London Mayor Boris Johnson detonated another explosive row yesterday by making the capital’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display ticket-only for the first time.

Labour London Assembly group leader Len Duvall accused the Tory of turning a family evening into a “money-making exercise.”

He said: “London’s fireworks are one of the most iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations in the world.

“It is important that enjoying the celebrations does not become prohibitively expensive for average Londoners and the thousands of tourists who come to watch them.”

Last year a cracking 500,000 attended the event.

But just 100,000 tickets will be released next week at £10 a pop in a move Mr Johnson argued would “help manage crowd numbers and create a better experience on the night.”

Mr Duvall said that will mean “hundreds of thousands of people will miss out or many will still turn up in the hope of seeing the display without paying.

“How will these extra people be accommodated, and how will the authorities prevent a two-tier system of spectators developing — those paying and those not?” he said.

The mayor insisted those that miss out could attend other banging capital events.

“For anyone without a ticket the fireworks are again being shown live and in full on television, meaning you can watch it in glorious HD colour without missing a single second,” said Mr Johnson.

“And don’t forget, there are hundreds of other New Year’s Eve celebrations to enjoy in bars, restaurants and clubs across the capital.”