What I actually said was that because of recent cuts in Government grant many councils are struggling to fund important public services like Trading Standards Officers, and this means that those who remain are hard pressed to help tackle under- age drinking. What I offer is experience in actually dealing with these problems and working with ALL agencies who can help to deliver solutions. One, underfunded, service on its own can’t be expected to solve the problem.

I have asked those who claim to this to be the case, what is the difference in the way I propose the Tube be run from what already happens with our successful bus system, the award winning Docklands Light Rail and the East London Line currently undergoing renewal? They can’t answer me. All I am suggesting is running the tube along the same lines as Livingstone runs the other public transport systems in London.

There is absolutely no indication that introducing ID cards would make any difference to crime levels in London. There are much more effective ways of tackling crime, getting the guns and knives off our streets and dealing with low level crime. Would an ID card tackle this? No.

Simple answer “No.” Due to the ways votes are counted at this election, people have two choices. They can vote first for who they think will run London best, and then they can vote second for their Party loyality. I expect a lot of people to be voting for me first. Oh and can I also urge people not to forget about the elections to the London Assembly. There too people should vote Liberal Democrat so that either I end up with a strong team of people to support me while Mayor, or there will be people, beholden to no one person, who can hold another Mayor firmly to account.

It was not me but a Liberal Democrat peer who made that claim. I have already made the commitment that I would serve no more than two terms. As to whether there are any exceptions – Kim Il Jong anyone?