(soft dramatic music)
- Today I am announcing my plans
to become your next mayor of London.
I want to lead this incredible city in a new direction.
A new direction that promises to bring back a great economy.
A new direction that delivers a strong education system.
A new direction that guarantees world-class health services,
culture, technology, transport, and environmental practises.
A new direction that guarantees the human rights
of the citizens of this great city.
I love London.
I have always loved London,
and will always love this great city.
I love the people, the history, the spirit, the culture,
the diversity.
It embodies everything I hold dear in my heart.
I believe it truly is the greatest city in the world.
But now, we face dark times,
and perhaps the most difficult crisis
this city has ever encountered.
Unfortunately, our elected officials have failed us.
I see a total lack of leadership.
I see a total lack of science-based decision making.
I see a completely disproportionate response to the virus.
And I see our once strong economy being destroyed
right in front of our very eyes.
Our city's finances are in shambles.
Our small businesses are not being supported.
Our culture is being destroyed.
Our transportation policies are ridiculous.
Our education system is being compromised,
and our health and well-being has been completely ignored.
London was once one of the greatest global brands
in the world.
Personifying determination, innovation, perseverance,
fortitude, and an indomitable spirits.
What are we now?
One of the lowest performing major cities in the world.
I have decided to stand for mayor of London
because of one fundamental reason.
I can no longer sit idly by and watch our current crop
of politicians drive this incredible city into the ground.
I believe that with strong leadership,
science-based decision making,
a proportionate response to the virus,
a focus on the economy,
and my transformed London 2021 plan of action,
that we can reverse this dangerous downward spiral
and make London once again a world-class capital city,
and one of the most desirable places in the world to live,
work and visit.
However, I can't do it alone.
I will need the help of every citizen
of this great city working together towards our common goal.
So why me?
The truth is,
I had no intention of becoming your next mayor.
I have always been an entrepreneur
and a broadcaster first and foremost,
and has spent the last nine years building my company,
London Real,
to be one of the most recognised brands in the world.
We make transformational content, documentary movies
and academic courses designed to help people create
better lives, better businesses, and better communities.
We have broadcast 1,000 long-form conversations
with the greatest minds on the planet,
which have now been watched
and downloaded over half a billion times.
We've also graduated over 5000 students
from 107 countries and transform the lives of millions more.
Our mission has always been a straightforward,
yet powerful one,
to create a mass scale transformation of humanity
into a fully empowered, conscious and cooperative species.
And since 2011, we are proud to have done this
to an incredible global scale
and high standard every single day.
Yet when I looked at my home City of London,
I realised my own community is on the brink of failure.
I have lived in London for over 20 years,
working for 11 years total as a banker
in the City of London,
before embarking on my career as a broadcaster.
Since my mom first brought me to London
on a European vacation from San Diego, California in 1986
at age 15, I have felt a resonance with the unique history,
diverse culture and outstanding people
of this incredible city.
I love London and the UK
and earned my British citizenship in 2007,
which I proudly display on my office wall at home
When it came time to name my broadcasting platform,
there was no better choice than London Real,
because it personifies this great city that I hold so dear.
I have settled here.
My two sons were born here.
And I plan to be buried in this great city.
Ironically, this is the absolute worst moment
for me to take on this great challenge
to transform our city.
My business continues to grow exponentially
and my broadcasting operation needs my attention
to deliver incredible, life changing content to the world.
But at the same time, I cannot watch this great city
be run into the ground by career politicians
with their vested interests
and complete lack of accountability.
It has become apparent to me that I have a new mission
to step up and lead this incredible city
to once again assert itself as the global power it truly is.
And I am fully committed to leading London back
to be a world-class city once again.
To do this, I understand the personal costs involved.
To do the right thing, I need to put my work, my life,
my plans, everything on hold
to deliver what I profoundly believe
the city desperately needs right now.
With your support,
I am confident we can accomplish this new mission together.
But I also want to be clear,
this won't be easy for any of us.
This will be a team effort.
It will require hard work,
it will require personal sacrifice.
It will require each one of us to take ownership
of how we can contribute to the progress and prosperity
of our families, friends and communities.
It will require great ideas, strong policies
and a firm resolve.
Which is why I have created
my transform London 2021 plan of attack
and innovative blueprint for success,
which I believe will revolutionise our city.
It consists of the following policies.
We will get London back to work
and reinvigorate the economy through clear communication,
promoting tourism,
stimulating key sectors with extended job retention schemes
including hospitality, cutting business rates,
removing congestion charges,
and implementing science-based protocols
to safely get people back to London to work, shop,
as well as continue to be immersed in our diverse
and admired culture.
As an entrepreneur,
I believe I can understand the struggles of our small
and medium sized enterprises
which make up 98% of the economy
and prioritise these critical parts
of our commercial landscape to improve the city
for every one of its 9 million inhabitants.
