Coleman fumes over Mayor’s ‘royal visit’

6:36pm Monday 3rd December 2007

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THE tit-for-tat war of words between "Blue" Barnet Councillor Brian Coleman and "Red" Mayor of London Ken Livingstone continued to gather pace last week, with the former falling over himself to criticise the mayor's extravagant publicity trip to India.

"The Mayor of London is taking a larger entourage than the Queen," Mr Coleman scoffed.

"He is right to be going to India but it is total madness that he is taking 80 people with him, including Myleene Klass and dancers from the musical Stomp."

Mr Coleman was far from being the only public figure to slam Mr Livingstone for the £740,000 trip. But the sting of his criticism is somewhat removed in the context of the ongoing battle between the two politicians, which invariably centres around who hates Londoners more and who wastes more of their money.

Mr Livingstone's justification for the cost of the trip was that it would be worth it if it created only six new jobs in London, which he believed it would. If that's the case, he should be mindful next time he chooses to speak out over Mr Coleman's annual £10,000 taxi bill, and remember that the benevolent councillor is keeping one poor London cabbie in work.