US asked for VAT waiver on London embassy: "
Cable shows ambassador asked Alistair Darling to waive tax on new building as construction would create jobs
The current US ambassador to London, Louis Susman, tried to persuade the Labour chancellor Alastair Darling to waive the VAT on the planned construction of America's palatial new Thames-side embassy.
Susman reported in a cable to Washington that during a meeting in September 2009 he impressed on Darling that 'the $1.2bn [£745m] project would spur redevelopment of a blighted area and create jobs' at the proposed Nine Elms site in Battersea. Darling refused, however, 'citing the recession, tight budget and elections'.
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