The Dalai Lama Should Move To Hackney

I'm not usually a great signer of petitions, but there's one from the Free Tibet campaign that everyone should sign, calling on Gordon to make an official announcement that he will meet with the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan leader visits the UK in May 2008.

"No, you not Plime Minister. You joking me."

One day, hopefully, Tibet will be freed from the tyranny of Chinese occupation. In the meantime, where better for the doddery old hereditary chief magistrate/spiritual leader to hang up his Gooner red and yellow robes than here in Hackney? Especially after yesterday's wonderful announcement on Channel4 that Hackney has soared past Islington (home of Meral Ece) in the "Location, Location, Location: Best Places To Live, 2007" list. "Last year's loser sees much improvement" said Channel4 (referring to Hackney), delighted by the influx of claret-swigging, foie gras munching Luke-Akehurst-look-alike-without-the-belly Channel4 watching yuppies who have invaded Hackney in the past year and settled in the Borough's highly-desirable "new concept in living brought to you by Meccano" penthouse apartments. "Drugs and other crimes are the thorn in Islington's side", the programme goes on to reveal, as if we didn't already know what life was like under a hung council with 24 nasty LibDems and the Wind Farm Party holding the balance of power. Yes, it's great news. Of the 434 local authority areas judged on the criteria of crime, education, employment, environment, lifestyle and health, there are a whole eleven that are worse than Hackney. And Islington is one of them!

We've given this fact some extremely considered and serious political thought in our household and our message to Islington Borough Council is this: