Tag Archives: Boris Johnson

Londoner’s Life 29 – by Phil Ryan

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Londoner’s Life 29 – By Phil Ryan

Boris won. Ken lost. So that’s the Mayoral nonsense out of the way. I popped into my local church and put my cross in the boxes. Curious really, a kind of religious voting experience. But it was probably a futile gesture as nothing much will change. Everything will stay expensive. Nothing will get cheaper. And the weirdo fringe candidates like the BNP and Liberal Democrats attracted hardly any support in the end. So what was the point of them all? It was Boris vs Ken. And think of all the money they both wasted. But hey that’s democracy so I guess I shouldn’t complain. In London we seem to lead the way in fairness and openness. That is unless of course you’re trying to get into the country via Heathrow. Yes London’s premier airport is leading the world now in queues. It’s our Olympic year and London is saying welcome and come on in. You’ve flown for a few hours and now as a welcoming exercise we’d like you to stand in line for three more tedious hours and shuffle along like drugged penguins. Our staff have all been employed only if they are miserable and intolerant. Make any kind of fuss – even slightly raise your voice and miraculously we have loads of staff to escort you to an interrogation room. Hm. And I love our chip and pin type passports with their hi tec machines plus their human components. Last month I flew back from France. Confidently headed for the chipped passport gates but before I got there a very kind lady stopped me and explained how to use them. Hm.

Isn’t the point being that it’s a machine with clear instructions. So I listened to her briefly and her two colleagues who came across to assist her! I didn’t want to seem rude so instead of putting my passport on the reader I politely let them waste five minutes of my time and then I did what I was intending all along. I put my passport on the reader and looked at the camera thing. The gates opened and I ran for the Heathrow Express. Over manning or what? Meanwhile the other queue snaked back out of the corridor. Welcome to London.

My favourite new bit of over hyping Olympic nonsense was the pure London moment when the army went to Bow to put missiles onto the roofs of tower blocks to find many already had them. Just kidding! But seriously the kids are more armed than the army round that way. Pity the terrorist who wanders into Bow, he’s done for. Personally I think it’s a scam by Barratt’s Homes or even the Government. I mean imagine if they do shoot down a plane. Where does it crash exactly? Bow or Canning Town somewhere. It’s a regeneration project essentially dressed up as security. But we lurch closer to the joy of the Olympics with each passing week. My most chilling moment was watching some bland nerk from Transport for London (TFL) colloquially known as Totally ********* London. He stood in front of the front of a station and calmly asserted that there would be 3 million more tube passengers using the system EVERY DAY during the Olympics. What? Have any of them actually been on the tube? It is going to be a nightmare. But then only a London official could make the following statement. He went on to say that today they were launching a poster campaign and get this ‘encouraging Londoner’s to find different ways to get to work’. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh. Different ways? What Hot Air balloons, jet packs, levitation. How about roller skates? It’s like they’ve collectively all dropped some acid. They have abandoned any grasp on reality. But hey ho! This is London and TFL and anything is possible apparently. Come the games it’s essentially going to be the world’s largest and sweatiest mobile game of Twister!

But it’s not all bad news. It’s the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebration soon (god bless her). A procession of golden boats and pageantry and an opportunity for street parties. So here in London it’s a chance for another holiday as remember its bank holiday season. Every other week seems to be a holiday. Which on the one hand is great. On the other the train companies calmly make every weekend a train free zone. And from what I see on some of the weekend jubilee celebrations the train companies will do their level best to stop you getting there. No wonder Londoners get so resigned to their travelling fate. However at my local London Overground station when I head for the platform the staff now excitedly tell me we have trains honestly lots of them look go and see! It’s quite touching in a way.

Finally trend news moment. It’s now the complete rise of the east with the Sushi places I’ve mentioned before. But now I see a blossoming undercurrent of new British themed gastro pubs or ‘eating rooms’ as they trendily call themselves. It’s suddenly organic sausages and Kent potatoes and gravy. And whilst I cautiously welcome this type of place (all very 50’s in decor but British 50’s mind you so coooool) again the prices are very scary. I went to a new one plugged in the Evening Standard and paid eighteen pounds for some chops. Not very recession friendly. Conversely I notice most of them are signed up to that Taste Card company (as am I) Discount food seems the only way they can get people in at the start of the week. Remember folks it’s a double dip recession so watch those pennies. And choose carefully. Although is it stopping us going out to these places? Are people baulking at the prices? No not really. It’s a London thing.

