Arbour attempts to gag the truth over his "housing for riff-raff" gaff

4.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 9th Oct 2007

Conservative GLA Member Tony Arbour described social housing as "housing for riff-raff".

Controversial Conservative London Assembly Member for South West London Tony Arbour has now resorted to legal bullying tactics in an attempt to gag reports of him describing social housing as, "housing for riff-raff"

at a recent Richmond Council committee meeting whilst opposing a social housing development in Twickenham.

These legal threats have been firmly rebuffed by Liberal Democrat South West London Assembly candidate Stephen Knight, who was present at the meeting, saying:

"Arbour did describe social housing as "housing for riff-raff". He first apologised at the meeting for using such language and a day later tried to claim that he had been quoted out of context, which I strongly contest. Now in a desperate u-turn he has changed his story yet again and denies even saying it at all, instead claiming that I used the phrase and he simply regretted its use during the meeting. This is clearly not true and he knows it. I will not be bullied by Arbour's legal strong arm tactics. We will not be bullied for telling the truth."