A leading London Conservative has accused Mayor Ken Livingstone of
undermining the capital's tourism and of returning to the GLC-style antics
of the early 1980s when London was declared a "nuclear free zone", Martin
McGuinness & Jerry Adams were invited to City Hall and the GLC spent more
time talking about GLC foreign policy [sic] than about the problems faced by
Londoners.

Peter Forrest, Conservative GLA candidate for Haringey, hit out after the
Mayor unveiled plans to host a £10,000 'City Hall for Peace' reception to
coincide with US President George Bush's state visit to Britain next month.

Conservatives highlight that the GLA economics unit has recently produced a
report showing how the recession in tourism -- especially from the US -- is
having an adverse impact on the capital's economy.

Peter Forrest commented:

"This is yet another piece of gesture politics on Mayor Livingstone's part
and an example of how he is getting up to his old GLC days tricks. It will
remind Londoners that he is the same Livingstone as in 1980s when London was
declared a "nuclear free zone", Martin McGuinness & Jerry Adams were invited
to City Hall and the GLC spent more time talking about GLC foreign policy
[sic] than about the problems faced by Londoners.

Tourism is in recession and events like this are hardly likely to send the
right signal to intending tourists from the US -- one of London's biggest
tourism partners.

To misquote another Labour politician: this is an 'eye-catching initiative
with which he can be personally associated' and yet another convenient
distraction from tackling the pressing problems of London".

ENDS.