John Prescott - Broken Promise?27 June 2002
In 1997, John Prescott made an important promise about the future of transport in the UK.
Now he says he didn't make it.
Fibber or just misunderstood? We give you the chance to weigh up the evidence and then vote.
The promise...
On 6th June 1997, The Guardian reported that the Deputy Prime Minister, and then Secretary of State for Transport, John Prescott MP had said:
Click image for full article
Similar reports were carried in the Independent, and the Sunday Times.
Five years later, road traffic has increased by 7%.
But when Friends of the Earth tried to hold him to it - what did Mr Prescott say?
The denial...
In an article for the Independent on Sunday, on 9 June 2002 Prescott wrote:
Last week, a statement was attributed to me, made in 1997: "I will have failed if in five years' time there are not many more people using public transport and far fewer journeys by car." I did not say that. And rather like the alleged Jim Callaghan words "crisis, what crisis?", wide reporting of them does not make them true.
He went on to explain why he would never had said such a thing - he apparently has never believed that achieving this reduction would be possible.
So let me set the record straight. I have never believed that the amount of traffic could be reduced in absolute terms within five years.
The charge...
Friends of the Earth thinks Mr Prescott's article was unadulterated nonsense - and that he's broken his promise.
But now it's your chance to decide.
The evidence...
We've compiled a substantial body of evidence for you to sift through. When you've made up your mind - it's time to give your verdict.
Did he say it?
- Hansard 20th October 1998
- On The Record 4th July 1999
- Hansard 18th November 1999
- Hansard 20th December 1999
- On The Record 24th September 2000
- The Today Programme 29th May 2001
- On The Record 3rd June 2001
Did he believe it?
- Labour policy handbook
- The Today Programme 1st December 1997
- Public meeting 7th May 1999
- The Today Programme 29th May 2001
Your verdict...
Has Prescott broken his promise on cutting road traffic?
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Yes |
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No |
2.51 % |
279 votes were cast.
