Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
After one court win, Boris faces new £60m legal bid
BORIS Johnson could be caught up in new legal action next month over his role as London Mayor.
He is expected to be summonsed as a witness in proceedings against Transport for London.
It’s the latest move in a longrunning row over turning disused London tube stations into tourist attractions, and estimates for the damages being sought range as high as £60million.
Mr Johnson, the clear favourite to be new Tory PM, will be furious to hear of this new legal challenge only two days after he blocked a private prosecution alleging that his claims about saving £350million for the NHS during the 2016 EU referendum campaign were lies.
In July, as 124,000 Tory party members choose their new leader, he will be served with legal papers asking him about allegations that TfL breached commercial confidence, and accusing him of “malfeasance in a public office”.
Brighton businessman Ajit Chambers, 46, claims his own idea to reopen 26 “ghost stations” as tourist attractions, bars and restaurants was stolen and he alleges: “Boris was instrumental in the theft of my work. To begin with I liked him. We laughed together, we got on. But he’s made a big mistake with me and he shouldn’t be PM. He can’t be trusted.”
The former Swiss banker, who took his idea to TV’s Dragons Den in 2015, says he invested £1.8million over nine years and even Donald Trump wanted to back him before his election as US president.
At one filmed meeting Mr Johnson vowed on camera: “My pledge to you is that we will do it if it doesn’t cost a penny of taxpayer money.” Mr Chambers says the deal was that he would keep £7million of the £200million Transport for London would make.
But after more meetings Mr Chambers says he was shocked when his Old London Underground Company did not win the tender bid.
FLAWED
He said: “I strongly believe TfL’s procurement process was seriously flawed. We were led down the garden path and then they discarded us.”
The London Transport Museum, a subsidiary of TfL, is now offering tours of the old Down Street tube station in Mayfair for £85 a ticket.
Lawyers estimate the undisclosed amount of damages that Mr Chambers is seeking as between £18-£60million.
He said: “I want Boris to face me in court and answer direct questions on what exactly happened during private meetings.
“We’re going to win this case and they know it. We’re not interested in an out-of-court settlement.”
Mr Johnson and TfL did not respond to requests for comment.