Boris Johnson’s Workout Secrets. (Yes, Really)

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THE WINNERS WORKOUT


Boris Johnson’s personal trainer, Jon Denoris reveals the secrets behind Boris’s workout routine

After a month working with his new personal trainer, Jon Denoris, the new Mayor of London Boris Johnson can do 100 push up’s p/session, has lost 8kg and three inches of his waistband, as well as making significant life changes.

As part of Jon’s new ‘Pop Up Gym’ initiative to improve fitness and office diets in preparation for 2012 London Olympics, he has released a bespoke workout plan; similar to Boris Johnson’s to help readers get fit at work.

7AM – Power Smoothie

Blend two scoops of strawberry whey protein, two tablespoons of bio yoghurt, a handful of granola and a cup of skimmed milk. Add ice to finish. Drink one third immediately.

7.30AM – Clock-face drill

A simple ten-minute exercise routine. Begin in the starting position for a press-up, spin your body round like clock hands with your bellybutton as the axis. Randomly choose clock-face positions to spin to.

7.40AM – Power Smoothie

Finish the Power Smoothie made earlier.

8AM – Commute

In honour of our new mayor, take a Boris bike to work or walk at a brisk pace.

11AM – Desk based exercise

Break up your morning with a quick ten-minute stretch.

With your left hand, grip the underside of your chair. Slide to the right hand side of your chair and then pull down with your left arm. Whilst doing this, turn your head to the right and place your right hand on your head. Apply gentle pressure before swapping.

11.10AM – Snack

Elevenses are the highlight of most office workers’ mornings. Ensure that your meal contains a combination of protein and carbohydrates, such as peanut butter on wholegrain toast, orange segments and cottage cheese or nuts and an apple.

1PM – Lunchtime workout

If the office doesn’t subscribe to the Pop Up Gym classes, Denoris recommends a circuit based routine designed to be done in the office or in a nearby park. Do 20 reps for each exercise and then repeat as many times as possible in half anhour.

· Body weight squats. With your hands across your chest and your backside stickingout, lower your thighs so that they are parallel to the floor. Hold and then rise slowly.

· T-stand push-ups. When at the top of your push-up, rotate the body and stretch one arm out to the side and then up to the sky. Follow by switching sides.

· Lateral lunges. Begin by standing with both legs together and then lunge sideways, bending your knees. Follow by touching your feet with both hands, keeping the trailing leg straight. Return to a standing position before alternating legs.

· Single-arm rowing. Once squatting, lean forwards, sticking your bum out until it is 45degrees to the floor. Whilst using one arm to stabilise yourself, pick up your bag and lift it up and down ten times. Then alternate.

· Bicycle kicks. Lying on your back, cradle your head with your hands. Bring your shoulder blades off the ground whilst bending your knees. Alternate, touching each elbow to the opposite knee.

1.45PM –Lunch

Aim for a vegetable and protein-rich lunch. For example, two grilled mackerel fillets on a bed of spinach, with olive oil and lemon to taste.

4PM – Desk stretch

Place your left leg on a chair or staircase. Bend your knee, extend your right arm until vertical and pulse forwards until you feel a gentle stretch through the hip. Alternate sides.

4.10PM – Snack

Similar to the morning snack, mix up protein with carbohydrates. Denoris suggests pitta bread and tuna or a hard-boiled egg and a whole wheat bagel.

6.30PM – Commute home

Again on a bike or walking.

7.30PM – Dinner

Denoris recommends chicken stir-fried in peanut oil with garlic chilli soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and basil leaves. Serve with brown rice.

00.00AM – Bedtime

Constantly restricting sleep is an easy way to gain weight. Keep your sleep and waking times consistent. Aim for between six to eight hours a night.

