To mark the Greater London Authority's tenth birthday, Martin at Mayorwatch has been looking back at the very first Mayor's Question Time, starring the then independent Ken Livingstone. He's compiled a report based on the minutes of that day's proceedings. Here's a highlight:
Livingstone announced three further appointments to his 'cabinet' of advisors – Green Party AM Darren Johnson will advise on environmental issues and Liberal Democrat AM Graham Tope will advise on equalities and human rights issues. As reported last week, the Corporation of London's Judith Mayhew will advise the Mayor on business and the City. The first full meeting of the Mayor's 'cabinet' has been announced for June 20th.
Livingstone later dispensed with the cabinet idea. That didn't prevent Boris Johnson's pledging to form a "cabinet for London" during the last election campaign, a promise that was never kept.
Here's another highlight:
During the meeting Assembly Members quizzed Livingstone on his flagship policy of introducing a congestion charge with Conservative AM Bob Neill questioning the fairness of a charge which did not take account of the ability to pay. In response Mr Livingstone indicated that he would try and build a "public consensus" in favour of the charge.
He later told Neill's colleague Andrew Pelling that the introduction of the congestion charge was the biggest issue facing the new Authority and predicted that if successfully implemented it could become a model for such schemes around the world.
Doesn't time fly? Now read on.
