How much?

This will, no doubt, be the first of many postings on the London 2012 Olympics.

Londoners face an increase in their council tax to pay for the Olympics. How much? Well, London mayor Ken Livingstone says the equivalent of a Walnut Whip a week - 38p.

Tessa Jowell, culture secretary, this week said that it cost billions more than originally assumed.

How much more? No one seems to know. Apparently, VAT was left off the first estimate to keep the costs down and make them seem more attractive.

Would you really trust this government with anything to do with public money?

The CSA has been a disaster under them. As with any government organisation, those who agree to abide by the system get taken to the cleaners and the feckless ones get away with not paying anything at all.

Wembley Stadium? When will it be finished? How much did you say it will cost?

The Millennium Dome cost millions and is still costing us money and it's been empty for the last six years.

The Scottish Parliament, we were confidently told, would cost £5million. Final cost? £50million.

The London Assembly - the white elephant of parliaments. Before it came into being, the Government estimated that a Band D council tax payer would pay an extra 3p a week. That's roughly £1.50 a year. My last precept for the London Assembly was north of £200 a year.

In 1851 we hosted the Great Exhibition. It took nine days for Prince Albert's idea to be accepted; seven weeks later the concrete foundations were laid and four months after that the building was open and ready. It was a tremendous success and turned a profit, the money going to open the Victoria and Albert, the Science and Natural History Museums.

Anyone want to gamble on such worthy causes resulting from 2012 - if it gets built on time, of course...