Yesterday's London Evening Standard reported that a long-standing ideological ally of Ken Livingstone and an £111,000pa advisor to London's Mayor - Lee Jasper - is under investigation for ploughing up to £2.5 million into organisations that he controls or which are associated with him and friends. These are the Evening Standard's key findings:
- "Hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money paid to the companies is unaccounted for or has disappeared.
- Up to £295,000 is the subject of possible legal action.
- Some of the companies are dormant or have gone out of business.
- Several of the organisations are based in the same small room at a business centre in Kennington.
- The same people, friends or business associates of Mr Jasper - including race activist Errol Walters and businesswoman and reality TV show star Yvonne Thompson - appear as directors or staff members of each organisation."
Boris Johnson has written to Ken Livingstone for answers on the revelations:
“If these reports are true, huge sums of money have not been getting through to community groups who need and deserve support. That is a scandal. There will be volunteers across London who will be appalled to learn that all this money has been wasted or simply trousered - when it could have been used to give life-changing opportunities to kids across the city.
We need to know urgently what the Mayor knew and when and what action he proposes to take. Londoners are paying more and more for the current Labour Mayor - and yet he seems determined to treat the taxpayer with contempt. Today I have written to the Mayor to demand answers on this issue. I am still waiting for the Mayor to explain what he knew about the serious allegations of fraud in the Metropolitan Police expense accounts.”
While Ken Livingstone refuses to give answers about Lee Jasper the story will continue to roll on through the election. The best thing, and the right thing for Livingstone to do is to come out and say what he knows and what he plans to do. This story isn't going to go away, the public has a right to know.
Posted by: Tony Makara | January 02, 2008 at 19:41
Gilligan's story would never have been allowed into print by the Standard's lawyers if they weren't prepared to go to court with it. The question in my mind is how many other stories are there which need investigating? What would a rigorous search in City Hall reveal? But the story at the top is dated 6th December. What has happened since?
Posted by: Henry Rogers | January 02, 2008 at 20:01
Henry Rogers, very true. ITNs Alistair Stewart challenged Lee Jasper live on TV to sue the Standard if the story isn't true. Lee Jasper backed down saying that litigation is complicated etc. If someone had made untrue allegations about me like that I'd be dying to get them into court but Jasper doesn't want to take this further, that is obvious. Ken Livingstone is showing bad political instincts by letting this drag on.
Posted by: Tony Makara | January 02, 2008 at 20:11
Tony,
Is there any news of Kate Hoey MP's request to the Met for a criminal investigation? Or has it been kicked into the long grass?
Posted by: Henry Rogers | January 02, 2008 at 20:20
The Standard ran an article 21st December saying that the police were to be called in to investigate. Here is a section from that.
Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey said Mr Jasper and the Mayor's London Development Agency had "serious questions" to answer over the South London Green Badge Taxi School.
The project, a school for ethnic minority cab drivers, was championed by Mr Jasper and funded by the LDA and Transport for London. But it has had its probity questioned by a barrister who investigated it.
The Standard can reveal the two men who ran it, Mr Jasper's associates Greg Nowell and Clive Grey, are subject to a High Court restraining order after a neighbouring ballet school accused them of harassment and intimidation.
One of the men's friends was accused of assaulting the ballet school's female owner, while a former instructor at the taxi project claimed he was told that "there would be bullets flying in my direction" when he walked out of the job.
The Standard uncovered allegations about grants given to the taxi scheme being siphoned off to other bodies run by the men, while former instructors said they were never paid and the taxi school only ever had a handful of students.
Today's revelations, and the call for a police inquiry, are the latest development in the mounting political scandal surrounding Mr Livingstone.
The Standard has uncovered a string of allegations that LDA cash was given to associates and friends of Mr Jasper, described by the Mayor as "one of the most valuable people" at City Hall, with little or nothing to show for the £2.5 million spent.
Mr Livingstone, Mr Jasper and Mr Grey have vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Posted by: Tony Makara | January 02, 2008 at 20:27
Boris should be camped outside Lee Jasper's house with camera crews demanding answers. Boris always had a talent for publicity stunts - until he won the Mayoral nomination! This is an open goal but Boris has missed it. Thank God for Kate Hoey!
