WELL WELL WELL, AT LAST IT'S BEEN FORCED OUT INTO THE OPEN. COUNCIL TAXPAYERS IN THE CAPITAL (Londoners only) WILL BE FORCED TO PAY MORE THAN EXPECTED IF THE COST OF STAGING THE LONDON OLYMPICS OVERRUNS -

SO SAID THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORTS, TESSA JOWELL, WHEN REPORTING TO HER COMMITTEE IN OCTOBER 2005. (Does anyone remember being told this when she and the other Olympic supporters were telling Londoners what a wonderful deal had been struck between the London Mayor and the Government ?)

ASKED TO PROTECT LONDONERS BY PLACING A " CAP " ON THE AMOUNT OF LOSSES LONDONERS COULD FIND THEMSELVES STUCK WITH, TESSA REPLIED (Quote) " WHAT I CANNOT SAY IS THAT THERE WILL BE ANY GUARANTEE THERE WILL BE A CAP ". (Take that as a "NO, there will be no limit to the losses Londoners will have to meet ") MIND YOU, SHE ALSO SAID THAT (Quote) " THERE IS A DAILY VIGILANCE ON MONITORING THE COSTS AND TAKING ALL REASONABLE STEPS AVAILABLE TO CONTAIN THOSE COSTS TO THE FIGURES SUBMITTED IN THE CANDIDATE FILE " (Unquote) So that should make us all sleep easier then - or will it. !

LET LONDONERS HOPE THAT THE "DAILY VIGILANCE " TO CONTAIN COSTS IS JUST A TEENY WEENY BIT BETTER THAN THE MANNER IN WHICH THE COSTS OF " THE DOME " - THE MILLENIUM BRIDGE - AND THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT BUILDING WERE JUST ALLOWED TO RUN OUT OF CONTROL.

IF THE LONDON POLITICIANS WERE UNABLE, OR UNWILLING TO TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE COSTS CAN WE REALLY EXPECT THEM TO WORRY UNDULY ABOUT THE COST OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES, WHEN ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS TO TRANSFER THE LOSSES TO THE LOTTERY AND LONDONERS, LEAVING THE SPECULATORS, ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS, CONTRACTORS, DEVELOPERS, AND OTHER UK CITIES TO CLEAN UP WITH THEIR GAINS, WHILST LONDONERS CLEAR UP THE DEBTS ?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS ALREADY CONCEDED THAT THE PAYBACK PERIOD BY COUNCIL TAX PAYERS MAY BE AS LONG AS 12 YEARS BUT HER RECENT COMMENTS HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED BY SOME AS AN INDICATION THAT LONDON COUNCIL TAX PAYERS COULD BE PAYING OFF SOME OF THE COST OF THESE GAMES FOR MANY MORE YEARS BEYOND THE CUT-OFF POINT. ARE LONDONERS REALLY GOING TO ALLOW THIS CONFIDENCE TRICK TO BE PERPETRATED ON THEM - LET'S HOPE NOT. 

                      SAY " NO " TO THE LONDONERS ONLY OLYMPIC LEVY