LIB DEMS HIT BACK AT MAYOR'S SENSELESS ATTACK ON ASSEMBLY

5.25.20pm GMT Fri 2nd Feb 2007

Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman on the London Assembly Geoff Pope hit out this week at Mayor Livingstone's astonishing attack on the London Assembly, when he claimed that members wanted to axe free travel for the under 16s.

Geoff commented: "This is abject propaganda. Lib Dems have always strongly supported free travel for the under 16s. In fact, our budget proposals do more for families with children than the Mayor's own miserable effort does . We also want money spent on dedicated free school buses, better cycle routes, and fare reductions for those traveling before 7.30am -a real benefit for low-paid workers. The Tories on the Assembly are the only ones to have ever put forward plans to scrap free travel for under 16s. To tar everyone with the same brush is not only incorrect, it is shameful political opportunism".

Sally Hamwee, also warned that people should be look out for political opponents making other false accusations. She said " We are all accustomed to not believing everything we read in the papers. Equally we should not believe everything our opponents assert - if in doubt, check first. And remember, the more outrageous the assertion, the more we must have our opponents on the run. I am told the Mayor is claiming that the London Assembly is threatening the funding of London's commemoration of the bicentenary of the transatlantic slave trade. The fact is the London Assembly, and certainly the Liberal Democrat group here at City Hall, are making no such threat. If that's the level of attack, it's really a compliment"