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Boris ‘betrayal’ as he breaks his promise
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard21.04.09
BORIS Johnson was accused of “betrayal” today as it was revealed he has ditched plans for three rape crisis centres.
The Mayor was accused of failing women by cancelling the centres he promised in his manifesto — which were supposed to improve greatly the number of rapists brought to justice.
The disclosure came as Mr Johnson launched what he claimed was a strategy to cut violence against women — and as black cab rapist John Worboys was being sentenced for his string of attacks.
He was left free to prey because of a string of police blunders while a second serial rapist, Kirk Reid, was also not been caught because of failures by Scotland Yard.
Mr Johnson had claimed in his election manifesto
that he would found three new rape crisis centres, saying the cost would be met by cutting Ken Livingstone's army of spin doctors.
But today the Mayor admitted that funding for the three new centres, which would supplement an existing centre in Croydon, would not be found in his budget.
His office said he was “assessing rape crisis need in London” and would ask the Government or councils to stump up the cash.
Labour Assembly member Joanne McCartney said: “This is a complete betrayal. Boris is promoting himself as a defender of women's rights; behind the scenes he is reneging on his promise to fund new rape crisis centres.”
Green party Assembly member Jenny Jones said: “If you promise something you jolly well get on and deliver it. There's a lot of back-tracking going on and a lot of women need these centres and need them immediately.”
Yvonne Traynor, chief executive of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre, said: “Promises shouldn't have been made so early as we are now very disappointed.”
The “Way Forward” violence against women strategy, which Mr Johnson was launching in Islington today, involves a new “steering group” to encourage police, councils and other public sector bodies to work more closely together to prevent the “appalling immunity” sex offenders enjoy.
Mr Johnson said: “There are a significant number of women in London whose lives are blighted by the violence of men, something which is wholly unacceptable.”