The London Mayoral Election – Can You Really Bring Yourself to Vote for Ken? 10 Reasons To Make You Think Before You Do

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It’s now less than a week to go to the London mayoral election and it’s is a two-horse race between the Conservative incumbent, Boris Johnson and the former mayor and Labour candidate, Ken Livingstone.

In the polls, Ken is behind, somewhere between 2 and 10 points behind according to the latest figures. This is surprising when the same polls suggest the Conservatives are 15 points behind in London and set to get hammered in the local elections. This is down to two factors, Boris’s charisma and Ken’s cronyism.

Ken has brushed off Labour supporters voting against him (up to one in five is expected to vote for Boris). ‘They are only voting for Boris because he makes them laugh’, says Ken. This is only partly true. Yes, Boris’s charisma and flair are a factor, but so is Ken. Many voters simply can’t bring themselves to vote for Ken because they don’t trust him and you can’t blame them.

Whatever side of the political spectrum you come from, it’s vital that we hold our politicians to account. In my eyes, Ken has been slippery and divisive at best. A self-confessed political nerd, he is everything which is wrong in modern politics today. He will do or say anything to win. It says a lot that many senior figures in the Labour party not only won’t offer their support for him, but are actively risking their own standing in the party to campaign against him.

“In my opinion he is a driven, power-crazed egomaniac who will do anything to regain the power he once had,” says Lord Sugar.

He is “quite a tricky sort of customer” who has “espoused some disastrous causes,” says another Labour peer, Robert Winston.

Here’s a top 10 of Ken gaffes, cronyism, hypocrisy and champagne socialism:

  • Ken was heavily criticised in February 2005 for remarks made to an Evening Standard reporter. He compared him to a Nazi concentration camp guard, after the Jewish reporter had tried to interview him. Ken refused to apologise or retract the statement after the reporter let it be known he was Jewish.
  • In December 2007, the Evening Standard published news of an investigation into grants worth £2.5 million paid to organisations in which Ken Livingstone’s adviser Lee Jasper was involved. It is confirmed that some of these grants were paid directly by the mayor’s office. An independent report into the affair by auditor Michael Haworth-Maden in July 2009 found no evidence of “misappropriation of funds” but noted “significant” gaps in financial paperwork.
  • Livingstone was criticised following a 21 March 2006 press conference at which he is alleged to have said of David and Simon Reuben — two Indian-born Jewish businessmen involved in a property development project — that “if they’re not happy they can always go back to Iran and see if they can do better under the Ayatollahs.”
  • Following Livingstone’s defeat in the 2008 Mayoral Elections, the Daily Mail reported that “eight ‘cronies’ of Ken were to receive £1.6 million in pay-offs following his defeat in the London mayoral elections.”
  • Livingstone has been criticised for his links to Islamic extremism. He was heavily condemned for inviting Islamic scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi to a conference. Al-Qaradawi has been accused of supporting “female genital mutilation, wife-beating, and the execution of homosexuals.”
  • In a meeting, Ken is alleged to have said that he did not expect the Jewish community to vote Labour as votes for the left are inversely proportional to wealth levels. He supposedly suggested that as the Jewish community is rich they simply wouldn’t vote for him.
  • Ken has been accused of hypocrisy over his tax affairs. He was very critical of wealthy Londoners who used companies to lower the rate of tax they were paying. It subsequently transpired he was doing exactly the same himself through the company Silveta Ltd.
  • Ken used private healthcare despite claiming to be a strong proponent of the NHS.
  • Ken cried over a campaign film of ‘ordinary Londoners’, arguing why they wanted Ken as mayor. It subsequently transpired the film was scripted and made using paid actors. Both of which Ken knew about.
  • Ken’s trip to Cuba and aborted journey to Venezuela in 2006 cost Londoners £30,000 according to assembly figures. Just one of many wasteful incidents.

The Labour party fearfully nominated Ken as their candidate and it may cost them. They still have bad memories from 2001 when they didn’t give Ken the nomination and he won a stunning victory against them as an independent.

They feared Ken running as an independent again, splitting their vote, and handing Boris an easy victory. Nevertheless, the decision to choose Ken may yet haunt them. One can’t help thinking that any other half-decent candidate would have had a very good chance of beating Boris. Figures like Ken have no place in modern politics. If we vote for them, we get what we deserve.

