I can't afford to run Palace, says Boris
BORIS Johnson, the Mayor of London, admitted he would love to step in and run the beleaguered Alexandra Palace - but even he cannot afford to.
Mr Johnson, who attended the Spirit of London awards last Friday at Ally Pally, told Conservative colleagues he thought it was a shame the Palace was not in better repair.
He added he was "attracted" to the idea of stepping in to take over from Haringey Council in running the iconic building.
Richard Merrin, Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hornsey and Wood Green, jumped on the comments, saying the Palace and Park "should be owned and managed by the GLA, not Haringey".
Justin Hinchcliffe, chairman of Tottenham Conservatives, said the Palace had become a "basket case" after more than 20 years of "Labour mismanagement".
He added: "If we want to safeguard the future of the Palace and Park and protect it from dodgy development, then transfer of this great London asset to the GLA is the only answer."
But a City Hall spokeswoman later shot down local Conservatives' hopes.
She said: "While he did say he was attracted to the idea, he made it clear that sadly this wasn't something that the GLA [Greater London Authority] could afford to do.
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Muswell Hill
Journal News |
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