"Don't panic Mr Mainwaring" just isn't good enough' - Mike Tuffrey AM

1.15.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 15th Oct 2008

The Mayor of London has shown he has no real strategies for helping London's economy as unemployment in the capital reaches 300,000.

At today's Mayor's Question Time Mike Tuffrey AM, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group at the London Assembly, asked the Mayor to detail how London should respond to the credit crunch.

Mike said: "Every serious analysis shows there'll be a real, profound effect on London and its economy and I've not seen or heard a word from the Mayor as to how London should respond.

"All he could give me was a complacent "Don't panic" response. It's just not good enough. London and Londoners needs a concrete plan of action."

"Today's figures show that unemployment was already a growing problem before the crash. Now many more Londoners face the very real prospect of losing their jobs. It's going to get worse before it gets better, and we need swift action from the Mayor.

At MQT Mike asked the Mayor two things:

· to look at extending existing half price fare scheme from people on income support to those with Job Seekers Allowance, given that unemployment is already moving up

· to bring forward a package of urgent action to support the London economy, including a short term boost to tourism promotion

Mike says: "Unless the Mayor comes up with specific advice and proposals there will be very serious 'real economy' impacts, with today's unemployment figures only the start."