'Car charge could cost me election'

Ken Livingstone has admitted that the backlash from 200,000 motorists forced to pay his controversial £5-a-day congestion tax to drive in central London could prevent him being re-elected Mayor.

He said technical problems with the scheme could delay it until next summer, meaning the few months of disruption he anticipates would coincide with the start of the mayoral election campaign.

Mr Livingstone, speaking at a conference on tolls, said: "People who are going to be angry with it will sustain that anger until the election." He said travellers who benefited would soon forget.

"All my political advisers took the view, 'Why do this this side of the election?' But that's what I loathe about modern politics. This is the only method available to us to do something."

He is basing his concerns on the fact the number of motorists expected to have to pay the charge is similar to the 203,000 majority he had over his Tory rival.