MPs accuse Kiley of cronyism

Transport Commissioner Bob Kiley today faced accusations of cronyism and high-handedness in a bitter personal attack from MPs.

The brash American was charged with creating a " culture of fear" among his staff at Transport for London, and of taking key decisions without consulting boroughs.

The assault was led by London Labour MP Mike Gapes in a Westminster Hall debate.

Mr Kiley, a former CIA agent credited with turning around the New York and Boston subways, was headhunted by Mayor Ken Livingstone to take over the number one job at TfL.

Since he began work 18 months ago, a series of longserving executives have left. Several have been replaced by Americans.

Mr Gapes, MP for Ilford South, accused Mr Kiley of turning the management suite on the 14th floor of TfL's Windsor House headquarters into an "American colony", and questioned the decision to commission a report on London buses from a US-based consultancy.

The MP called for an inquiry into claims that many of the improvements on the New York subway credited to Mr Kiley were, in fact, achieved by others.

However, Mr Kiley's supporters say that he has knocked a failing organisation into shape, and that his new recruits are more able than the people they replaced.

The Mayor's decision to appoint Mr Kiley, known as a union-basher, surprised critics who had expected the post to go to one of Mr Livingstone's Left-wing allies.

Mr Kiley lives in a Belgravia house which came with the job. He threatened to leave Britain if Mr Livingstone lost his battle over PPP, but has not carried out his threat.