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4 LondraGazete.com/English Londra Gazete, 19 May 2022

Watchdog to probe Mayor

Crossrail announcement

CITY Hall’s official watchdog
has started to look into an allega-
tion that Sadiq Khan broke rules
when Crossrail’s opening date
was announced a day before the
local elections.
Grant Shapps, the Tory trans-
port secretary, has accused the
Queen beams as she Labour mayor of breaching
pre-election period restrictions
officially opens Crossrail on making official announce-
ments for “political purposes”.
He said it was his “strong be-
ON Tuesday May 17 the Queen attending today's event to mark lief” that the announcement
visited the new Elizabeth line, the completion of the Elizabeth the Elizabeth line was to open
named after her to open the line line. on May 24 was “in breach of the
ahead of its official opening tot “Her Majesty was aware of the rules governing the pre-election
the public next week. engagement and the organisers
Her Majesty visited Paddington were informed of the possibility period (purdah)”. ing his delight “that our world- A spokesperson for the mayor
station to mark the completion of she may attend." The announcement was made class new Elizabeth line will be said: “The announcement date
the £20 billion rail link, which will Earlier, Boris Johnson said: “I’m by Transport for London on the opening to passengers later this for the Elizabeth Line was deter-
transform cross-London travel. sure all of us agree that in this morning of May 4 - a day before month”. City Hall said the DfT mined for operational reasons by
The 96-year-old monarch was unique Jubilee year there is no fig- the polls opened. Elections were
joined her youngest son the Earl ure who more deserves the hon- being held in all of the 32 London had been informed in advance Transport for London, not the
of Wessex for the official visit. our of having this wonderful new boroughs and elsewhere across of the opening date announce- Mayor, and the Department for
A Buckingham Palace spokes- line named after them.” the country on May 5. ment and raised no complaint. Transport was made aware that
woman said: “In a happy develop- Passenger services are set to Mr Khan was not quoted in the Delaying the announcement until the Elizabeth Line opening date
ment, Her Majesty The Queen is start on the line next Tuesday. TfL press release. But moments polling day or the following day, announcement could take place
later his press office issued a when results were being declared, in the pre-election period, well in
statement on his behalf express- were ruled out. advance...”
Met officer filmed hitting a man

was under attack, force says Four fox cubs rescued from old car

ONE A Met Police officer who was ping Centre with one officer appear- wheels in a month in London
filmed hitting a man in east London ing to repeatedly hit a man on the
while making an arrest was himself head while he was on the ground.
allegedly under attack along with The force said the officers in the FOUR fox cubs have been res-
other officers. Police were in Dalston footage had been under attack. cued from old car wheels in London
in a single month.
on Saturday "targeting e-scooters After viewing the footage, the The RSPCA has issued a warning
and moped-enabled crime" when Met's Directorate of Professional that foxes can push their heads
they stopped a man over alleged im- Standards (DPS) made a referral to through wheels looking for food.
migration offences. the Independent Office for Police However, their ears prevent them
As they arrested him a crowd gath- Conduct (IOPC). from getting out again.
ered in an attempt to stop them and Det Ch Supt Marcus Barnett said: Cubs have been rescued from
a number of officers were allegedly "These charges follow a routine, Haringey, Newham, Orpington and
assaulted. planned operation to protect the Bethnal Green.
Eight people were charged with public, which escalated into signifi- The animal welfare charity is urg-
offences including assaulting a police cant disorder. ing people to store their old wheels
officer. "Police officers are aware that any carefully and check them regularly.
Videos posted on social media Animal welfare officer Nick Jo-
show several officers standing beside use of force must be proportionate nas has rescued two fox cubs from
wheels in east London less than a
and reasonable, and they understand
a police van outside Kingsland Shop- "With both the recent incidents I
that their actions will be scrutinised week apart. attended, I found that gently eas-
as they go about their work. He got one out from a garage in ing the little foxes' ears one-by-one
"It is only right that officers are Newham on 5 May and another back through the hole made it easy
accountable for their actions and we from an car repair garage in Bethnal to free the animals."
Green on 10 May.
will fully support the IOPC's assess- Both foxes were taken to the Mr Jonas said: "Young foxes are
ment of the material that has been South Essex Wildlife Hospital to be incredibly curious and we quite of-
referred to them." rehabilitated before they can be re- ten get called out to deal with ones
He added: "It is important to re- leased back into the wild. that have got themselves in a pick-
member that footage shared on so- "In situations like this, there's no le. "But in my experience, it's quite
unusual to get four 'head stuck in
cial media only shows a small part time to spare," he said. "They may wheel' incidents in just one month.
of a much larger and more complex have been trapped for several days "We're asking the public to be ex-
incident or series of incidents. without food or water, so need to tra vigilant if they keep wheels on
be freed as soon as possible.
"We would urge people to remem- "There's a bit of a knack to freeing their premises. Please store these
ber that such videos rarely provide a fox cubs when they get their heads items carefully and check them reg-
full and accurate picture of what is caught, as it's their ears that are the ularly, just in case another fox cub
taking place." problem. traps itself."