Row as Ken blocks £20m school plan

Ken Livingstone was accused today of playing politics with children's futures after standing in the way of plans for a new school serving one of London's most disadvantaged communities.

The Mayor has blocked proposals for a £20 million school in Bermondsey, where parents are so desperate for a good education for their children they set up their own self-help classes last year. The Mayor says he has directed Southwark council to refuse planning permission for the school because it would destroy a local park.

But furious parents say the "park" is nothing but a rubbish dump and haunt for drug addicts. Southwark's Labour leaders agree and say the real reason is politics. They plan to appeal to Environment Secretary Stephen Byers.

Grandmother Kate Southian, who helped start the campaign for the self-help school, said she was "furious" at the Mayor's decision. Councillors believe Mr Livingstone is using his planning powers to exact revenge after Labour boroughs sided with the Tories to slash his proposed budget, which would see average council tax bills rise by 35 per cent.

A spokesman for the Mayor denied he had blocked the school plan for political rather than environmental reasons. "That is not true. I can absolutely refute that," she said.