We will put Londoners health first
and create the fittest, most resilient citizens in the world
who are physically and mentally robust,
always prepared for times of crisis.
We achieve this by proactively implementing
early health promotion and education activities,
advocating the benefits of a balanced diet,
daily exercise routines, smoking cessation,
and the avoidance of excessive drinking.
This topic is close to my heart
as I spent the last nine years putting my own learnings
on diet, fitness and addiction and mental health
on full public display
so others can learn from my successes and failures.
We will put science first and make London safe again,
by implementing a science-based decision making led approach
when it comes to setting policies for education, work,
travel and all social interactions.
We believe there has been a disproportionate response
to the coronavirus that has caused the loss
of countless lives and ruined people's livelihoods.
Something that can be immediately remedied
by implementing intelligent,
fact-based policies moving forward.
We will put education first, get London back to school
and ensure a bright future for our young people
and the socialisation they desperately need
for their development.
By removing the culture of fear
and implementing science-based protocols
to safely get our younger generation learning again,
we will restore the daily structure of our families,
staving off the risk of creating a lost generation.
We will make London green first
by removing on street parking in Central London
and replacing it with green spaces the public can enjoy,
additional retail space to support businesses
and more room for pedestrian traffic
to encourage visitors to return to the city
and kickstart the economy.
It will also reduce traffic, speed up transportation
and improve air quality for the city.
We will make London safe by supporting the Met police
with more situation-based training protocols,
foster a new understanding, respect and appreciation
by the public and a zero tolerance policy for knife crime
and possession.
We will also implement proportional representation
in the Met police
to build a force reflective of the communities it serves.
We will make London digital first
where high speed broadband Internet access
is free to all citizens and businesses.
Technology startups are supported, promoted and incubated.
And all local council interactions with small businesses
are digitised with quick response time
in order to stimulate the economy.
We will fight for digital freedom of speech,
a fundamental human rights
in order to create a marketplace of ideas
where censorship is no longer tolerated
on our digital platforms.
Thereby encouraging open debate and discussion
where all points of view can be considered, argued
and contested.
These groundbreaking policies
are real world practical solutions
that address the crucial issues we face as a city.
I am confident that if properly executed,
these policies can make London
a world-class city once again.
However, I do not expect this process to be a simple one.
As an independent candidate,
I expect to be attacked by the mainstream media
and career politicians across the spectrum,
who will question the following,
my lack of government service.
This is actually one of my greatest strengths.
I am proud not to be a career politician
whose next job is only to be elected,
but instead a businessman
who knows how to be fiscally responsible
and hold people accountable to results.
My 11 years of experience as a banker in the City of London,
and my nine years of experience as an entrepreneur,
gives me the tools to help rebuild our economy
and understand how to get London back to work.
They will also question
our history promoting independent voices on London Real.
The mainstream media has always criticised us
for broadcasting uncensored ideas
from a diverse set of guests with different points of view.
And we expect to be attacked and associated
with many of the people we have hosted on our platform.
But our editorial policy at London Real
is to be independent, agnostic and open-minded.
Our mission is to create a marketplace of ideas,
so the best ones can be considered, contested,
debated and implemented.
We are advocates of free speech
and believe that every citizen as an adult,
has the right to make their own decisions
about the content they consume.
They will also question my American citizenship.
London has always been a melting pot for people,
ideas and culture.
We are enriched as a consequence of our diversity.
It's what historically has made this city great.
From the Romans to the Normans to the Celts to the Vikings,
this city leads the world
because of its great foreign culture.
The diversity has marked London's economic
and cultural upsurge for thousands of years,
and creates a rich tapestry of a modern metropolis.
As an American who has been a British citizen for 13 years
and lived in London for over 20 years,
I look forward to contributing my part to this great city.
There will undoubtedly be more questions and criticisms,
but we vow to forge ahead regardless
because this mission is so important.
I have one final request at this crucial time
in our history.
I need you.
If you have followed London Real then you have witnessed
the nine years we have dedicated to transform the world.
You are uniquely qualified to speak to friends and family
about the values that we have embodied every single day.
You are the one that ultimately can help us affect change
in London and in every city around the world.
So please, help me now.
First, share this video and page
with all of your social media followers.
Help us spread this important message
to the citizens of this great city and beyond
and kickstart this movement for change.
Second, make sure you register to vote
by clicking the link below
and by encouraging everyone you know to do the same.
No matter who you choose,
it is important that everyone exercises
their democratic right to vote.
Third, give us your email address below to lend your support
and I will send you my first official policy video
as well as a link on how to volunteer
and donate to my campaign.
I am excited to embark on this new mission with your help
to lead London in a new direction.
We have the most incredible city in the world
and I promise to work tirelessly
to make London a world-class city once again.
I am confident that together we can accomplish our mission.
I am here to be of service.
Thank you.
(calm music)