Claude wrote:
He was betting that this OFT report would deem London to be operating an illegal closed shop and that it would be opened up to all the flotsam and jetsam who could put foot to accelerator and thus think they could work London as taxi drivers.
Not really Claude, in fact the situation you have in London is what I think, and want to happen nationally.
In that all fit and proper people (licensed drivers), who offer a fit and proper vehicle (as deemed by the local LA, until 2010-2020) to be licensed, should be granted a HC vehicle license on demand.
In short, you can poke the smoke, I just want the same degree of equality that you have, and not the discrimination purveyed by a minority of councils.