Boris Johnson confused by Olympics

The 2012 London Olympics are getting closer with every day! Woo-hoo! Aren't you excited about seeing a bunch of overpaid school-sports-day throwbacks take part in a series of arbitrary tasks which will then determine who gets to stand on a podium with a shiny medal and smile a bit, all funded at extortionate cost by the taxpaying citizens of London itself? What's that? You're not? Weirdo.

Whatever your thoughts on the matter, this whole Olympic shindig is going to be a costly affair. Luckily for everyone a document was drawn up some time back which guarantees that Londoners will not be liable for any unexpected over-runs in cost (would have been nice to have been given the option of paying in the first place, though, wouldn't it?). Looks like nobody has told mayor Boris Johnson, however, who still reckons that further expenditure is a matter of 'dispute.'

When the BBC mentioned the spending guarantee to Johnson, he retorted:

"I rather doubt that it exists.There is a doubt the agreement that was struck between the former mayor and the Labour prime minister about the exact extent of London's obligations. There is a dispute at the moment between the GLA and the mayoralty and the government about who is up for over-runs in so far as they may or may not occur. The details are far from clear."

All of which came as a surprise to his predecessor Ken Livingstone:

"I find this bizarre. It was published in the House of Commons library, Boris could have seen it as an MP, I gave a copy to every member of the London Assembly. It specifies in writing, with the government's signature and mine, there will be no increase in the council tax and no increase in fares if there are any further cost over-runs."

Fair enough. Although - given the government's recent fondness for misplacing documents - who knows how easy it would really have been to find?

Written by C J Davies on 19 Jun 2008 11:04 PM. Permalink