Boris Water Cannon Ouses Money

[Gromit]

// Officials in Boris Johnson’s administration while he was London mayor spent nearly £1,000 fitting stereos to three water cannon that were never approved for use on the capital’s streets, it has emerged.

Johnson’s successor, Sadiq Khan, revealed that nearly £323,000 had been spent to buy, modify and maintain vehicles, which were purchased secondhand from German federal police in 2014 in anticipation of social unrest.

Greater London Authority officials said they hoped to sell on the water cannon for between £35,000 and £43,000 – more than they cost to purchase, but far less than the funds spent on them to date. However, no deal has yet been agreed. //

Should multi-millionaire Johnson be made to repay this money to London taxpayers?

[ToraToraTora]

should Saint Tony, pay for the cost of his war crimes? Don't be so silly gromit, for good or bad politicians spend public money. How much has been wasted on the EU Riech since 1973?

[youngmafbog]

Really Gromit? Run out of Tibetan peace muesli or something?

[youngmafbog]

Not just St Tony, what about Bottler?

Is he going to make good the disastrous Gold sale for toy money?

[Gromit]

The vehicles were never legal.
He has wasted a third of mill £ on something that could never be used.
Councill can be surcharge for wasting public money, why not the Mayor?

[Bazile]

They should keep- them , cos they are going to be useful , to disperse those 'pesky' rail workers protesting on the streets when the government takes them on ; by bringing in legislation to outlaw strikes on the railways

[ToraToraTora]

we'll need them next time the remainiacs have a march, they can fill them with sour grape juice.

[hc4361]

The council may be surcharged but not the councillor or any staff as individuals

[youngmafbog]

And Bottler Gromit? Anything to say on that?

[ichkeria]

Is this a competition for 'most stereotyped reply'!
Ok here is my entry:
'It's all Russia's fault'

[Gladeian]

Keep them - perhaps Ms Rudd will have the cajones to authorise their use.

[anotheoldgit]

Keep them we may need a rioting deterrent, after all look how much we have spent on a nuclear deterrent and thankfully have not used yet.

[New Judge]

“He has wasted a third of mill £ on something that could never be used. “

Here’s something else (slightly more expensive) on which public money has been wasted paying for something that could never be used:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/676497/Government-250m-Planes-foreign-aid-budget-airport-St-Helena

“The council may be surcharged but not the councillor or any staff as individuals”

There certainly is a precedent for individuals to be charged. Here’s one I can think of:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/40978.stm

All politicians, whatever their political persuasion, waste taxpayers’ money. It’s what they do. It’s about the only thing most of them are any good at. It makes them feel good (especially when they’ve precious little else to massage their egos). They measure their “success” by the amount of money they spend regardless of what, if anything, is delivered for it.

It’s an accepted part of life in the UK that politicians will squander money with little thought for the people providing it. That’s why I support any and all legal measures that individuals and companies can adopt to retain as much of their cash as possible.

[jno]

as I recall, it was May, as home secretary, who vetoed their use. One of the things that gives me hope that she might be sane, though not necessarily competent.

BoJo probably needs to pay back the money wasted on the vanity garden bridge too.

[ToraToraTora]

What did Saint Tony spend on that Dome?

[naomi24]

Clearly a slow news day.

[youngmafbog]

The left seem oblivious to the trillions wasted by Labour.

[Bazile]

The next waste of money will be HS2

[Gromit]

The Dome was conceived under John Major. Michael Hesletine was the initial cheerleader for the Dome. It was largely funded by the National Lottery. It was sold to O2 and is in use and making money today.

[ToraToraTora]

at ease gromit, apparently the current Mayor is going to flog them off, buy one! http://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnsons-unused-water-cannon-are-now-up-for-sale-10695751

[Gromit]

Yes Tora, that is what this thread is about.