Hughes Launches "Blair Mayor Project" (Southwark Liberal Democrats)

Southwark Liberal Democrats <info@southwark-libdems.org.uk>

Hughes Launches "Blair Mayor Project"

February 2, 2004 12:00 AM

Ahead of the expected announcement later today (Monday 2nd February 2004) of Ken Livingstone's adoption as the New Labour London Mayoral candidate, Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes MP launched the report the "Blair Mayor Project", that details the failures of New Labour in London over the Mayoral term and since Mr Blair became Prime Minister.

The dossier highlights 27 new facts figures on tax; crime and policing; transport; housing; education; health and spin in London and includes:

· GLA tax take has doubled since Mr Livingstone came to power

· £20million of taxpayers money has been spent on self publicity by the Mayor in the last year

· London courts have failed to collect £72million in the last year

· 40,000 manufacturing jobs in London have been lost in the last six years

Simon Hughes MP said:

"The phoney war is over.

"Today we will see the Blair Mayor Project become a reality. Mr Livingstone and Mr Blair are joining together in a cynical marriage of political convenience. Hundreds of thousands of Londoners, whether young, old, in business or unemployed are worse off under New Labour and this New Labour Mayor.

"Many Londoners will feel cheated by Mr Livingstone who pretended to be independent and cheated by Mr Blair who has repeatedly warned our city against electing him.

"When trust is so important to so many people and institutions, it is incredible that the Prime Minister and the Mayor can so brazenly stab Londoners in the back and think they can get away with it."