KHOODEELAAR! evidential note on the wastefulness of G20 summitiaring

1355 Hrs GMT London Thursday 2 Ap[ril 2009


KHOODEELAAR! evidential note on the wastefulness of G20 summitiaring

[To be continued]




http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23670350-details/Hosting+G20+summit+%27will+cost+taxpayers+80million%27/article.do

Hosting G20 summit 'will cost taxpayers £80million'
Jonathan Prynn
02.04.09

Hosting the G20 summit will cost Britain's economy £80million, more than four times the Government's official estimate.

As well as the bills for costs such as police overtime, food, hotel rooms and goodie bags for visiting dignitaries, there will also be a big knock-on effect for businesses in London, according to an economic think tank's calculations.

Foreign office minister and G20 special envoy Lord Malloch-Brown estimated the cost to the taxpayer at only £19million insisting it would be "worth it". But Douglas McWilliams, head of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said this was a huge underestimate as it does not include the impact on the private sector.

He said: "First, transport is disrupted we estimate a cost is lost productivity from greater time spent in transport because of increased security and shut roads of £28.2 million.

"And if a fifth of the workers in central London have to go home an hour early for fear of disruption this would cost a further £24.4million." He added that the taxpayer would likely have to fork out another £10million for all the months of preparation and concluded: "It is unlikely that Londoners and the UK taxpayer will get away with a bill of much less than £80 million."

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "An incredible amount of taxpayers' money is being spent on Gordon Brown's political posturing. While he is jet-setting around, the rest of the country want genuine help such as lower taxes."

The Government has insisted that the gathering has been a "budget" summit and Lord Malloch-Brown said: "If [the summit] is the signal of restored confidence in the world economy it'll be worth every penny."

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Reader Views (6) Add your view | Show all
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
Gordon you are fired.....

- London Eye, UK

Mr. Brown, Have you not already succeeded in doing what any other primemister has failed to do? You have already bankrupt Britian, and now you hosting summits to boost your ego. none of these countries are interested in bring economic stability due to the fact that it was created by the united states and Britain, and whilst Obama has apologised to some extend, we have had no app=ology from Brown.
Why would India be interested in an economic stimulus? their economy is still growing 6-7% a year, it about time Britain faced the truth - we are bankrupt and it will take several decades to recover from the position our Banks have placed us in.

- Raminber Bhalla, Northolt

Gee Crash, did you not think you were unpopular enough with the electorate - not that we ever got a chance to vote for/against you! - but you wanted to put the final nail in your coffin?

- Marianne, SW France


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