Posted by: Moral minority | January 02, 2008 at 21:19
Cameron has a lead over Brown of between 5 and 10%. Livingstone has a 1% lead over Boris. So Boris is underperforming in the polls. It could be much different if he had actually campaigned from October to December. Can we have a candidate who is 100% committed rather than the Bullingdon "sleb" who is more committed to paid outside interests?
Posted by: Moral minority | January 02, 2008 at 21:32
If Boris wins it could lose us the General Election. With so many marginal seats in London, such a high profile for a Tory who will only act like a fool, will lose much of our potential support. (Regardless of any results, unfortunately appearances are everything, and it is a personality trait that goes to his very core).
The best result we can ask for is an exceptionally tight victory for Livingstone, much like that of Clegg Vs. Huhne. This will leave the feeling of the Conservatives were 'robbed' that fuelled the Labour party to victory from 92-97
Posted by: Barnet Blue Boy | January 02, 2008 at 22:17
Barnet Blue Boy, don't be ridiculous. Boris would do a great job as London mayor. People can't handle the cerebral wit that Boris can dish out, it sets him apart. Boris is a unique character and that is a big plus in these days of the production-line politician.
Posted by: Tony Makara | January 02, 2008 at 22:31
People laugh at Boris as an object of riddicule....he makes good entertainment, but I wouldn't trust him with my council tax. Look at equivilents from across the Pond; idiotic quotes from Bush and Rumsfeld are repeated time and time again scraping any credibility out of them each time!
Posted by: Barnet Blue Boy | January 02, 2008 at 22:35
In terms of running London, Boris Johnson doesn't know his rear end from his elbow.
This is also true of his campaign. Compare the effort he puts into this with the effort Cameron puts in to win nationally.
He is focused instead on his bank balance.
Posted by: london conservative | January 02, 2008 at 22:38
Further to the Lee Jasper scandal:
Southern Regional News has been reporting on a similar scam.
It seems a "black" Housing Association has received over a 160K from the Government to help needy black families.
Surprise, surprise. The Housing Association has gone bust. The money has disappeared.
Do we never learn?
Posted by: john | January 02, 2008 at 22:52
Barnet Blue Boy makes a good point. Marginals seats in London are looking at the Mayoral election with deep interest. If Boris wins and then makes a pig's ear of things in the short time before a GE, 'Tory incompetence' stories could scupper many a good PPC campaign.
The new seat of Hammersmith for example is a tight one where a Tory victory will depend a lot on how much Shaun Bailey can reach out to council estate and ethnic minority voters. If Boris makes any 'gaffes' like his previous ones, a lot of good work in showing how the Party has changed for the better will go down the tubes.
There's a lot of responsibility on Boris's shoulders.
It's about time he realised this, and acted accordingly.
Posted by: Edison Smith | January 02, 2008 at 22:58
John, can you imagine the uproar if that money had gone to support a white housing group? Giving different ethnic groups preferential treatment is of itself patronizing and racist and stokes up resentment. All ethnic groups should be treated equally.
Posted by: Tony Makara | January 02, 2008 at 23:02
"John, can you imagine the uproar if that money had gone to support a white housing group?"
Boris supporters just don't get this election, do they?
Posted by: Jane | January 02, 2008 at 23:59
Go Boris! You're our candidate- do us proud!
Posted by: anon | January 03, 2008 at 00:05
Why can't either of them pose normally for a photograph. Has anyone here seen a picture of either of them that didn't make them laugh out loud? I think Mayor of London is a novelty job. Go Boris tho! Get the slimy urchin out!
Posted by: Benny Austwick | January 03, 2008 at 01:24
I think you should all give Boris the benefit of the doubt. There are so many prophets of doom here.
He's a very intelligent man, and I feel would do a fine job as London mayor. Yes, he is quite unique, which as has been mentioned by another poster, can only be a good thing.
I quite agree that the role of Mayor in London is a 'novelty' post, and I think an interesting character in the role would be a positive step for London.
Now if only I lived there I would be sure to vote.
Posted by: Andrew | January 03, 2008 at 13:30
Though I agree with benny, that Boris would make a good mayor, I can't agree that he is quite unique simply because you are either unique or not. A pet peeve of mine.
Posted by: Paul | January 03, 2008 at 22:21
Ok I don't live in London now but Boris seems to have been awfully quiet and is still neck and neck. This to me just shows how much Red Ken is hated rather than how well Boris is doing. Boris pull those bicycle clips out of your trousers and go for it, you could win this you know.
Posted by: One marcus | January 03, 2008 at 22:39