London's reputation under global attack

After the week we have had there is little wonder that London's standing will have taken a hit. It is, however, more than a little ironic to see some of the reporting from around the world.

Chinese state TV for example has reported that the riots have seriously hurt London's image and raise doubts that the Olympics next year can be delivered safely. Local vox-pops draw favourable comparisons between Beijing and London with some concluding it is not safe to travel to the UK. Others, in goggled eyed dis-belief, report that Londoners had to arm themselves to defend their streets. They also gleefully reported from Hackney making sure their viewers knew the borough was just a mile from the Olympic Village. This from an undemocratic, authoritarian country who have a government propped up by a police state. Nice.