 

Londoners Life 25 by Phil Ryan

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Well the snow didn’t hang around thank goodness. But it’ll probably blast back in March! Right now I’m trying to avoid the Mayoral election nonsense. It’s very simple really. All of them are pointless to a large degree. Ken and Boris are arguing about high tube fares who’ll put them down or up – the fact of the matter is that whatever they are far too high and the service is lousy and continues to be lousy. And the fringe candidates are basically invisible. The mad Green woman who looks like a bush was spouting off about punishing car drivers again to save the planet. The failed ex-cop was going on about more police. Er that’s about it. So we’ll get stuck with a fight between two fools who are all about self-promotion and self-advancement. I’ll never forgive Ken for many things but his most offensive crime was building that hideous City Hall building opposite the tower of London.

Desecration. They should lock him up in the Tower Of London and force him to watch Londoners blowing it up as he’s pelted with rotten fruit! And Boris’s ludicrous billion pound buses will arrive soon. Why don’t the pair of just set up a permanent photograph of themselves being laser beamed onto the clouds above London. We get it guys. You love yourselves and couldn’t care about Londoners. Under both of you everything went up, life got harder, travel got worse, more taxes appeared and ultimately you have bugger all power. Remember folks your vote is essentially worthless. Nothing ever gets better or cheaper. Remember that. They could make one of the Muppets Mayor at least it would be entertaining and cheaper.

Travel in London really is getting to be a soul destroying experience. This Friday I had the horrible experience of arriving back at Victoria by train at around 6.30pm. Trying to get to the underground across the station was like swimming in a tide of bodies. Angry depressed bodies who were rooted to the spot necessitating a weird ducking and diving route – it was like a giant desperate game of pacman. And when I finally got to the tube the platforms were pleasantly six deep. Apparently two other tube lines had gone down (the usual reasons – aliens at baker street – a wave of indifference at St Johns Wood – badgers with guns at Charing Cross) and now Victoria was reduced to holding back groups of commuters behind gates a completely common occurrence the miserable and clearly suicidal guard guy told me (I think they’d taken away his laces and belt before they stuck him on the platform with his little microphone). It certainly wasn’t for the faint hearted. London’s underground system seems to just swallow tons of public money now and I honestly can’t see much difference. It’s over-priced and over-crowded (I’m sure that will improve during the Olympics with the expected six million extra journeys they’ve predicted – oh joy)

Talking of our much anticipated London Olympics we now learn that this money sponge for the amusement and enrichment of corporate sponsors and construction companies is into another revelatory moment again. Turns out that the ticket fiasco continues with an American ticket printing company getting the contract to print the tickets instead of a British company, the second revelation that most of the merchandise and goods are produced in China by Chinese companies and just when they couldn’t break anymore promises and commitments we now find out that they’ve let an American company sell tickets to Americans that we Londoners can’t get hold of! I notice that we grabbed back Mr Fred Goodwin’s title what about Lord Coe. If the guy told me it was the morning I’d check with five other people plus look out the window. For a London event paid for in the main by Londoners the guy has simply lied to us time after time. Virtually everything he has promised Londoners hasn’t materialised. And don’t get me started on the LOCOG bunch. Slightly darker in the way they operate than the Syrian regime they have been quietly flogging off the buildings and land to foreign property developers and foreign corporations. The London Olympics? I don’t think so. It’s the International Greed Olympics with all the gold going out the country to everyone except Londoners and Great Britain. But it’s a done deal. Nothing can be done. That’s total corruption with complete government backing for you.

