MAYOR NEEDS GOBSTOPPER NOT WALNUT WHIP

12.01.00am GMT Wed 18th Feb 2004

Lib Dems propose only a 2.7% increase in Council Tax compared to Ken Livingstone

Commenting ahead of the final Budget announcement for the GLA later today (18th February 2004), Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes called for Mr Livingstone to reduce his increase in Council Tax from the price of a Walnut Whip to the price of a Gobstopper.

The Liberal Democrats have proposed just a 2.7% rise on current levels - equivalent to just 11 pence per week rather than the current 7.5% or 33p a week increase proposed by Ken Livingstone.

Simon Hughes said:-

"It is time Mayor Livingstone stopped looking at Walnut Whips and started looking at Gobstoppers. His 'I spend now, you pay later' proposals are set to leave Londoners smarting from yet another big rise in their Council Tax.

"It is now official that Ken Livingstone has doubled his slice of Council Tax since he came to power. It is time that he stopped throwing around other people's cash and started to offer real value for money for the taxpayers of London."

ENDS

Presenting his plans to the London Assembly on the 28th January 2004, the mayor said the increase was a small amount, and compared it to the cost of a walnut whip.