There’s a neat little story in the Japan Times today about how various diplomats have stopped paying Red Ken’s ‘congestion’ car taxes in London:
The biggest debtor is the United States, which owes over £2 million. Japan is currently in second place. More than £10 million is owed by 20 embassies, according to Transport for London.
The U.S. and German embassies stopped paying the charge in July 2005 and there are thought to be around 50 missions not paying now.
While opposing their actions, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone knows there is nothing he can do by law to prevent the diplomats’ refusal to cough up.
What’s especially funny about this is that Livingstone is beclowning himself so thoroughly by comparing this with the aggression of old militarist Japan:
He told a radio station: “I think there are several problems with Japan that we could go on about here. Admitting their guilt for all the war crimes would be one thing. So if they’ve not got round to doing that, I doubt they’re too worried about the congestion charge.”
How did this fool get elected?