As Trump says he will hit China, Canada and Mexico with new tariffs, it is clear it will lead to an unholy economic and political mess. Is it also not time we acknowledge China has become the free trader advocate of the world?

As in China, Tesla is free to manufacture and sell American cars while the USA tariff’s Chinese EVs at 100% to keep companies like BYD out.

It is suggested that new manufacturing nations tend to protect their new factory owners with high tariffs (import tax). While efficient manufacturing nations are for free trade to boost their exports, helping consumers with no tariffs. And finally high-priced manufacturing nations are pressed to save ageing factories with new tariffs.

China is also the leading manufacturing country for a very large range of products and continues to seek markets abroad. They don’t like paying export taxes(tariffs) so they are pro free trade. So China as an efficient manufacturing nation is unsurprisingly for free trade.

On top of this in manufacturing goods, the Chinese are offering the Global South countries like those in Africa and Asia, free trade access to their markets. China will grant duty-free treatment to 100% of the tariff lines of products from the least developed countries (LDC) with diplomatic ties with China signed framework agreements on economic partnership for shared development with interested African countries. Thats not something you hear much often International Development circles but trade often beats aid for sure. Ask any Finance Minister in the Global South.  

Free trade is usually one of the corners stone of liberal international order yet it appears to have been vanquished and now taken up by the Chinese. 

I rest my case.

Chinese embassy on Great Portland St, in busting at the seams

In the televised exchange between Kier Starmer and Xi JinPing at the Rio G20 conference, we hear our PM bring up himself the issue of the Chinese Embassy move East in London. It has been a sore point for the Chinese as the premises along Great Portland Street, is  busting at the seams, having been there since the Qing Dynasty first sent an envoy to the UK and adapted many times.

Furthermore, not since the US embassy moved to South London from Grosvenor Square have we had a similar proposed move of a major embassy in London like the Chinese Embassy move to Royal Mint Court, on the verge of the East End and gateway of the Docklands in East London. Its significance can not be understated as London”s diplomatic enclaves expanding into the historical quarters of the East End with this proposed move, is unprecedented.  

Yet it faces much local opposition in the first attempt to get planning permission having been thrown out and has again been resubmitted by the consultants hired by the Chinese to the local council Tower Hamlets. 

Looking at the application, the usual concerns of diplomats premises in the City of Westminster where we have the vast majority of them along with Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, seem to be all addressed. For example the refurbishment of the buildings on the site with the residential quarters for their staff and a brand new community facility, all combined actually to reduce the massing of the site overall. That is, it’s not an overdevelopment of the Royal Mint Court and very much in keeping with what we have there already. While other issues like the diplomatic parking is all accommodated within the site and not outside the premises, a source of much contention in central London neighbourhoods like Marylebone. 

As for issues of security and demonstrations going over to the East as many have suggested who oppose the Chinese government, l am not sure its quite the issue made out by some. As the problems of policing could not have been as severe as those outside the US embassy over the years when it was on Grosvenor Square with the major demos it has attracted from the Vietnam war onwards? Since its move to the Nine Elms, it seems to have quieten down a lot in front of the US embassy at the new location. It maybe moving out of Central London does that and may well do so when the Chinese embassy moves East. 

So while the move of the Chinese embassy from Great Portland St will open up a big gap in the neighbourhood, a move East to the Royal Mint Court, would not just useful for them but for us as a country and our place in the world. 

Having been on the London Assembly when the two previous Mayoral Development Corporations (MDCs) were set up – London Olympics and Old Oak Common – l am not sure it’s actually needed, if you were going to pedestrianise Oxford St as the Mayor has declared.

The simple truth is that if you are serious, you would have to sort out the buses that bring Londoners to Oxford St in the first place. With as many as 16 bus routes plying their trade along Oxford St, you really do need to both alter their routes and offer alternatives for Londoners to get there. As it’s a major thoroughfare for buses going across London, on the Northside of the river. So l was surprised when this was all muted a few weeks ago, no mention of this huge task had been made for this push to pedestrianise Oxford St and something TfL need to be getting on with asap.

