Brian Coleman votes for even greater allowances

Ever since Boris Johnson came to power he has tried to project his Conservative administration as one dedicated to cutting costs and increasing 'tax-payer value'

Unfortunately he made the mistake of appointing the man above.

Not only have Brian Coleman's astronomical tax-payer paid taxi bills kept ticking over, but so too have the continual (and increasingly tedious) gaffes.

Whether it's saying that Olympic medallists have blood on their hands, or that a woman concerned for her own safety is a 'dizzy airhead', Coleman has pissed off everybody from international athletes to the the very firemen he is paid to represent.

Well if that wasn't 'value-for-money' enough, Coleman has now attempted to extract a little more from us all.

At a meeting of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority that he chairs, Coleman voted for an additional £7,564.91 (plus SR allowances) to be paid to authority members who are also on the London Assembly.

Coleman, who already receives £25,612.50 for chairing the authority, was joined in the vote by his fellow Conservative Assembly members Roger Evans and Tony Arbour.

Currently, most Assembly Members who are on the authority are expected to do the work as part of their basic £50,582 salary.

However, a recent change in the law meant that Assembly members chairing the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Fire Authority were also able to draw allowances for that as well.

The result of this legislation was the inflation busting allowance hike given to Kit 'nine jobs' Malthouse last year.

Public spirit

In a moment of public spiritedness, Brian Coleman last week voted in favour of his chums on the Fire Authority also getting some extra feathers for their caps.

But in a moment of genuine public spiritedness, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green members of the Authority all voted against the further amendment to the law.

Thank God those lefty spendthrifts aren't in charge eh?

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-Update- Tory Assembly Members told to show 'restraint'

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