The Metropolis

Mayor Johnson cuts council tax by £3.10. What will you buy?

Mike Pollitt | Wednesday 1 February, 2012 11:49

Like a needy loner trying to make friends in a bar, Mayor Johnson has just bought everyone a pint*. And he’s not going to shut up about it.

This morning he announced a 1% cut in his share of council tax. For a band D home, that works out at £3.10 less per year.

So why has he bothered? It’s to create a dividing line. Here’s a quote from the accompanying press release:

I promised to end the culture of waste created by Ken Livingstone and keep taxes low…The choice at this election could not be clearer. My record shows that, whenever possible, we keep taxes and charges low.

We saw yesterday that the central message of the Livingstone campaign, at this point, is Ken = low fares and Boris = high fares.

The central message of the Johnson campaign, at this point, is Ken = wasteful and Boris = prudent.

Casting Ken Livingstone as wasteful has some mileage in it. Casting Mayor Johnson as prudent is a much tougher ask.

It cuts against his personal image, and falls apart when it hits the loss-making bike hire scheme, the as-yet-unfunded cable car, and all the other flights of fancy which didn’t get built.

But this move does allow him to say “I cut council tax. Ken didn’t.” Expect to hear a lot of that between now and last orders. It will get votes. Just don’t expect him to buy you any more pints.

*A Sam Smith’s pint at least, if not a gastropint.

Mayorwatch – Boris cuts Council Tax by £3.10
BackBoris 2012 – Boris: Help me cut your council tax
Snipe – No-one seems to know if Ken Livingstone’s 7% fare cut is achievable. But it’s still good politics

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