CaptainWaggett

OK, I can 100% assure you that I have seen Ken on the tube without a camera in sight(though yes, he did have a chap with him, perhaps a PA of some sort). While he was Mayor. Possibly he has security but he'd have that in a car. How do you expect him to travel? If he goes by car he's called an envronmental hypocrite (and I'd still like to see some evidence that the car pictured above is his) and if he travels by public transport then you complain because he might have security. Would you prefer he walked from North London to the GLA building every day? On his own?

tonyb

Can i drive the lexus!!!!oops

"MR GRIMSDALE"-----" they`re at it again"

davidb

id just prefer it if he travelled like every other prominent politician ,i would guess a ministerial car and a bodygaurd is probably the most cost effective ,but to be fair to ken hes a career politician and he'll have seen some good free publicity in joining joe and joanne public on the tube ,what surprises me most is that people dont see through it ,oh and he doesnt need a tv crew or camera ,word of mouth will suffice in some cases ,but i bet his security sometimes wishes hed just get in a car !

davidb

if i could drive david cameroons lexus with him cycling away in front ,i might forget which is the brake and which is the accelorator pedal ! , the only man who has ever entered the houses of parliament with honest intentions was guy fawlkes !

samkydd

I'm quite sure that Ken isn't short of friends to give him a lift home rather than leave him to stagger down deep steps into The Underground and risk falling between the gap as the train doors open.

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

christoph404

The official word from Ken Livingston's campaign office ( I gave them a call and they are very happy to chat, after they stopped laughing at my question that is!) is that he does not own a car of any type, nor does he have access to a private limo or driver.He doesn't use Taxis either. He travels to and from work every day using tube and bus.If he is travelling with someone it is normally a member of his staff or campaign team. If Ken was to travel in a gas guzzling limo while claiming to only use public transport then the tabloids would be quick to pick up on it and as such there has been no such stories.

davidb

the mayor of london will have access to a car ,gas guzzler or not ,whether he personally likes cars or not ,do they tell visiting dignitaries to slum it and catch the no 25 bus from the airport ?,if the mayor of london or his offices do not have access to a car i will eat my hat , note ;you dont have to own or drive a car to have access to it

davidb

on the general question of leaving the uk in droves ,where exactly is everyone heading ? mainland europe is where a lot of the laws and rules these people object to come from ,i know from a friend in the usa that the same "problems "we have here also exist there ,if your worried about poles lowering uk wages [ im on the fence in this context ,playing devils advocate ] theyre worried about the mexicans doing the same ,if your worried about the criminal being looked at as " also a victim " by the law ,snap over there too ,dont know about australia ,but im intrigued as to the whereabouts of this utopia where everyones going , perhaps its just the weather people are escaping from

CaptainWaggett

Your point being? Nobody is denying that he uses a posh car when showing Hugo Chavez the sights but the claim was made that he uses a limo for his own private purposes eg going to and from work. This is not true. If he's using the tube in order to get good publicity, he needs a new PR spin-doctor since I've never once seen this mentioned in the press.

christoph404

As I already mentioned earlier, one of the first things Ken Livingston did when he was elected Mayor was to cancel the contract for private limos and drivers for the Mayors office and to use part of that budget to buy travel cards for all his staff instead. There is no permanent car pool for the Mayors office or a car on standby for Ken Livingston's use, nor is there a staff of drivers to ferry Ken or his staff around therefore he does not have access to a car at his Office of Mayor. There is a taxi rank at Heathrow Airport, visiting dignitaries could use that, or Ken could send a mini cab I suppose but he wouldn't be sending the Mayors limo because there isn't one. This is probably a debate where people will just choose what they want to believe regardless of facts or evidence, the Mayors Office is on 0207 783 1172, if you really wanted to know you could always ask them, they seem very helpful,...... but then they could just be telling a pack of lies I suppose....think I will bail out of this particular subject of debate!

samkydd

Private limo services are used for foreign visitors, mostly supplied free of charge by the airline depending on the passenger's ticket status. If it's Emirates Club Class or First Class you get an E Class Mercedes and chauffeur who will deliver you and your luggage free within a 60 mile radius of London. If you're a budget airline economy passenger you get the 'bus or tube!

It's a very romantic notion to go and live in a nice sunny country, but like other such notions like running away with a woman half your age and twice your stamina, it doesn't always work out as one had hoped. People who do make a permanent move are very brave and they must have suffered terribly in the UK to want to turn their back on their country, friends and families. I would imagine that they feel so let down by their government that there is no alternative but to leave, but the way some European governments treat Brits living abroad is often far worse than even our lot!

If they have to use Heathrow's Terminal 5 they'd be hard pushed to escape anywhere!

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

davidb

so in other words ken has access to a car ,why do they put on such a charade ?,like it or loathe it the car is here ,a modern car with engine management computer etc is very clean ,its not just about tax is it ?

christoph404

Or the Paddington Express, its very fast, about 15 minutes one way but very expensive at £15 single! Thats a pound per minute! Must be one of the most expensive train journeys in the UK, I've used it once or twice when I can't face the 45min tube trip to Heathrow.

samkydd

I'd say it was sour grapes because he can't drive and he wouldn't want to humiliate himself in the eyes of the public by having lessons.

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

HIPPIEDAVE

Politicians are amongst the greatest actors this country has ever produced, The House of Commons is no different to Hollywood, although the latter is at least entertaining.