Mayor cabs it from Blackpool

Ken Livingstone spent £260 on a cab ride from Blackpool to London during the TUC conference, it was revealed today.

The London Mayor hired the minicab to rush back in time for meetings of the Greater London Authority after hosting an evening reception at the Congress last month.

Mr Livingstone, who last year ran up a bill of nearly £2,000 in fares, was accompanied by up to four aides. His officials pointed out that the cost of the Premier Cabs journey from the Hilton Hotel amounted to far less than the combined rail fare for all of them.

A GLA spokeswoman said: "These were meetings he could not put off. In general he takes the Tube much more than he takes cabs."