• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

I have heard your comments about local discretion on taxation. Would you be in favour of there being an income tax that you could levy on Londoners yourself?

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

Yes there is.

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

Or bringing some of the money back that is being paid to sustain outside.

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

Clearly if it is too expensive, it will probably never get off the ground.

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

You could give Scotland the Olympics and we could have Crossrail.

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

You state in this article `Crossrail is even more important than the glamour of the Games'.

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

I noticed that you have taken a full page in your favourite paper, the Evening Standard, to extol the virtues of Crossrail. Does this presage a change in your perception?

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

Thank you; that is interesting. In fact, the House of Commons Transport Committee report did say that doubt had been cast on the Crossrail project on the grounds that the finance needed for the Olympic transport programme would rather reduce the availability of funding for Crossrail.

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

No doubt.

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 21 June 2006

Are you saying this is all part of a cunning plan for your next re-election campaign?