Norris will resign if included in bid for mayor
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• Steven Norris says he will resign his post as director-general of the Road Haulage Association if he is shortlisted as a Conservative candidate to be Mayor of London.
Norris, who is already facing criticism over the way he leads the RHA after it reported losses of more than half-a-million pounds during 1998, faces further hostility from some members after it emerged that he wants to be mayor. Several feel that Norris, who is paid around £90,000 a year by the RHA, will not have his mind totally on the haulage industry as he puts together a campaign to win the Conservative nomination.
Others have questioned whether someone who is so closely allied with the Tories should be representing them in talks with the Labour Government. Norris dismisses the idea that his Tory back
ground will be a hindrance at the Industry Forum and points out that he was taken on as an exTory minister.
Norris is also under pressure to explain why services he unveiled with a fanfare earlier in the year have failed to take oft The Eli-IA fuel card, launched with Texaco, is more expensive than other bunkered services and a vehicle inspection service launched in Scotland has had virtually no takers. Norris defends his candidacy, saying the fact he is standing for mayor will have no impact on RHA business.
"The nature of the ampaigning involves attending meetings in the evenings—rutside office hours," he says. 'As far as I'm concerned RHA business comes first, second and third to any campaigning."
Norris will know whether his nomination has been successful in September.