11 April 2012

Can't Afford Ken

Ken Livingstone has made at least £2.7billion worth of unfunded promises while campaigning to be Mayor of London.

A new report out today details each of the 24 promises Mr Livingstone has made to Londoners ‘on the record’ since becoming Labour’s official candidate for Mayor. The money, over and above the current fully funded plan, would have to come from GLA or TfL budgets.

Read the full report below

But Mr Livingstone is refusing to say how he will pay for these promises. In fact, he has told Londoners he will not reveal his financial plans ‘until the day after the election’.

But he has been forced to admit on the campaign trail that he is ‘going to increase your taxes’.

So, to deliver on his 24 promises, Mr Livingstone would have to:
1. Increase his share of council tax by £348 for a band D property over four years, and
2. Increase congestion charge by 42.1% or introduce a Heathrow Congestion Charge Zone.

Ken Livingstone says one thing but does another, making promises to Londoners which he knows he can’t keep. The report raises serious questions over where the money for these promises is coming from at a time when public finances are the tightest they have been for a decade.

There is only one way he can keep his promises – by continuing his record of hiking up council tax and increasing or expanding the congestion charge zone at a time when Londoners are struggling to make ends meet.

Mr Livingstone needs to be honest with Londoners and admit he will have to hike up taxes to fund his promises, or admit that he has no intention of delivering on his promises.

Read the full report here:

Can't Afford Ken

Categories: Campaign Updates, economy, London | Tags: Can't afford ken, Ken livingstone, Promises