Ken Livingstone has seized on comments by Tory Mayoral hopeful Boris Johnson at last nights Conservative hustings accusing him of planning “severe cuts in policing and transport in London.”
At last night’s even Mr Johnson told attendees “we have got to be absolutely clear where the scope for real economies is and the real big ticket for spending is the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London. That’s where the real savings, believe me, are to be found.”
Responding Mr Livingstone claimed “given that pay is by far the largest element in the police budget is impossible to substantially cut the Met budget without cutting police numbers.”
“The proposals for substantial reductions in transport spending follow from Boris Johnson’s extraordinary proposal last week to move over to the system of bus contracts that has failed the rest of the country rather than maintaining those in London which have brought a million and half extra bus journeys a day.”
23.15 Update: A spokesman for Mr Johnson told MayorWatch: “Boris is confident that there efficiencies to be made in both transport and the police but not at the expense of quality of service” adding “Boris is committed to delivering higher quality services at better value for the taxpayer.”
Comment: Tory Mayoral Hustings Report
