Moving On From 7/7

London Reacts to the Suicide Bombings

This month, the thoughts and prayers of everyone the world over have been with the victims of the bombings which took place on 7 July.

Thousands have signed the condolence book outside City Hall.

Millions observed the two-minute silence.

As I stood in Leicester Square with my colleagues, my heart went out to everyone affected by this tragedy. They will be remembered.

Three weeks later, and the only tangible thing left for Londoners to do to honour the victims is to carry on with life in the capital as they did before. To acknowledge what happened, but to dismiss extremism and celebrate, instead, the strength of our British spirit and sense of pride in our capital city.

London is a safe, welcoming, effervescent place to live. There’s so much happening in London this summer, much of which celebrates the city’s diversity and total acceptance – the Notting Hill Carnival, the London Mela and The Caribbean Connection film festival epitomise this better than any statistics possibly could.

It’s heartening to see the streets crowded with Londoners and visitors alike enjoying everything the city has to offer - which is vast and growing more each year.

Terrorism can and will never win. Terrorist leaders have no interest in a cessation of hostilities, and obviously no concern with redressing the poverty and injustice which provides their recruits. Peaceful and legitimate protest is a far more useful tool for reform, and one which the terrorists sought deliberately to undermine by bombing as the G8 summit met.

London is getting on with life and, if anything, savouring even more deeply everything that it stands for - equality, diversity, education, inspiration and fun.

Let’s take some sensible precautions and let’s move on. Let’s reach out to our million Muslim friends in the city. Let’s stand united.

And let's say thanks to the world for caring about us.

No To War On Haw

Tremendous news today, as peace campaigner Brian Haw won the right to continue his protest vigil on Parliament Square. Brian has been camped out there for over four years, and judges therefore ruled he did not have to apply for permission to be there and could not be evicted under the 2005 Serious Organised Crime and Police Act... even though it was specifically drafted by politicians tired of his tedious megaphone rants... In your face, law makers!

New Direction On The South Bank

Jude Kelly was appointed the first ever Artistic Director of the South Bank this week. This is great news for the centre, as Kelly has a formidable track record, and has also directed over 100 productions herself. Coming out of the BAC in the 1980s, the lady is no bureaucrat. Her appointment does beg the question, who was running the shop up to now? The mice?

Tate Sticking To Not Stocking Stuckists

Tate Director Nicholas Serota mystified the art world this week by rejecting a collection of over 160 works by The Stuckists, a group of traditional painters based in the UK whose recent show in Liverpool was a gigantic success. Perhaps he was displeased by the caricature of himself included in the collection, in which he holds up a pair of red knickers and asks the viewer "Are they genuine Emin? Or a worthless fake?"

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