London Mayor candidate rejects Sharia law proposal
The Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London, Brian Paddick, has criticised the head of the Anglican communion for arguing that aspects of Sharia law should be recognised in Britain.
Speaking on LBC radio this morning, Mr Paddick also revealed a new policy on bus fares and revealed that he did not recognise one of the Hollywood stars at his celebrity fundraising dinner.
Politicians from all parties have criticised the Archbishop of Canterbury for remarks yesterday suggesting that certain aspects of Islamic law could be adopted in the UK.
Dr Rowan Williams said that “it seems unavoidable and, as a matter of fact, certain conditions of Sharia are already recognised in our society and under our law, so it is not as if we are bringing in an alien and rival system.
“There is a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law as we already do with aspects of other kinds of religious law.”
This morning Mr Paddick, who until his retirement from the Met police last year was the most senior out gay officer in the country, said:
“At the end of the day, if you are in Britain, you should be subjected to British law. Everybody should be equal under the law, that’s what should happen.
“Rowan, you’re a great guy, you’re a great intellectual, maybe you should lock yourself in a room with your chums and have a nice intellectual conversation about these high-falluting religious and moral issues.
“But for goodness sake, get someone to read your script who’s got a bit of common sense before you say anything in public.”
Mr Paddick, who faces incumbent Mayor Ken Livingstone, the Labour candidate, and Tory MP Boris Johnson in the election for Mayor of London on May 1st, proposed a new bus fare structure during his LBC interview.
“The bus is running late. The bus terminates short of its destination. If you’ve got a pay-as-you-go Oyster card, you have to get off that bus and then pay again on the new bus. You have to pay twice just because the bus is running late.
“So what I am going to propose is you can use your Oyster card for one hour, as many times as you like, changing buses.
“You don’t get charged every time you change underground lines, why should you be charged every time you change a bus?
“One payment and you can travel for one hour on as many buses as you like. 90p, one hour, unlimited travel on buses.”
Last week Mr Paddick received considerable publicity when friends Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish threw a dinner party where the candidate met celebrities who are potential donors to his campaign.
This morning Mr Paddick said he was unaware who one the guests was:
“Christian Slater was there,” he told LBC.
“I had great fun the following day because I went into the Lib Dems Press Office and I said, ‘Who is this Christian Slater bloke?’
“And they said, ‘Oh he’s a Hollywood actor. Why do you want to know?’
“And I said, Oh, he seemed like a really nice guy last night.'”
