The "Business Panel" committee is supposed to scrutinise decisions made by the elected Mayor and ensure that he does not exceed his powers. It's Liberal Democrat chair, Philip Peake, had asked for the committee to look carefully at the Mayor's decision to assume responsibility for a £28million debt held by Hyde Housing.

But the committee was just beginning to put together a picture of the trail of incompetence which had led to this point when Labour councillor Alan Hall demanded a procedural vote to merely "note" the Mayor's decision. Conservative leader Dave Britton then spoke up in support of Cllr Hall, making his bizarre claim about Margaret Thatcher's responsibility.

Chair of Lewisham's Public Accounts Select Committee, Alex Feakes, commented:

"It takes a huge level of cynicism from Labour councillors to prevent discussion of a scandal which will add 10 percent to the debt owed by Lewisham's council housing arm. We have come to expect such brass neck from them. But it is a new low for the Conservative Party in Lewisham not only to support Labour on policy, but actually to join them in suppressing effective scrutiny."