Last time when Ron Davies had his moment of madness on Clapham Common I was fending calls from the Press all day. the supposed mugging had taken place in my ward; the Press were sheeplike following the ITN who had notroriously nick-named the estate "Crack Alley". The Press were trying to desperately to get me to admit that it was known locally as "Crack Alley", which it wasn't and isn't. They wanted me to say that Brixton was a thoroughly horrible place; the fact that I focused on soaring house prices, vibrant nightlife, and beacon primary schools ensured that I didn't earn one quote or namecheck in the next day's papers. The Chair of the Tenants Association was furious at the dissing they gave to the Estate
I also objected to the fact that the Press were harassing Lambeth staff as they left the local housing office to go to lunch or home, or about their duties as housing officers.
