LONDON'S LABOUR COUNCIL LEADERS VOTE FOR KEN'S 29% TAX HIKE

12.00.00am GMT Wed 12th Feb 2003

Shame-faced Labour Council Leaders meeting today at the Association of London Government's Leaders Committee gave Ken Livingstone the green light to impose a whopping 29% increase in the GLA London Council Tax.

This follows a 15.2% rise in 2002/03 and a 22.7% rise in 2001/02 to the precept added by the Mayor to every Council Tax bill in the Capital.

Liberal Democrat Council Leaders, led by Councillor Steve Hitchins from Islington, had proposed that London Councils fight the massive tax hike proposed by the Mayor, and instead limit any increase to no more than 17.5% - a motion seconded by the Tory Leaders.

17.5% would be enough to fund the full increase in police numbers proposed by the Mayor. Labour Leaders, led by Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales, voted down this motion, claiming that a 29% increase was "as low as possible".

Councillor Steve Hitchins said: "The Labour Party has clearly done a grubby deal behind the scenes with Ken Livingstone to let him impose this giant Council Tax rise on Londoners."

"Many Londoners on low incomes are going to struggle to pay this totally unacceptable increase, especially as it comes on top of such big increases in the last two years."