• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

Final question then. Don't you think Londoners, not politically-motivated weirdoes like ourselves, but the average Londoner, will reach the conclusion if they haven't already, that you are as much an obstacle to progress with the Tube as anyone else? And that you are merely finding yet another ditch to fight in on a politically-motivated campaign and you are basically denying funding for the Tube because you don't really have a Plan B which will secure that funding?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

The poll is extremely badly written from a market research point of view. You are going to get a very heavily biased result on it. Finally, how do you feel about saying to Londoners that they shouldn't vote in the local elections for any candidates who have supported PPP?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

I don't know if you've spotted that London Underground is doing its own poll and it actually junked a lot of the votes that didn't go in its favour because they said it was fraudulent or something. Have you spotted that?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

You are implying then, I can see, that if the contracts are signed you are going to go back to the body bags argument which, I think, is a rather distasteful argument, but you are saying the Health and Safety Executive doesn't have the independence to review this and reach a conclusion about safety for Londoners?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

Is their remit not to be professional and to not compromise their principles under critical pressure?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

Obviously that's a problem then if you are saying you don't think they are independent. The Mayor: I don't. John Biggs: You don't think the Health and Safety Executive are independent?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

My question, Chair, was what have you actually asked Tony Blair to do? It's all very well saying the contracts are a nightmare but there has to be an alternative. The Liberal Democrats have championed the bond issue as an alternative. Have you asked Tony Blair to adopt that and thus to overrule his Chancellor?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

Mr Mayor, while we support the final stage in the legal proceedings, Lynne Featherstone has made the point very well that public opinion, properly exercised through the ballot box, should ultimately trump the Law Courts and you should be leading Londoners in that. It is regrettable that you won't come out more strongly. We will have to accept for today your comment that Labour candidates will be damaged in the May local elections because of their and their Government's support for this. I wanted to ask you about the bond issue report, which, I am sure you will be aware...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

Will you publish the responses you get from all London Members of Parliament as a matter of urgency?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 27 March 2002

You've sent the papers to the Prime Minister for his personal attention. Will you also send it to all Labour MPs in London for their attention?