The Olympic Tax High Jump

Tony Arbour AM: "There is to be a new event at the 2012 Games: the Olympic Tax High Jump.  Mayor Livingstone, in a rare moment of candour, admitted that the figure the UK gave in its winning bid in Singapore did not include, amongst other things, VAT.  It is hard to escape the view that the politically driven (Livingstone as chauffeur to Blair) bid was always going to undercut the others on financial terms.  Within days of the July cheering, the pennies began to drop and the height of the bar has consistently risen - it is now at £9.3bn from an original height of £2.4bn.  Were there to be a poll tax to pay to hold the bar, it would be £100 per head for the privilege.  I might pay this for Led Zeppelin, but that would be my choice.  Pity the Londoners who already pay an extra levy through their council tax.  Their pips are squeaking even before they start their run-up."

For those interested in following the escalating cost of the 2012 Olympics, ConservativeHome recommends the TaxPayers' Alliances' Watchdog blog.