Mystery of Ken's Budget

12.00.00am GMT Wed 3rd Mar 2004

Liberal Democrats have drawn attention to the recent strange behaviour of the Labour members of the Greater London Assembly. Dee Doocey, Liberal Democrat candidate for the South West London GLA region said: "just a few months ago, the Labour members on the GLA were critical of Ken Livingstone and his antics, and all the indications were that his latest budget - of roughly three times inflation - was in for a rough ride."

"But something odd has happened. Ken's budget was forced through the Assembly with the support of just those same Labour members. That means 33p per week extra on the average Band D council tax bill. Although a majority of members voted against the increase, now that Ken Livingstone has rejoined the Labour party, his new colleagues left their brains at home and the opposition to the budget failed to get the needed two thirds' majority."

Low-income households, especially pensioners, and average earners will have difficulty finding the money to meet Ken¹s self-publicity and other excesses.

The Liberal Democrats proposed straightforward budget would have found the money to increase police numbers, improve services and cut waste with a below-inflation increase to GLA precept of 2.7 per cent, 11p a week for average D band households.

Dee Doocey concluded: "The solution to the mystery is of course Ken's opportunistic readmission to the Labour party. He is "Now Labour" rather than "New Labour". What is worse is that the would-be Labour Assembly member for South West London has claimed that killer Ken's budget is excellent value for money. She would, wouldn't she, but 'value' and 'money' don't go together in the Mayor's vocabulary. Only with the election of more Liberal Democrats (and a Liberal Democrat Mayor) can democracy - and sound finance - be returned to the Assembly."