Bob Blackman has been employed by BT in various sales and management positions before becoming a sales tutor at the BT Training College. Bob has been Regulatory Compliance Manager for BT for the last 8 years. Prior to joining BT, Bob was employed in a variety of sales assignment for Unisys. Bob is married to Nicola Blackman and lives in Wembley where he has resided for most of his life. Bob is a keen football fan almost from being able to walk. He passionately supports Tottenham Hotspur and has a season ticket for home and away games. Prior to going into local politics, Bob was a keen cricketer but sadly finds it difficult to make time to play the game now. Bob is an avid reader of thrillers, crime and mysteries. Bob is a keen follower of rock music with an extensive collection over the last 40 years. Bob is a keen Bridge and chess player in his spare time and enjoys food of all varieties, especially curry.   Political biography Bob is the Greater London Assemblyman for Brent & Harrow, having been elected in June 2004 where he ousted the Labour Leader on the GLA. Bob serves as the Conservative Group Whip on the GLA and also on the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority.  Bob has been Councillor for the Preston Ward in Brent for the last 20 years and he has been Leader of Brent Conservatives since 1990. Bob served as Leader of Brent Council from 1991-6 where he led the dramatic reduction in local taxes and provided service improvements after rescuing Brent from the Looney left. Bob has run for Parliament before. In 1992 he contested Brent South and produced a good result. In 1997, Bob contested Bedford & Kempston, producing the best result in Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire for the Conservatives without actually winning! Most recently, Bob fought Brent North producing a 7.1% swing in favour of the Conservatives. Bob was President of Liverpool University Students Union and Head Boy at Preston Manor High School, where he now serves as a School Governor. Campaign information  Bob is avidly campaigning on key local issues. Bob has helped campaign against the closure of Post Offices locally which has been forced by the Labour Government. Bob is vigorously opposing the high-density multi-storey developments being foisted upon Harrow as a result of Labour Government diktat.  Bob is well known for his campaign to ensure that Londoners do not shoulder an unfair burden on the funding of the London Olympics in 2012. Bob has been campaigning in favour of more police on the streets as experienced police are transferred to Central London. Bob has fought locally to ensure that the new Safer Neighbourhood police teams are brought up to strength quickly. Bob is an avid advocate of low tax policies and has been campaigning against the level of Harrow Council Tax which has the highest rate of increase in the UK since Labour came to power in 1997. Bob is keen to ensure that pensioners and others on fixed incomes are given substantial rebates form the Council Tax. Bob has highlighted that Labour has been promising a new hospital in Northwick Park, yet will only give the Hospital Trust permission to borrow the money. The Trust is already £12 million in debt and would have to find £30 million a year to finance the borrowing. This can only mean reduced services. Bob has highlighted the need to improve the response time to fires from Harrow Fire Station. Bob is working with the newly elected Conservative Council in Harrow to achieve good value for money for local taxes. Bob has also highlighted the need for Harrow to prepare for the opening of the new Wembley Stadium. There is no parking at the Stadium so the danger is that Harrow becomes a big car park for visitors to the Stadium. Harrow has a diverse population and Bob is well known by all communities and welcomes the opportunity of celebrating all local festivities