Time for London Mayor to stop playing games
Our club and game is part of the leisure industry with the aim of bringing people together – by it’s nature politics DIVIDES..
You may remember that following his broadside against West Ham fans following the Burnley match he followed up by making a series of comments that included the incredible and still unsubstantiated claims that over 150 offences were committed.
We have been told that to date the police have still to charge anybody with anything despite his claims!
As a result ClaretandHugh sent 10 questions aimed at helping the situation. Today – 11 DAYS LATER – through a spokesman he responded with a statement answering none of them.
Instead he pointed out the failings of his predecessor Boris Johnson and his team who he claims ‘has tied the taxpayer into lengthy and legally binding contracts with West Ham United, UK Athletics and stadium operators LS185’
He adds that differences of opinion could now go to the courts which presumably could involve the taxpayers in forking out even more unnecessary expense – the very thing he claims he’s trying to correct.
The reality is that money continues to be wasted. In June 2017 we revealed that £3.3m has been spent on external legal fees relating to the London Stadium and that sum continues to grow and is well over £4m now.
Mayor Khan has employed an expensive restructuring consultant who in turn has employed more consultants plus another spending a further £140,000 on a report to tell us what we already knew.
The stadium owners have even turned down money from West Ham when Karren Brady offered to pay for a claret pitch surround which would have saved the taxpayer £160,000. They were turned down!
As Khan said in his statement today, the stadium will continue to ‘lose up to £20m every year unless action is taken’ and that ‘nobody should be under any illusions that there is going to be a quick fix’
So here’s my advice Sadiq, stop playing political games and stop spending millions on lawyers, consultants and reports.
Sit down at a table one to one with David Sullivan and try to resolve these problems out of the courts and out of the media spotlight.