Economist.com Cities Guide: London Briefing - January 2006

News this month

Gorgeous George

George Galloway’s fiery anti-war rhetoric swept him to victory in the general election of May 2005. But now the new MP for Bethnal Green and Bow seems bent on making a fool of himself. Since January 5th, Mr Galloway has been appearing in “Celebrity Big Brother”, a reality-TV show in which semi-famous celebrities are confined to a house for 23 days. Inside, they argue, drink and flirt with each other, and try to avoid being voted out by viewers.

Before entering the house, Mr Galloway told reporters he hoped the programme would help him reach a wider audience. But this plan has backfired. In the absence of counter-balancing views, the show’s maker, Endemol, has been obliged to censor Mr Galloway’s political pronouncements. And a bizarre impersonation of a purring cat has revealed a side of the cigar-smoking politician that most would have preferred to remain hidden. Meanwhile, angry constituents are accusing Mr Galloway of abandoning his duties as an MP. On January 12th, he missed a parliamentary debate on a controversial rail project that affects his constituency. How much more business Mr Galloway misses will be down to the voting public.

Strike two

Travellers on the London Underground (LU) are facing the prospect of yet more disruption after strikes by Tube-workers on December 31st and January 8th. The industrial action, called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT), was not particularly effective: only a few stations were closed, and, according to LU, many staff turned up for work. But the RMT promised to press on regardless, and more strikes are expected in late January.

Technology lies at the heart of the dispute. Many Tube passengers now use a pre-paid pass called an Oystercard, which means that fewer Tube staff are needed in the ticket offices. In 2004 the RMT struck a deal with LU that protected jobs by reassigning redundant workers to other duties. But it now accuses LU of proceeding further with the redeployment than agreed. The mayor, Ken Livingstone, appears to be siding with LU for a change. In a letter to the leader of the RMT, he derided some of the union’s claims as “factually false” and called on the union to sit down with LU and resolve the disagreement.

On life support

The future of St Bartholomew’s, Britain’s oldest hospital, is hanging in the balance after the government called for a review of its proposed refurbishment. Under a scheme agreed in 2003, Barts and the Royal London Hospital—both in east London—were to get £1.15 billion ($2.04 billion) in funding via the Private Finance Initiative. But in late December, the Department of Health said Barts’ inclusion should be reconsidered to ensure it is “affordable”. Some think that relocating Barts’ cancer and cardiac services could save money.

The announcement went down badly with doctors at the two hospitals. A thousand of them signed an open letter to the Times, published on January 16th, in which they pleaded for the modernisation programme to go ahead. They argue that the two hospitals provide “some of the most ethnically diverse and deprived (people) in the country”, and that both will play an important role in future years, catering to east London’s fast-growing population. The findings of the government review are due to be published in late January.

The promised land

A government scheme to build thousands of new homes on brownfield sites east of London is being viewed with suspicion by potential residents. The Thames Gateway project will see 120,000 new houses built in a corridor stretching eastwards from Tower Hamlets to the Isle of Sheppey by 2016. Said to be Europe’s biggest regeneration scheme, the development is designed to meet southern England’s long-term housing needs.

Yet getting people to move there could prove harder than expected, according to a survey published by the Institute for Public Policy Research on January 4th. It found that potential residents are concerned about the quality of new homes and a lack of basic services and infrastructure. The survey also found that different income groups want different things from their new homes, which will make it hard for planners to create “mixed communities”. Some opponents have dubbed the development “Prescottgrad”, in reference to John Prescott, the deputy prime minister and co-ordinator of the project.

Keeping mum

Buckingham Palace has begun soliciting designs for a memorial to the late Queen Mother, who died in March 2002, aged 101. The memorial will be on the north side of the Mall, alongside a statue of her husband, George VI, which was erected in 1955 following his death. Designers have until the end of January to submit their proposals, after which a panel including Prince Charles will select the winning entry. A kerfuffle akin to that surrounding the memorial to Princess Diana in nearby Hyde Park seems unlikely. The design brief states that “the use of water and moving parts is to be discouraged” (so no troublesome fountains), and Prince Charles is known for his traditional tastes. A special £5 coin, to be minted in commemoration of the Queen’s 80th birthday in April, will help meet the memorial’s £2m cost.

Catch if you can

January 2006

Canaletto in Venice, from the Royal Collection

Until April 23rd 2006

Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697-1768)—otherwise known as “Canaletto”—spent all but nine years of his life in Venice. His familiarity with this city is a key feature of the cityscapes in this excellent little show at the Queen's Gallery in Buckingham Palace. Expect exquisite architectural details and vibrant depictions of canal life.

Joseph Smith, the British consul in Venice in the mid-18th century, commissioned the works. When his finances foundered, he sold them to George III in 1762, and they were hung in what was then Buckingham House. Visitors can trace the development of Canaletto's style in a sequence of 14 paintings of the Grand Canal. The show also includes 70 sumptuous drawings, all finished works rather than preparatory sketches. Though Venice hardly suffers for beauty, Canaletto is known for enhancing his vignettes with a bit of poetic license. John Ruskin, a Victorian critic, accused him of “mindless imitation”, but this exhibition suggests otherwise.

While you are here, consider visiting Rolf Harris's recent portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, on display elsewhere in the gallery.

The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1. Tel: +44 20 7766 7301. Open: daily, 10am-5.30pm. Tube: Victoria, Green Park or St James’s Park. Admission: £7.50. See the Royal Collection's website.

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