But to finish on a positive point I’ll return to my usual trend spotting game. It really is the new Korean revolution alongside the sushi invasion. Loads of places called Bim Bam Bong and Noodle Beng Bim Bom Bang (Okay I am making these up) seem to be popping up. Udon Noodles are now the order of the day. Just an FYI Udon noodles are those fat disgusting long ones with the consistency of rotting slugs and a similar discomforting sensation when swallowed ( not that I’ve swallowed rotting slugs but go with me on this one) They have also copied that clever Japanese canteen style of making you sit on a cold and cement hard plank like wooden bench. This of course causes people’s buttocks to go numb at the same time that their stomachs are being paralysed with tasteless horror food. All together more of a punishment than a dining experience. But hey it’s fashionable. And in London we like our variety. And when I asked some people I was jammed next to recently in a Korean restaurant what they thought of the food they all told me it was challenging! Very London. And despite the pointless mayoral elections and Olympic fiasco do any of us truly care. No. We just get on with our lives. Why? It’s a London thing.

Rupert Murdoch: This is the most humble day of my life.

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Phone hacking Updates: Sean Hoare Dead, Murdochs, Yates and Stephenson Face committee.

 

In a sad development in the phone hacking juggernaut, Sean Hoare, 47, was found dead amidst ‘unexplained’ circumstances. Hoares, who accused his former editor, Andy Coulson, of illegal activity, was found dead at his home days after he made fresh allegations against executives who he worked for.

Police said they did not at this stage suspect foul play. Before his death he told the Guardian : “There’s more to come. This is not going to go away.” and the New York Times that Coulson’s claim that he knew nothing about the hacking was “simply a lie”.

 

Prime Minister David Cameron has cut short a trip to Africa as the crisis worsens, unlike Elisabeth Murdoch, who had went on holiday with husband Matthew Freud as her father Rupert, and brother James, face the select committee. Mr Cameron will face questions from MPs after Parliament summer recess was delayed so he could make an emergency Commons statement. Mr Cameron will be facing some tough questions over his decision to hire Andy Coulson as his media strategist.

Watch the live hacking commitee and the Murdoch’s being interviewed courtesy of the Telegraph

 

Other developments:

 

John Yates has resigned over his links to Neil Wallis, former deputy editor of the News of the World. Yates twice resisted requests to reopen the investigation into phone hacking.

 

Sir Paul Stephenson, head of the Metropolitan Police, also known as Scotland Yard, Resigned. Stephenson referred to his resignation saying; “It was my decision and my decision only.”

 

Boris Johnson has denied that he personally intervened in the resignation of Sir Paul Stephenson, the Met Commissioner and Mr Yates.

 

Rebekah Brooks was arrested on Sunday. She will still answer questions from the committee.

 

James Murdoch’s future looks uncertain and he will face the same panels of MPs as Brooks and his father.

 

Rupert Murdoch was mobbed by the press as he arrives at the Houses of Parliament. His wife, Wendi Deng, sat behind him as he was being interviewed and touched his arm in comfort a few times.

 

The scandal has rocked Britain and made the Murdochs, who were untouchable just last month, fair game. It is alleged the over 4000 people’s phones were hacked. Rupert Murdoch made an apologyy in newspapers over the weekend and also personallyapologiseded to Milly Dowler’s family after her phone was hacked.

James Murdoch perviously said: “We now have voluntarily given evidence to the police that I believe will prove that this was untrue and those who acted wrongly will have to face the consequences,This was not the only fault. The paper made statements to Parliament without being in the full possession of the facts. This was wrong.”

“I don’t see how he can survive,” Howell Raines, former executive editor of The New York Times told ABCNews.com. “Seems to me that the movement both politically and legally is ominous.”

 

Rupert Murdoch has defended his son by saying; “I think he acted as fast as he could, the moment he could,” he told the Wall Street Journal.

Londoners Life 16 – by Phil Ryan

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I’m sorry but I have to say it. The Olympics are coming to London. And just as an example of how great it’s going to be, I thought I’d tell you my experiences with the ticketing system. Briefly, here’s an overview of how it works. Initially you had to apply for a password and set up an account. Then you found you could only buy London Olympic tickets with a Visa card. Then you found you could only actually ‘bid’ for tickets. Not buy them. Huh? This meant that you had to effectively gamble just like buying a lottery ticket – and try and buy (gamble) thousands of pounds of Olympic tickets to get any chance of getting any.

