Greater London Authority Bill

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman's interventions do not become any more considered with the passage of time. What we said in this House was clear, and I restate our position. The wriggling has to be done by those who advocate the current somewhat unbalanced constitutional arrangement within London's devolved structures. The Back-Bench Members who were present throughout the passage of the Bill will know that the Opposition consistently argued that there should be a two-tier strategy to address that, by devolving more strategic powers from central Government to London governance—by getting rid of the Government office for London, for example—and by redressing the balance between the Mayor and the assembly to create a more constructive partnership.