OFFICIAL: IRAQ WAR COSTING HARINGEY OVER £9 MILLION

3.11.03

Liberal Democrats are outraged following news from the Treasury that the Government has set aside £3 billion for the operations in Iraq. The information was given in a letter dated 13th October to Lib Dem finance spokesperson Jonathan Bloch after he had written to them requesting information on the cost of the war.

Cllr Bloch says that the huge £3 billion costs mean that Haringey residents are contributing approximately £9 million to a war that over 70% of people were against. The Liberal Democrats are furious that while the borough's schools have gone into the red and crime remains high, the Government can afford to spend this sort of money on the war in Iraq.

Cllr Bloch (Muswell Hill) claims that the money would fund the building of six new schools (£1.5 million each), or pay for extra teachers (£21,500) to reduce class sizes and extra police officers (£25,000) in every ward of the borough.

Cllr Bloch comments:

"The average household in Haringey is contributing approximately £100 of their taxes to the war in Iraq. This is a disgrace considering the opposition to this war and the lack of funding available for education and crime prevention, both nationally and locally.

"Lib Dems will continue to press the Government to stop pandering to George Bush and start looking at what its own country wants and needs - investment in public services."

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