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Freedom Pass Under Threat!
05 November 2009
The Times reported today, 5 November, that the Government, in the guise of local Labour MP Sadiq Khan, is set to take £30 million of funding from London’s pensioners. Having already sold out local residents on Post Office services it looks like Wandsworth pensioners are next in line. Transport Minister Sadiq Khan is pushing the plan, which will halve the funding for the Freedom Pass in London, which allows local pensioners to travel for free on the bus and tube network.
In preference to his own constituents, Sadiq is siphoning off the money to help his under threat colleagues in other inner city areas. Cities such as Derby, Exeter, Nottingham will benefit from extra money that comes directly at the expense of Wandsworth's pensioners.
Mark Clarke comments; “Sadiq Khan cares more about helping his friends Margaret Beckett and Ben Bradshaw hold on to their seats than his own constituents. He has shown once again his readiness to sell out local residents to further his Westminster career”.
The news upset many in London, changing what was seen to be an established budget. “It is quite simply outrageous for the Government to announce it intends to reconsider funding arrangements that were already agreed and we will be seeking urgent clarification from the minister on how this might affect Londoners,” Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London’s transport adviser commented.
Merrick Cockell, chairman of London Councils, added “Boroughs have already budgeted for this funding and now London is facing having the amount of funding it was promised almost halved.”
