Latest Ludicrous news - while Islington’s residents quietly get on with making the new Low Traffic Neighborhoods work better, more background is emerging about disarray in the Ludicrous campaign. /1

We’re hearing that (as predicted) Jody Grabber has been sidelined for “giving away” the campaign’s UKIP leadings, including giving UKIP’s mayoral candidate top speaker billing at the ludicrous rally when they blockaded Angel junction. /2

Grabber was told to take a backseat in the campaign as others take decisions, eg Ldn Taxi Radio’s Sean Paul Day, using the campaign to exploit traffic calming worries to promote ‘revolution’ against the elected council’s policies on fairness, COVID recovery, improving estates/3

A loose canon even by their standards, Ludicrous plan to keep Grabber sidelined, in reserve for occasions when a loudmouth with a megaphone is needed. /4

Organisers have now kicked off a completely confused new campaign slogan, harking back to Brexit, ‘against the freedom of movement’ - (I’m not kidding, here is their graphic) - defending the right to drive on journeys of less than 100 yards by car. /5

Despite their attempt to refocus, Ludicrous found it was too late to stop one Grabber initative - a campaign video which sets Islington’s street calming as a UK v EU/remain v leave conflict, opening another front in the campaign’s attempt to set neighbours against neighbour. /6

Tactically that seems to repeat the earlier mistake with UKIP. Ludicrous seem to be further alienating residents who just want their concerns about the roads to be addressed. /7

“Ludicrous made out it’s a fight against the EU” said one “but that’s done so I don’t get it. I can’t see what that has to do with me driving into my street from Essex Road”. /8

There are signs of disarray among the cab-driving backers of Ludicrous too, previously united behind protecting the cabbie’s inalienable right to cut through quiet streets. /9

More evidence is also emerging of the nasty side of Ludicrous, with nasty threats on their social media. When one of its cabbie backers pointed out many want less traffic on their streets, one Ludicrous & UTAG supporter said: The bloke needs a good slap”. /10

As several local LTN campaigners have discovered “we know where you live” threats are standard debating material for the organisers of the Ludicrous campaign. /11

This thread summarises what we know about Ludicrous, more to follow. The campaign looks a mess, and the attempt to split neighborhoods and sow division for political ends and for the convenience of a minority of cab drivers doesn’t seem to be fooling many. /12 END (for now).