Ken Livingstone has been accused of “hiding behind a non-existent police enquiry” yesterday after it emerged that the Met are not pursuing a criminal investigation into race and policing advisor Lee Jasper.
Last week Mr Livingstone referred allegations made against Jasper to the police for investigation, a move which led to his immediate suspension under Greater London Authority rules.
Yesterday Damian Hockney, One London Party Mayoral candidate and Metropolitan Police Authority Member, told the Mayor and Assembly that the force has declined to investigate.
A spokesman for the Met said “To date there have been no criminal allegations reported to us in connection with this individual, but, as with anyone, should concerns arise out of the fraud investigation, or subsequent criminal allegations be reported to us these will be considered and appropriate action taken.”
“However matters of alleged misconduct that are not supported by evidence of criminal wrongdoing are not a matter for the police.”
Mr Hockney said “the Met are to be congratulated for refusing to consider this spurious referral.”
“The police are already dealing with allegations about fraudulent use of LDA money. There was never any question that Lee Jasper was directly involved in this. The allegations against Lee Jasper relate to the use of his office to put undue pressure on LDA staff. This is an internal GLA matter which must be dealt with by the Assembly at its properly convened meeting on March 5th.”
“The Mayor also needs to explain why he stated in public that there is a full audit trail for all the LDA grants when clearly this has proved not to be the case. It is no good him whingeing that it coincides with his election campaign. If he had dealt properly with our requests for information about alleged misdeeds at the London Development Agency, this matter could have been cleared up months ago.”
Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick said Mr Livingstone “has some serious questions to answer and Londoners deserve to know the full facts surrounding the ‘dodgy grants’ fiasco before they cast their vote on 1 May.”
The Met continues to investigate six allegations of fraud in connection with organisations which received funding from the London Development Agency.
Further to the issues raised in your article it is quite clear that the charge of ‘a tide of corruption’ made by Richard Barnes on 13 December is a criminal allegation. He should either present evidence to the police for it immediately or formally withdraw it and apologise.