If Boris's removal of these projects due to 'no identified funding' causes
the government to step in with funds, does that mean his tactics have
worked?

http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?...de=3128522&c=0

"Joe Montgomery, director general of regions and communities at the
communities department, said that Blears and Johnson had met this week and
agreed on the need for both the projects and were working together on a way
to fund them. He said: "We all have an interest in the development of East
London and beyond, and both the mayor and TfL are alive to the nature of
opportunities on the schemes. But we can't promise anything at this time."

Paul S