Pay up Obama: President made to cough up C-charge for 'The Beast'

Barack Obama has been ordered to pay the congestion charge for his security vehicle "The Beast", Boris Johnson revealed today.

The Mayor told the Standard each car in the President's motorcade will be billed for £10 - including the bomb-proof Cadillac. Mr Johnson also said he had a discussion with Mr Obama about the US embassy's refusal to pay £5.3 million in C-charge fines.

But the embassy said its position on not paying the C-charge was "wholly in accordance" with a convention on taxing diplomats. Mr Johnson said: "Our roads were not closed during the President's visit so his motorcade will pay. The Beast will pay the charge, I'm delighted to say.

"We didn't charge the Pope when he was here because all the roads were closed, so the Popemobile was exempt. But this was different."

Mr Johnson raised the issue of the US embassy's unpaid C-charge bill with the President during a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. He said: "We had a very friendly conversation. Suffice to say discussions will be ongoing."

A spokesman for the Mayor later said: "They already owe £5.3 million so it is probable the bill for the motorcade will just go on top of that."

A number of embassies in the capital insist the congestion charge is a tax giving them immunity from it.

The US embassy's outstanding bill is the highest, with well over 45,000 notices since the C-charge was introduced in 2003. A source there said they were unaware of the conversation between the President and the Mayor, adding: "Our position on the congestion charge is well known.

"We conscientiously abide by all UK laws, including paying fines for all traffic violations, such as parking and speeding violations.

"Our position on the congestion charge is based on the 1960 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits the imposition of this sort of tax on diplomatic missions."

Mr Johnson made his comments during today's launch of the first London-wide network of electric car-charging points in Kingston. He said: "Using an electric car couldn't be simpler.
We've got to get over the neanderthal Clarksonian approach to cars."

President Obama left Britain this morning with a wave from the steps of Air Force One. His personal helicopter Marine One took him to Stansted airport, where he departed for the G8 summit in France.