Search questions

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

I'm trying to find out what powers you actually have when the Mayor is away. Supposing there was a 11 September situation, for example a plane crashed into the House of Commons, the Mayor was in Australia, all flights were postponed, as they were after 11 September, and there's you, in London, in charge. What actions could you take in such a situation?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

I was not suggesting anything like that. I was asking you what real decisions you would make. Despite the marvels of modern communication, it seems unlikely that it would be possible to communicate, even with your literary skills, precisely what was happening here in London to the Mayor, and the chances are therefore that you would have to make some decisions on your own. What kind of decisions would they be? Indeed, what decisions have you made on your own?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

So you would accept that you could not reassure Londoners, despite the fact that you are the anointed one, that the Mayor has laid his hands upon you and that he has given you full powers?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Would you write her speeches in those circumstances?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

I strongly agree with Mr Fletcher's view that it is not appropriate and not our purpose to enquire into his personal life, but I can't understand either why he feels it necessary to be reticent about his political views when he is acting as the Mayor in the absence of the Mayor himself. Perhaps I can ask a question in a positive fashion. We don't want to be involved in some kind of McCarthyite enquiry about what your political connections are. With your links with Socialist Action, do you feel that the Mayor has benefited from having political advice from...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

I will respectfully put it to you that if you're acting as the Mayor, it is a matter of interest to Londoners. If they were going to have Mr Livingstone running again in the future, they might like to know whether the person running the shop when he is away is somebody from the far left or from the political mainstream. People can then make their political judgement, whether they want to vote for somebody like that, can't they?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Why are you so reticent in talking about the quality of the political advice that you're giving?