Also we have to acknowledge some of the progress made by Westminster City Council, with getting rid of the US sweet shops, getting “Ramadan lights” along the street during the month of fasting and also getting major new venues like the Moco Museum at the Marble Arch end of Oxford Street. After the Mound fiasco a few years ago, major progress has been made which should be acknowledged at least.

Funnily enough, for such an important thoroughfare of public transport in London, it’s actually not even a red route and is a major oversight since the formation of the GLA in 2000. So let’s make it a red route and thus make Oxford St become the responsibility of Transport for London. That way, the Mayor would be a better position to make a contribution to Oxford St success. So in short no need for MDCs but simply transfer Oxford St to TfL as a red route, as first stage of pedestrianisation of Oxford St. 

After noting the dismal record of Thames Water leakages and capital spending in London during the summer l asked my local Council, WCC, for information of the annual number of road works required due to leaks in Thames Water’s pipework. Their response was that some 3,000 holes are dug each year to repair water leaks annual at present. Please see letter below. Additionally there have been £250,000 in fines to Thames Water for over-running road works.

It appears to me, that Thames Water have record highs of road works, and don’t appear to be on top of these water leak problems we have on the streets of London. This after being in charge of these works for over 30 years and replacing the old pipes with plastic ones. Clearly costing a lot of money to their customers – us – as well.

It is clearly another reason, that illustrate that privatisation of the water industry in 1990s has not worked for the benefit of its customers and also not worked for road users caught up in these maddening works all across Central London.

Martin Wolf ( 16th September 2024) is right to say that for a credible growth plan Rachel Reeves should look again at taxation. The place to start is with taxation of property and land in particular.

Here Land Value Tax (LVT) can stimulate economic growth by encouraging efficient land use, reducing speculation, and promoting investment in productive activities. It can also generate stable revenue for public spending without distorting economic decisions, potentially leading to more equitable and sustainable development.

LVT is also considered a progressive tax because it primarily targets landowners, who are often the wealthier individuals or entities. By taxing the unimproved value of land, LVT ensures that those with more valuable land holdings contribute more, thereby reducing income inequality and promoting a fairer distribution of wealth.

Labour should also consider a LVT as part of their review into reforming Council Tax and business rates. This proposal aims to ensure sustainable funding for local government in the long run.

Peace campaigners to visit diplomats amid risk of nuclear war

Two delegations from the London Region of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament  visited Embassies across London on Thursday 19 September to highlight the growing risks of global nuclear war and urge all nations to work for peace.
The event is took place ahead of the United Nations International Day of Peace and comes amidst increasing global tensions at a time when the world stands closer to nuclear war than perhaps any other point in history. 

A delegation visited the Embassies of the United States and China, both nuclear-armed countries, and France and Germany, key NATO Member states. The delegation also delivered a letter to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. 

The delegation called for a ceasefire and urgent negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict, which has resulted in over six million refugees and around four million internally displaced people. In August 2024 the OHCHR had recorded 11,520 civilians killed and 23,640 more injured since the invasion in February 2022, and believes the real number is higher. 

The current situation in Gaza will also be highlighted, where Israel’s incessant bombardment has resulted in over 40,000 deaths since 7 October 2023. Hunger is widespread and disease rampant. Recent research published by Parliament suggests a further 10,000 are missing or under rubble and 94,398 people have been injured across Gaza and Israel. Few countries have experienced the level of devastation taking place in Gaza, since World War II ended.

At the same time, another London CND delegation visited Embassies of states which have signed but not yet ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, including Ghana, Indonesia, Brazil and Columbia. The Treaty bans nuclear weapons in the same way as biological and chemical weapons have also been banned. The TPNW was agreed by the United Nations in 2017 and to date more than 90 states have signed.

