Prime Minister should apologise for misleading Londoners

10.00.00am GMT Thu 19th Jan 2006

Graham Tope, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly and Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority's Finance Committee has today written to the Prime Minister asking him to apologise for misleading the people of London.

In advance of the Prime Ministers visit to the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark south London last Tuesday, the Labour Party issued a press release in which the Prime Minister was quoted as saying "the LibDems on the London Assembly have consistently voted against the budgets that have paid for the extra officers now patrolling our streets."

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Graham Tope wrote:

"As the Mayor of London (Ken Livingstone) knows well, the London Assembly Liberal Democrat group has never advocated cutting the budget of the Metropolitan Police Service. My colleagues and I are on record in supporting the increases that have been to the Met in each of the last 5 years."

Graham Tope said:

"In the six years that I have been Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly and chairing the MPA's Finance Committee I have got used to Mayor Livingstone extending the truth beyond the facts, but this is not something I would expect of the Prime Minister. Mr Blair should issue an immediate and public apology for misleading the people of London."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1/ Full text of letter is set out below:

Dear Prime Minister

I have led the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly since May 2000 throughout which period I have also chaired the Finance Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority. In the six years that I have done these jobs I have become used to Mayor Livingstone extending the truth beyond the facts, but this is not something I would expect of you as Prime Minister.

I have been supplied with a copy of a Labour Party press release issued in advance of your visit to the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark last Tuesday. In this release you are quoted as saying…"but the LibDems on the London Assembly have consistently voted against the budgets that have paid for the extra officers now patrolling our streets."

As the Mayor of London knows very well, the London Assembly Liberal Democrat group has never advocated cutting the budget of the Metropolitan Police Service. My colleagues and I are on record in supporting the increases that have been given to the Met in each of the last 5 years. Last year we even urged the Mayor to spend more on policing than he was committed to.

You have been badly briefed on what the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly has proposed. Please apologise for misleading the people of London.

I look forward to an early statement and correction of the position.

Yours faithfully,

Graham Tope AM,

London Assembly, Liberal Democrat Group Leader

2/ A copy of the Labour Party's press release can be seen at http://www.labour.org.uk/index.php?id=news2005&ux_news%5Bid%5D=tbkenrespectpeckham&cHash=3dfa41b7dc