Video: Richard Barnes calls on AMs to “break free” from back room deals
Conservative politicians on the London Assembly have accused their opponents of a “squalid stitch-up” deals after an agreement between the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green parties saw Darren Johnson and Jeanette Arnold elected as Chair and Deputy Chair of the Assembly. Johnson was Deputy Chair to Arnold during during the last session of the Assembly.
As discussed in today’s interview with Johnson, an agreement was reached following last year’s Greater London Authority elections to ensure Londoners didn’t find a Conservative Mayor being scrutinised by a Conservative controlled Assembly.
At today’s Annual General Meeting of the Assembly the Conservatives proposed alternative nominees for the positions which were then blocked by the pre-determined votes of what Conservative AM Roger Evans called “the progressive coalition”. Evans’ colleague Tony Arbour was less generous, describing the other parties as a “ragbag of minorities”.
Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes called on AMs in other parties to “break free” from back room deals and elect his colleague Victoria Borwick for Deputy Chair. Mr Barnes said Borwick represented “a large swathe” of the capital’s voters and called on Members to elect her to what he described as a largely ceremonial role.
Members from the three parties say their agreement mirrors arrangements during the tenure of Ken Livingstone.
Speaking after his election Mr Johnson said he believed “the next twelve months will be a crucial time for the future of our city as we seek to pull out of recession and alleviate its impact on individual Londoners.”
Tony Arbour’s a waste of space. Congratulations to Darren and Jennette.
It was Boris Johnson that accused Ken’s men of corruption and syphoning money of projects that were financed by the London tax payers. All this was claimed during Boris Johnson’s campaigning to become Mayor for London. But later all this was disproved after Boris Johnson became Mayor for London. There was no corruption or mis-use of public money by Ken Livingston’s office or employee’s so it looks like Boris and his conservative adviser’s misled the public to gain votes to become Mayor. So who has stitched who up. It looks a bit like Boris Johnson and his conservative’s are the stitch up merchants. So much for Boris Johnson’s Transparency and Accountablity. Boris and the conservative Piliticians want their bread buttered both sides.
Finally someone is recognizin the fine work Victoria Borwick does, make her chairman rather than deputy, why should someone “who represnts a large swathe of London voters” be placed in a cerimonial position?
The claim that this deal “mirrors the deals” done in 2000 and 2004 is erroneous. Most notably, the 2000 deal involved the Lib Dems sharing power with Labour although they seem keen to forget that small point now.
The circumstances also vary in other important ways, as I explain in my own blog report of the meeting.
In Political term’s can someone explain to me what ” Rag Bag Minorits ” actually means as I may wish to responed to Roger Even’s comment.
In Political term’s can someone explain to me what ” Rag Bag Minorities ” actually means as I may wish to responed to Roger Even’s comment.
Hi Leo
The rag bag comment wasn’t made by Roger, it was made by one of his colleagues.