LIVINGSTONE SPINS THE SAME BROKEN RECORD AS BRENT EAST

3.28.02pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 1st Jun 2004

In a press conference later today, Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate, Simon Hughes, will produce evidence to show that Labour Party member Mr Livingstone used the same tactic in his former seat of Brent East during the by-election last year which the Liberal Democrats won.

Mr Hughes will show that Mr Livingstone's real fear is that the Liberal Democrats come second when second preferences will be key to an election victory.

Commenting on Mr Livingstone's manifesto, Simon Hughes, said:-

"Livingstone's promises may sound attractive, but the voters must compare pledges he made in 2000 with what he has delivered over the last four years. On numerous key pledges, Blair's Mayor has failed to put into practice what he promised.

"Few deny congestion charge has been a success. However, Livingstone's share of Council Tax has doubled while many Londoner's feel that little has been provided in the way of extra services.

Commenting on Mr Livingstone's 'pitch' to Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes said:-

"Mr Livingstone has played this game before and lost. The outgoing Mayor said that it was between Labour and Tories in Brent East and it was the Liberal Democrats that won. Londoners will not be fooled and will know that a vote for Ken Livingstone is a vote for Blair's Mayor and Labour policies on the Iraq War, tuition fees and Council Tax.

"All the evidence shows that this election is between me and him. I am the only serious challenger to Ken Livingstone."

ENDS

Mr Hughes will hold a press conference later today at 13.30hrs in Brent East at 1 High Road, Willesden Green.

Over the last year Mr Livingstone has said:-

[In Brent East the Liberal Democrats] "could even deter enough Labour voters to hand victory to the Tories on a small turn-out." (Ken Livingstone Guardian 18th September 2003)

"Whoever becomes mayor, if the Liberal Democrats can, London-wide, overtake the Tories as they did in Brent East, I think you can go into the next election in a situation where the Conservative Party is pushed into a minority party status." (Guardian 25th September 2003)

"The risk in the by-election is that the Lib Dems may take enough votes in a low turnout to give the Tories a boost. As a Brent East voter I have no desire to see a Tory revival where I live. The truth is that any setback for Labour in Brent East would be a setback for everyone who has fought the Tories in Brent." (Letter to all Brent East voters in the by-election Sept 2003)