Further Evidence Of Spin And Fudge (from Ealing Times)

Further Evidence Of Spin And Fudge (from Ealing Times): "‘Further evidence of spin and fudge’
By David Doyle

LONDON Mayor Ken Livingstone has admitted he has no funding for the controversial West London Tram (WLT).

The Mayor, who recently announced he would continue with the plan despite most residents opposing it, told London Assembly members he would have to apply to the Government for funds.

The leader of Ealing Council, Cllr Jason Stacey, said: 'He is about to take us through a very expensive public enquiry for something he doesn't have the money for.
continued...

'I'm glad he's finally admitted something we've all known for a long time - that he doesn't have the cash.'

Conservatives last week claimed the cost for the WLT could top �1 billion.

Richard Barnes, London Assembly member for Ealing and Hillingdon, said: 'The Mayor hasn't got the public support nor the cash to fund this ill-judged scheme.

'Perhaps the Mayor is secretly hoping the Treasury will provide him a get out clause by refusing funding, thus allowing him to save face seeing as he hasn't the grace to admit he was wrong.'

A recent Mori poll for Transport for London showed 44 per cent of residents were opposed to the WLT compared to 40 per cent in favour of it.

But Conservatives have accused Mr Livingstone of glossing over these statistics after it was learned three quarters of the opposition described themselves as 'vigorously against' it.

Angie Bray, London Assembly Conservative member for West Central London, said: 'This is further evidence of the Mayor attempting to spin and fudge poll results in order to justify this scheme.

'We will continue in our efforts to ensure that this proposal ends up where it belongs - and where most people want it - on the scrapheap.'"