BUT then you didn’t know exactly what tickets to what events you would be sent (if any), you didn’t exactly when or where you’d be going (if you went at all) and then finally the prices jumped from £20 to £400 in the blink of an eye. So effectively, you could ‘bid’ for £3000 worth of tickets only to find, instead of seats at the Opening ceremony or the 100m final, you’d actually ‘won’ two £95 tickets to the pigeon scaring finals in Kidbrooke!

With me so far?

But then as you entered this baffling surreal world of not knowing what, how much you were paying or where you were going – the website continuously blocked you doing anything at all! Half the time, nothing was available apart from the 100m Female Drag Queen Arguments bronze medal qualifiers from Putney. It seemed all the main events in the Olympic stadium were suddenly mysteriously all unavailable. Apart from if you chose to buy tickets in Germany, for example, where you could buy any tickets you wanted!!!

Naturally I didn’t get offered any tickets. I’m not German.

BUT then came the second gambling round for the ‘unlucky’ ones. So with a sense of foreboding, I entered the site to find even less choice of events at £300 ticket, all nowhere near the Olympic Park. Examples: Olympic FOOTBALL? Olympic TENNIS? What’s that all about? So I gave up. What’s the point? It’s simply a fat cat corporate junket we Londoners are sadly paying for.

To recap – I’m a Londoner so some of my taxes (yes, Londoners are the only people paying Olympic tax) go towards the games and my chances of going are clearly zero. Only London could create such a ticketing system. I’ve decided to not be in London those two weeks. There is no point. Ho hum.

Wimbledon is here. And so unsurprisingly is the rain. But this year they’ve got that roof from Thunderbirds so they’ll be able to presumably play on. However, I noticed they hadn’t used it much – preferring instead to have TV coverage full of Sue Barker talking endlessly to various elderly tennis stars of yesteryear. Weird.

And I love the Londoners’ attitude to Wimbledon. I heard radio coverage of the public’s thoughts. Was it excitement at the thought of days of stunning world-class tennis? No. Mainly the thought of more traffic congestion and less places to park. Apparently, the traffic wardens outnumber the strawberries this year.

We Londoners are hardy folk though. In the face of adversity we just carry on. And yesterday, I saw the brilliant sight of a crowd of tube passengers exiting Baker Street into the pouring rain all lifting their Metro newspapers above their heads at the same time. It looked like a modern dance company. You could have set it to music. Of course it didn’t work, but it was great to see them all copy each other in the who can make the ‘most papiere mache first’ game! Best of all, however, right next to the exit, there was a little smiling Indian bloke flogging umbrellas from a bicycle. He was yelling: “Umbrellas, umbrellas, best in town’. What a star! He’ll probably end up being Mayor. He’s got my vote.

Talking of our glorious Mayor for London, I see the campaigns are now seriously starting. Ken is back and so are the other usual pointless candidates. Most of them so bland that when they stand in front of a beige wall they simply disappear. I saw a Liberal Democrat being interviewed and even the interviewer lost interest. She kept glancing past him – clearly hoping a tourist or a drunk would interrupt.

For those of you unclear about things – the London Mayor and his office are yet another level of bureaucracy we pay through the nose for. They spend much of their time meeting about things that don’t ever happen. And when they do make things happen, we just get a bigger bill. A classic case are the fantastic BLUE cycle highways. Millions of pounds of blue lanes painted onto the road. Very safe for cyclists. Clearly cars can’t cross the blue paint – oops yes they can. Doh! But we do provide employment for Boris and his hangers-on currently, up until he tries to take over the Conservative Party. But right now he’s doing his best to mess about with London. And when he’s not screwing things up we have our local councils.

My favourite current example of London madness at official level is a fantastic new idea for local high streets. London councils are creating pop-up shops to give the illusion that our high streets aren’t dying – although of course they are. These pop up shops are usually local artists flogging their work, which I admit is nice, but on the other hand, after a long day, few Londoners go home thinking’ if only I can get a graphic representation of the Queen as a chimpanzee playing the banjo locally’.

The other madder idea is to put plastic coverings on the empty shop fronts. In other words, either stick ugly advertising for Mcdonald’s or some other corporate monster that destroys high streets (no sense of irony these councillors) or in some cases, pretend shops. Yes really. Pretend shops! They look like a flower shop or a grocery shop, but they’re not real! It’s great to watch bemused locals trying to walk in. Bang. They bounce off the locked door and then realise it’s just a big graphic poster with a 3D effect. Seriously, they are out there! You couldn’t make it up really. But it is the London way. We are innovators.