London Region CND Chair Carol Turner, who will lead the delegation, said “If the world doesn’t urgently seek peace there is a real risk that the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine could escalate out of control. We are keen to hear from diplomats about efforts to bring about peace and reinvigorate efforts for a reduction in global nuclear stockpiles.”

Last Sunday night on Talking Point on NTV Europe ably presented by Syed Neaz Ahmed where we discussed what the Interim government should do in light of recent events in Bangladesh, and  probashi (otherwise known as Non-Resident Bengalis – NRBs) issues frequently came up.

Voting rights – for many years various regimes in Bangladesh have promised to permit probashi aboard to be able to vote in their home constituencies in Bangladesh. But this has not been operational via the Foreign Service yet in London we see many other natives of other countries voting in their ancestral homes at their consulates and embassies. Whilst the Interim government is looking at the present democratic set-up in Bangladesh, why not look at making this finally happen now?

Which does bring up the issue of the treatment of probashi in the Middle East. Whilst they have much more temporary status than us in Europe and North America, they clearly need protecting and defending by the Bangladeshi foreign consulates, particularly in regards their employment rights.  This needs to be foremost in the minds of the interim government in their dealing with Middle Eastern states and trust we can at least see a new approach.

Probashi investment in Bangladesh is a substantial source of investment funding if not at least hard foreign currency! As they have been sending remittances back to Bangladesh for many decades now from Europe, North America and especially from the Middle East. It appears too many it could all be better used as has been the case in with flows of remittances into China, India and Mexico as well.

and then we have the issue of all the ill gotten gains of aboard through money laundering from Bangladesh. The probashi would be very useful in chasing up these ill-gotten gains of corrupt officials aboard like in London, New York & Paris and other cities around the world. If only via officials in these cities and countries. Some real progress can be made here but it needs coordinating with the relevant public authorities.

And finally the funding and training of RAB ( Rapid Action Battalion) from aboard – scrutiny of this needs to be undertaken, given the role that has been played by them in judicial killings over many years and also over the recent upraising as well.  This maybe best done by the probashi in the relevant countries concerned, in their democratic set-ups.

So l am glad l had an opportunity to give a good airing to the matters and trust the Interim government of Bangladeshi under Prof Yunus will also take on board the issues and concerns of the probashi around the world as outlined above particularly in Europe, Middle East.

At the air pollution monitoring station along the side of the Westway off Wood Lane,W12 – we could we similar monitors at Marylebone & Paddington

After all the commotion about the expansion of ULEZ into Outer London, it maybe time to bring back the focus to Central London on air quality issues.

But first we need to known about the latest research of the impact of ULEZ in Central London. For example, it was only recently we got confirmation after many years of the impact of LEZ, which preceded the ULEZ launched under the first Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone in Feb 2008 at  Ally Pally in North London. The LSE Study concluded that London’s LEZ had improved the exam performance of school pupils at the end of ket stage two. A Cambridge University study of ULEZ in Central London, children switch to walking and cycling to school after introduction of London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone. This is on top of the wood burning stoves contribution to air pollution in recent times. 

I for one would like to see the impact of the Westway coming into Central London from the West with its trail of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV). Particularly in light of the impact of the Elizabeth Line, may well have had there as we see less private cars coming into London not just from Outer West London but also the Thames Valley. In this respect it helps that we have air pollution monitoring station at the side of the Westway just off Wood lane, W12. It would even better if we had similar monitoring stations in Paddington, North Kensington and Marylebone. 

There is also the impact of increasing numbers of SUVs on the roads of London and its still not clear how many vehicles came into Central London’s many office developments during peak time. This all the while private vehicles users are switching to electric cars as the second hand car market for them has taken off and the infrastructure for electric vehicles is improving.

I hope to have the opportunity to make this contribution at Westminster City Council September Air Quality consultation meeting of residents.