Labour-Free LDA Board: Mayor's Office Statement

It says:

"There is no requirement under the GLA Act for LDA board members to be from any particular political party, however the current appointments of the four statutory elected members following the application process represent a reasonable political balance with two representatives from the Conservative Party, one from the Liberal Democrats and an unaffiliated City of London member. It is worth noting that out of 137 applications received for the LDA Board only two were from elected Labour representatives."

A "reasonable political balance"? Can't see the Labour group buying that. Mind you, just two applicants out of 137?

Comments

[Benny]

It should be noted that the first thing Ken Livingstone did when Eric Ollerenshaw lost his Tory list seat on the assembly in 2004 was to appoint him to the LDA board (in his Hackney councillor capacity).

For all Ken's bad points, he did accept that there was more than one political party in the capital and reflected that in such appointments.

[Sam]

In addition to the 'official' Tory representatives on the board, we appear to have a former Tory adviser (Fran Beckett) and a former Tory councillor (Edmund Lazarus). Indeed, Jeremy Mayhew may be a 'Non-party Common Councilman' with the City according to the Mayor's press release, but he was also a former Special Adviser to Peter Lilley. Which is interesting.

[Roger Evans]

I'm surprised there were only two Labour applicants. When I do shortlisting for public appointments there are usually more socialists than you can shake a stick at. Perhaps they are taking their bat and ball away...