London mayor, U.S. diplomats swap road rage

The Washington Times ^ | 10-20-05 | Al Webb

[JZelle]

LONDON -- The United States is engaged in a diplomatic spat with the city of London over its refusal to pay for its embassy staff to drive on the British capital's streets -- and other nations are threatening to follow suit. At the heart of the row is London's so-called "congestion charge," a daily $14-per-car toll the city levies for using the roads in central London. The fee was introduced nearly three years ago to try to reduce the city's chronic traffic jams. But the United States says it is a tax that it no longer intends to pay. A furious London Mayor Ken Livingstone has warned that American diplomats are running the risk of having their cars clamped or towed away, at a cost of hundreds of dollars. A top official at the U.S. Embassy in London promptly responded with his own warning to the mayor not to "interfere with diplomats carrying out their business." "We think it's perfectly clear that this is a tax," Deputy Chief of Mission David Johnson told the Times of London newspaper. "We have ceased paying it."

[JZelle]

Coming to a city near you!!!

[Doogle]

London's mayor is a flaming liberal.


Doogle

[ncountylee]

How is Red Ken these days? Still courting the terrorist vote?

[Phantom Lord]

Tell them when they pay their parking tickets in NYC we will consider paying them what they are requesting.

[Gay State Conservative]

London's mayor is a flaming liberal.

Liberal???? In the UK,he's known as "Red Ken". He's a Marxist,not a liberal.

Granted that it's often difficult to tell the difference

[Blue Screen of Death]

Isn't it interesting that, when it comes to them, they recognize that a "fee" is in reality a tax.

If, in this country, you complain that a "fee" was incorrectly assessed by a non legslative body, they tell you that it is not a tax.

[Blue Screen of Death]

Isn't it interesting that, when it comes to them, they recognize that a "fee" is in reality a tax.

If, in this country, you complain that a "fee" was incorrectly assessed by a non legslative body, they tell you that it is not a tax.

[Sthitch]

I am sure that we can convince the overzealous Washington parking Nazi's to do the same to those cars in Washington with British diplomatic tags (they use WZ and PD). A little tit for tat should end any booting by the city of London.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Actually off hand I think I can see London's position. If it's a usage toll, what's the difference between it and making foreigners just driving thru pay the NJ Turnpike "fees"/"taxes"?

[LongElegantLegs]

I say we throw their cars into Boston Harbor.

[gridlock]

I am not a big fan of misc. taxes, but if them's the rules, we should just pay the fee, like everybody else.

[clee1]

Diplomatic immunity!

Suck on that, Red Ken.

[Sthitch]

Too far to drive them, roll them into the Anacostia, or for the New York based cars, the East River (not sure anyone would notice).

[holdmuhbeer]

Gee, fighting with the Brits over taxes again huh

[clee1]

The don't pay there either.

They don't have to obey ANY indigenous laws: the only thing that can happen to them is getting expelled from their host country.

[holdmuhbeer]

Gee, fighting with the Brits over taxes again huh

[contemplator]

If it's a usage toll, what's the difference between it and making foreigners just driving thru pay the NJ Turnpike "fees"/"taxes"?

Operators of U.S. Government Vehicles have a form they have to fill out which they show to the toll booth attendant and they do not have to pay turnpike fees in the U.S. I assume the same exemption for turnpike fees/toll booths are available for Foreign Diplomats.

This really isn't a big deal, the city of London should afford our official vehicles the same exemptions we allow their vehicles over here. I seriously doubt that the number of foreign diplomatic vehicles account for any large percentage of the motorists on London's roads and contribute in any significant way to the congestion.

[sodpoodle]

Right on! Bloody tyrant!

[catmanblack.]

if london got rid of all their muslim terrorist the roads would probably not be clogged

[Doogle]

Granted that it's often difficult to tell the difference

..after spending time in the UK while with the military, perhaps my wording, or emphases was on the wrong word. (flaming)

Doogle