The Minister for Business and Transport, the Hon Vijay Daryanani MP, responded, saying: “The Government is matching POUND FOR POUND the sum invested by the traders in the BID scheme in the sum they have requested. When the BID first asked us to match £50,000, we agreed. When the BID asked us to increase the commitment to match approximately £250,000.00, we agreed. They have not asked us for more and they have replied directly to Mr Clinton saying that they are not seeking that funding from the Government. But Mr Clinton’s response has been to ditch his usual alleged prudence and go out to seek to splurge money he has been told the BID Task Group do not need! He is literally throwing money at them in an obvious and unseemly attempt to buy votes, to try to be the highest bidder and to demonstrate that the prudence he preaches is untrue. In this instance, the GSD and Mr Clinton have been caught out and seen in their real light. We support the BID and we are willing to invest the money they have asked for – matching POUND FOR POUND the part that they requested we should – but that is no reason for us to make it cost more for the taxpayer than the BID themselves consider it should. On this one, Roy has got shown who he really is.”
