Powers of elected mayors: Ken Livingstone and Bob Neill

Ken Livingstone said Tony Blair, Boris Johnson and himself used their political office to promote themselves and their offices, adding "that's what politicians do".

He was reviewing Monday's Panorama programme about the running of Tower Hamlets Council in east London under elected mayor Lutfur Rahman.

Former local government minister Bob Neill said the programme highlighted "some of the worst examples of malpractice I have seen in local government", and he claimed Tower Hamlets was a "rogue authority"

They spoke to Jo Coburn about the role of the elected mayor and councillors, and the checks and balances on their powers, along with Green Party leader Natalie Bennett.

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