But seriously. Do we care about being ripped off over the Olympics? Is the Mayor going to make the slightest bit of difference to anything? And will it stop us enjoying the summer? No. It’s just a London thing.

The Most Powerful People on Twitter

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I Love Twitter – I’m at @Balavage- so I was excited when i launched the inaugural i Twitter 100

The List reveals the most influential people in Britain on Twitter

Sarah Brown tops list ahead of Stephen Fry


i, the first new national newspaper for 25 years, has today launched the inaugural
i Twitter 100 – a list of the most powerful Britons on Twitter. The list, to be published in the paper today (Tuesday 15th February), is the first time ever that the most influential, rather than most followed, people have been ranked.

The top ten includes commentators from the worlds of comedy, philanthropy, music, fashion and broadcasting with Sarah Brown topping the list. Surprise entries in the top ten are Umair Haque (5), a corporate strategist and blogger, and Zee M Kane (8=) who is editor-in-chief at The Next Web.

The i Twitter 100 top ten is below

1.Sarah Brown
2.Richard Bacon
3. Eddie Izzard
4. Stephen Fry
5. Umair Haque
6. Russell Brand
7. Tinchy Stryder
8= Hilary Alexander
8= Zee M Kane
10. Fearne Cotton

i, the UK’s most innovative paper, worked with the PeerIndex to compile the list using methodology that worked out who holds the most influence and power, not just who has the most followers. The workings are based on the number of re-tweets each person generates and the language associated with them.

Commenting on the results, Independent and i Editor-in-Chief Simon Kelner said;
“Five years ago, Twitter was regarded as a passing fad. Today it is a phenomenon, influencing world events and news stories in every sphere of life. This inaugural list recognises the power of Twitter and those with the most influence.’

Highlights from the list include:

· Sarah Brown, White Ribbon Alliance, (1) knocks Stephen Fry (4) off his perch.

· Richard Bacon is highest DJ (2). Radio 1’s Fearne Cotton (10) beats Chris Moyles (70=).

· Sir Alan Sugar (14=) beats arch rival Piers Morgan (61=).

· Jonathan Ross (27=) beats Piers Morgan (61=) in the battle of the presenters.

· Boris Johnson (36=) is highest politician on the list, followed by ex MP Dr Evan Harris (66=), Tom Watson, Labour MP for West Bromwich East, (68) and John Prescott (93). Sally Bercow, wife of the Speaker of the House is included (91).

· Katie Price, model and business woman features in the list (88=).

· Tinchy Stryder (7) is the highest music entry, beating Lily Allen (36=) and Mark Ronson (97).

· Businessmen include Duncan Bannatyne (12=), Sir Alan Sugar (14=), Theo Paphitis (54=) and Peter Jones (77=).

· Surprise entries in the top ten are Umair Haque (5), a corporate strategist and blogger, and Zee M Kane (8=) who is editor-in-chief at The Next Web.

Breakdown of results by sector

Media

· Digital writers feature highly, with the Guardian’s Jemima Kiss (14=), Bad Science writer Ben Goldacre (18=) and The FT’s Tim Bradshaw (48=) all making the list.

· Broadsheet journalists were well represented with The Telegraph’s fashion guru Hilary Alexander (8=), The Independent’s Johann Hari (20=), The Guardian’s Alan Rusbridger (22=), The Sunday Times columnist India Knight (42=) and Caitlin Moran (96) making the top 100.

· Alastair Campbell, the now author and diarist, is the only PR entry (66=).

Broadcasters

  • C4’s Krishnan Guru-Murphy (24=) comes out top of the TV list, followed by Jonathan Ross (27=).


  • Jonathan Ross (27=) beats Piers Morgan (61=) followed by Jon Snow (70=).


  • BBC correspondents include Robert Peston (31=) and political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg (80=).


  • Richard Bacon is highest DJ (2), followed by; Radio 1’s Fearne Cotton (10), Annie Mac (87) and Chris Moyles (70=).

