Nick Clegg says Brian Paddick’s policing experience sets him completely apart from his rivals
Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, and London Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate Brian Paddick today visited the Reeves Furniture Store in Croydon to talk with the family that had their business premises destroyed by fire during last year’s riots.
During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister said: “Brian Paddick’s experience at the Metropolitan Police sets him completely apart from his rival candidates. There’s a very strong emphasis in Brian’s campaign drawing on his 30 years’ experience as someone who actually knows what it’s like to police London, which of course his two rivals don’t possess.
“Brian actually knows what it means to police the streets of London. I think that’s unique, I think that sets him completely apart. It answers precisely the kind of questions that people have got these days about how we can keep London’s streets safe.”
Brian said: “If I had been mayor during the riots I would have stood alongside the Met Commissioner to tell people they were destroying communities. Because the mayor was absent for days during the riots and even after the riots, that really sent the wrong message to Londoners about standing united.
“We have got to get the police and Londoners standing together against the criminals and if we can do that we can really transform London in terms of crime and disorder.”