

Simon Hughes and Charles Kennedy will be available for interview at Canada Place, Canary Wharf at 1pm, Tuesday 6th April 2004

Mr Hughes 10-point plan in full:

1. Appointing a new MI5 trained anti-terrorism specialist to advise the Mayor of London.

2. Met Police training for businesses and their fire marshals setting out what they should do in the event of an attack.

3. Setting up a dedicated London Emergency Volunteer Reserve Force to assist the emergency services in case of an attack.

4. An annual anti terrorism summit with mayors of other global cities and their police chiefs to share best practice.

5. The merging of British Transport Police in London with the Met Police.

6. A reassessment of talks on installing mobile phone access on the deep line Tube network.

7. Council Tax bills to contain information on what to do in the event of an attack.

8. Expand schemes to encourage train and tube staff to become special constables in the newly merged Transport division of the Met Police.

9. Staffed police boxes at every mainline station during rush hour.

10. Promotion of community events across London by the Mayor to improve cohesion and understanding between different faiths and cultures to reduce suspicion and fear.