• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 24 May 2000

Are you not concerned that the loss of power and sovereignty will be more harmful to London than to the rest of the country?

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 24 May 2000

My understanding then is that your Chief of Staff and you will choose the rest of the so-called Mayor's Office or Mayor's inner cabinet, but you would expect them to be also reporting to us as Members of the Assembly. Do you think that could become a little bit confusing?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 24 May 2000

Did you see the Prime Minister's comment in the House of Commons last week, and I quote, "no, the Labour members of the GLA as far as I"m aware have made it clear that they do not support congestion charging', which is exactly what it says on the front page of the Labour manifesto for these elections. I know where you stand, you know where I stand, but why are you so intent upon introducing a form of taxation which is in fact deeply regressive because it takes no account of ability to pay?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 24 May 2000

Your position on congestion charges has always been perfectly clear. If you are anticipating that you would have a consensus, rather than a narrow majority for the introduction of congestion charges in say two years time, is it not true that any group or members which have signed up to opposition to congestion charges for the next four years will have to shift their ground for you to achieve that?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 24 May 2000

I am aware that the Conservative Party is trying to mis-represent Labour policy even down to mis-representing what was on the front cover of our manifesto which, if I recall correctly, had the signature "Frank" and then said "to the point" underneath. I don't think it mentioned congestion charging on the front cover. But let us be clear this Assembly has, in essence, endorsed the Labour Party's policy, the Labour Party's manifesto policy on this. We have made it clear at our last meeting that the Assembly agrees and these are the words from the Labour Party manifesto that it...