Xxxxx

---

Vxxxxxxxx)

During Mayoral Question Time last Wednesday local Assembly Member Angie Bray challenged Ken Livingstone to a bet over Labour holding Hammersmith and Fulham at the General Election.

The exchange came after Ms Bray suggested that Livingstone had wrecked Labour’s chances by increasing the Congestion Charge to £8, and by planning to extend the zone westwards.

Ken first said “I’m sorry I don’t earn enough to squander money on gambling.” Then when pressed further said that the seat would be lost because of the “war on Iraq, stealth taxes or crime.”

Angie Bray said: “The Mayor earns over £100,000 a year, and is still not willing to put his money on Labour holding Hammersmith and Fulham. Mr Livingstone knows full well that the people of Hammersmith and Fulham have had enough of being taken for granted by Labour both at City Hall and in Westminster.”

Hammersmith & Fulham Conservative Candidate, Greg Hands, said: “One of the key issues of this General Election campaign in Hammersmith & Fulham is Labour’s plan to extend the Congestion Charging zone to our borders. I have consistently campaigned against this and believe it would force thousands of extra cars onto our already gridlocked streets, as drivers attempt to avoid the soon-to-be £8 daily charge.

“I am pleased that Ken Livingstone thinks I will win and perhaps this might prompt him to listen to Hammersmith & Fulham residents, the vast majority of whom are completely opposed to his C-Charge extension plans!”

 

Transcript:

AB: Have you heard what I’ve heard in the last day or so that Tony Blair is absolutely livid that a Labour Mayor, supported by his Labour colleagues is seeking to impose - well is going to impose - a 60% tax hike on Londoners just ahead of a general election. I wonder whether you’ve had a few words with him about it and I wonder in particular whether you’ve had a few words with the local labour party in Hammersmith & Fulham who are going to find it even more difficult to hang onto the seat there than they perhaps were before as a result of what your doing on the congestion charging both westwards and in term of increasing it.

KL: I mean I had no knowledge of your contacts with Tony Blair certainly for him the decisive issue in my re-admittance to the labour party was the success of the congestion charge and he has never said anything other than how impressed he was with the technical efficiency and competence of what he’s seen.

AB: Well I think of course the proof will be in places like H&F who find it creeping ever closer to them, but I wonder if you have had words there because I know the local labour councillor is very concerned about the negative image its giving the labour party locally.

KL; I mean I think the strength of the mayoral system is a mayor can do things which are unpopular in one area or for one layer of the community in London, but overall have an overall benefit for London. If you over do that you’ll lose the job. I think the reason I was re-elected by an 11% margin when Labour was losing virtually everything else in the country was an indication that even people who don’t agree with me recognise I will deliver and drive through the policies that will make London work.

AB: Well nobody recognises what you mean by the word consultation. But let me just finally ask you are you prepared to have a little bet with me on the outcome of the election in Hammersmith and Fulham?

KL: Well I mean, given that, what’s the labour majority in Hammersmith and Fulham, 600?

Chair: Can I just intervene here we are in a purder period so far as the general election is concerned. I just want to warn the participants in this exchange to be careful.

AB: I just asked him whether he’s prepared to have a bet on the outcome of the result in Hammersmith & Fulham.

KL: I mean I’m sorry I don’t earn enough to squander money on gambling.

AB: Ah so you agree with me, so you have effectively you know ruined your chances.

KL: I’m trying to remember, as I recall isn’t Hammersmith & Fulham susceptible to a one and a half percent swing to the Tories. I mean I don’t actually think you’ll be able to read very much into that. I certainly suspect every labour loss…

AB: <Interruption>… so you think it ours anyway, well I’ll pass that onto the Labour candidate

KL: I suspect every Labour loss will be put down to the war in Iraq, or stealth taxes or crime.

AB: <interruption> …well yours is another labour tax rise, we can add that to the list.

Chair: Can I move on other people want to come in on this.

AB: Yes you may.

April 10, 2005