Mayor plans New year's Eve party

Plans to stage London's first official New Year celebrations for three years are being discussed by politicians and tourism bosses.

The festivities will see Trafalgar Square in use and Big Ben, Canary Wharf and the London Eye bathed in light.

Mayor Ken Livingstone is in discussions with Westminster council, the police, and transport and tourist bosses about the event.

Trafalgar Square, closed last year because of road works, will be open and be the focal point for tens of thousands of revellers.

A spokeswoman for the Mayor said: 'He is discussing with various organisations in London about how to make the New Year's festivities. An announcement will be made in due course."

A spokesman for Westminster Council added: "Initial discussions have gone on and we are awaiting with interest to hear about the full length and breadth of the proposals."

The discussions come after criticism that London failed to emulate the New Year events of Paris, New York and Sydney last year.

Mr Livingstone's office said at the time: "New Year's Eve is not an event, it is a public order problem."

The Met supported his decision to close Trafalgar Square, saying the road works would have made the event impossible to police.

But critics have said it is unacceptable one of the world's most high-profile cities has had no New Year's Eve celebrations for three years.

Angie Bray, the Conservative culture spokeswoman on the GLA, said: "These celebrations have been a long time coming. I want to know if he's getting proper sponsorship, or if this is going to come out of the public purse."