London Labour Mayoral candidate Oona King has been accused of backtracking over her pledges on the Freedom Pass – which allows pensioners to access London transport for free.

Blogger Ben Folley has written of instances where Oona stated that there was a case for abandoning universal provision of the Freedom Pass and adopting means testing.

23rd July, Croydon hustings: “The Government is threatening to means test the Freedom Pass. Do you believe it should be means tested?”

Oona King replied:

I don’t want to, but if budgets are tight, money is short, you need to prioritise. I want to help the poorest. That’s why we are in politics, to help the poorest, like my bus policy.. If there is a choice, then I want the money to go to the poorest, not to pay for the richest.. like Prince Charles to go free. My priority is for bus fares to be cut if possible paid for by money from the western extension, congestion charge…

29th July, Brent hustings: “There has been some talk that the Freedom Pass may be means tested. Are there any circumstances in which you would accept this?”

Oona King replied:

There are some circumstances that I would accept saying to someone like Prince Philip or other extremely rich pensioners in London that you can no longer have free travel in London, the average not the poorest pensioner. I think we should extend it onto train companies for example
…
But if you are the mayor and you have got less money coming in you need to ensure the average pensioner can have the same experience or better than those richer ones you need to accept means testing.

But Oona King has now sent out a mailer responding to these claims and calling them “fibs”. She said:

I support – and I will defend with every breath in my body – the Freedom Pass. Pensioners and the disabled need and deserve free travel around London.

I wrote this in my transport manifesto which I published two weeks ago, you can read it here.

Some bloggers are calling it a gaffe.

Martin Hoscik from MayorWatch told us it did not bode well for Oona:

Freedom Pass is administered by London Councils and is protected by primary legislation as a universal scheme. The law doesn’t allow for means testing and any changes outside the statutory minimum needs all london boroughs to agree them.

The real issue is that Team Oona allowed her to comment in response to fears people have expressed to her, rather than learn how the scheme works and calm their fears. It’s not exactly leadership stuff to be honest, and the Mayor has to be a leader.

He also wrote earlier on why the Freedom Pass shouldn’t become a political football.

Update 18:50 pm The row over the Freedom Pass escalates. We’ve been notified that Len Duvall, leader of the Labour Group at the GLA, sent out an email to Labour councillors today stating:

We have to be clear in this debate. It simply does not help Labour to have arguments in favour of means testing the Freedom Pass being mobilised in this way. I welcome the fact that Oona now wishes to change the position she took in these hustings. But London Labour cannot afford to have ambiguity on such important issues when they come up.

Some press reports suggest that the Tory government may be considering a means test for the national pensioners’ travel concession. So we cannot afford to have arguments in London that help that case either. And if we are not going to do it, why make the case for means testing?

Len Duvall is supporting Ken Livingstone for London’s Mayoral candidate.

Reader comments

1. Liberal Conspiracy

   Oona King backtracks on Freedom Pass pledge http://bit.ly/ddb7ZA

2. joe derrett

   RT @libcon: Oona King backtracks on Freedom Pass pledge http://bit.ly/ddb7ZA

3. Liberal Conspiracy

   Is Oona King unsure of how the London Freedom Pass works? Our story updated: http://bit.ly/ddb7ZA

4. sunny hundal

   @MayorWatch I've updated the story with your points. http://bit.ly/ddb7ZA

5. Adam White

   RT @libcon: Is Oona King unsure of how the London Freedom Pass works? Our story updated: http://bit.ly/ddb7ZA

6. Liberal Conspiracy

   Freedom Pass row escalates; London Labour leader @len_duvall criticises @Oona_King for "changing her position" http://bit.ly/ddb7ZA

7. Adam Bienkov

   Oona King tying herself in knots about the Freedom Pass http://bit.ly/aMKPBG

8. Leon Green

   RT @AdamBienkov: Oona King tying herself in knots about the Freedom Pass http://bit.ly/aMKPBG

9. Political Scrapbook

   RT @AdamBienkov: Oona King tying herself in knots about the Freedom Pass http://bit.ly/aMKPBG

10. Andy Sutherland

    RT @AdamBienkov: Oona King tying herself in knots about the Freedom Pass http://bit.ly/aMKPBG

11. Ben Furber

    RT @AdamBienkov: Oona King tying herself in knots about the Freedom Pass http://bit.ly/aMKPBG

12. Steve Chambers

    RT @AdamBienkov: Oona King tying herself in knots about the Freedom Pass http://bit.ly/aMKPBG < She doesn't really know London politics.

13. Cath Ronay

    RT @AdamBienkov: Oona King tying herself in knots about the Freedom Pass http://bit.ly/aMKPBG

14. Seph Brown | It is dangerous to be right…

    [...] This is not funny. Not least of all when seemingly trying to make political capital out of your opponent’s age. Brazenly attacking his breadth of experience could also be a miscalculation when it appears that her positions on some of the most important issues facing Londoners are less than consistent. [...]

15. SOCIALIST UNITY » NEGATIVITY WON'T DO IT FOR OONA

    [...] This is not funny. Not least of all when seemingly trying to make political capital out of your opponent’s age. Brazenly attacking his breadth of experience could also be a miscalculation when it appears that her positions on some of the most important issues facing Londoners are less than consistent. [...]

16. Must Try Harder – Oona’s Transport Policies | North of the Thames

    [...] doesn’t control or pay for, its seems illogical (and poor judgement) for her to have become embroiled in an argument as to whether it should be means-tested or [...]

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