Comedians

  • Eddie Izzard (3) comes top, followed by Russell Brand (6), Jimmy Carr (31=) and Simon Pegg (36=). Josie Long is the only female comedian (54=).


Music

  • Tinchy Stryder (7) is the highest music entry, followed by instrumentalist Imogen Heap (14=), Lily Allen (36=), Marina Diamandis, Marina & The Diamonds, (61=) and Mark Ronson (97).


Fashion

  • Highest fashion entries are for Telegraph’s Hilary Alexander (8=), fashion bloggers Liberty London Girl (34) and Style Bubble’s Susie Lau (36=).


Politics

  • The politicians to make it are Boris Johnson (36=) and John Prescott (93=). Sally Bercow, wife of the Speaker of the House, is also in (93=). Guido Fawkes (27=), political blogger, makes the top 100.


Internet

  • Digital and corporate strategists include Umair Haque (5), Zee M Kane (8=) and entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox (77=).


  • David Rowan, editor of Wired (70=), and Mike Butcher (14=), editor of TechCrunch, both make it into the top 100.


  • Bloggers include financial journalist Felix Salmon (12=) and Don Tapscott (18=).


Business

  • Three out of five Dragons are included, Duncan Bannatyne (12=), Theo Paphitis (54=) and Peter Jones (77=).


Academics

  • Richard Dawkins (22=), British ethologist and evolutionary biologist, and Tim Harford (20=), The Undercover Economist / Financial Times, are both on the list.


Sports

  • Sportsmen include golfer Ian Poulter (51=), cricketer Michael Vaughan (91), footballer Rio Ferdinand (95) and cricketer Kevin Pietersen (100).

David Beckham more likely than Leonardo DiCaprio to make us act on climate change

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According to new research released to mark the launch of the Climate Week Awards, David Beckham is more likely to inspire us to save the planet than green god Leonardo DiCaprio. The Climate Week Awards will celebrate inspiring achievements by the greenest businesses, communities and people in the UK.

Climate Week commissioned Millward Brown to identify which celebrities have most influence in encouraging the public to go green. Bill Gates, Boris Johnson and David Beckham emerged as top influencers on the environment – amongst the most likely to inspire us to become greener. All figured in the top five out of a list of 20, beaten only by Al Gore and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Meanwhile, Hollywood’s most committed eco-hero, Leonardo DiCaprio, languished in 14th place.

The research found a strong correlation between familiarity and green influence, showing that celebs who are not actively ‘green’, like Beckham, still have tremendous potential to wade in on environmental issues. This also explains why, amongst female celebrities, X factor judge Cheryl Cole beat known environmentalist Gwyneth Paltrow to be the woman most likely to make people more eco-friendly.

Supported by Headline Partner, Tesco, and Supporting Partners Aviva, EDF Energy, Kelloggs and RBS, Climate Week runs from 21-27 March. Everyone will have the chance to influence the way society combats climate change by running an event for Climate Week, entering for an award or voting for their own Climate Week Hero at www.climateweek.com/awards

The full list of celebrities ranked (in order of their eco influence) is:

1. Al Gore

2. Bill Gates

3. Arnold Schwarzenegger

4. Boris Johnson

5. David Beckham

6. Ken Livingstone

7. Chris Martin

8. Cheryl Cole

9. Gwyneth Paltrow

10. Duncan Bannatyne

11. Phil Schofield

12. Robbie Williams

13. Fearne Cotton

14. Leonardo DiCaprio

15. Holly Willoughby

16. Colin Firth

17. Graham Norton

18. Sienna Miller

19. Paloma Faith

20. Gary Neville

Kevin Steele, chief executive of Climate Week, said:

“The celebrities in our survey could become award-winning climate heroes, but the survey also showed that everyone can have a big influence with the people they know. The Climate Week Awards give everyone the chance to show what they’re doing to make a difference. From young activists to innovative companies and jaw-dropping technology, these awards will recognise the best ways of combating climate change, and bring them to public attention.”

To enter the Climate Week Awards or to vote for your Climate Week Hero go to www.climateweek.com/awards