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London News and Comment

Jasper Insinuations Deeply Unedifying

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“One of London mayor’s top advisers is being looked into over the distribution of grants” proclaims the BBC London news homepage.

The story follows a series of previously investigated allegations about Mayoral advisor Lee Jasper in the Evening Standard.

The only problem with that paragraph is it doesn’t say quite the same thing as the BBC’s actual article which quotes Greater London Authority chief-executive Anthony Mayer as saying:

“Richard Barnes in April 2007 raised issues in regard to Lee Jasper. I formally investigated these and exonerated Lee Jasper in July 2007.

“Richard Barnes wrote to me again on 25 October querying the results of my investigation and I naturally agreed to look into the issues he raised

“This however does not constitute a formal investigation.”

If there are genuine concerns relating to the issuing or use of grants these must be investigated properly – London taxpayers must have total total confidence in the processes which see their money handed out to community groups and in turn those groups have a responsibility to treat their grants as the privilege they are.

However the insinuations and rumour spreading targeted at specific individuals – done in the absence of any evidence – is a deeply unedifying sight which reflects badly on the media and politicians alike.

When his detractors behave like this is it any surprise that the Mayor can simply brush off the substantive issue with a claim that it’s all part of a political campaign?

Comments

  1. I think you make a very good point. We cannot allow the political storm to obscure the need to look into the issue. The investigations by the Standard have uncovered some things that need properly explaining, and this is really where the London Assembly MUST come into its own and act. Quickly. We are the body which holds the Mayor (and therefore the LDA) to account, and we already have serious concerns about LDA transparency. The Economic Development (EDCST) Committee on which I sit has been exasperated with the failures of the LDA over the past year and a half to provide us with information to enable us to do a proper assessment of 6 specific projects funded. Why were they funded? What were the processes? How were they measured and monitored? We asked for information, it was like pulling teeth to get it, we were told we had it, we did our report…then they told us that we didn’t have the full information and would have made a different conclusion had we had it! Kafkaesque is the polite word.

    This is not good news. I don’t often praise a political opponent, but Dee Doocey, LibDem Chair of the committee is completely vindicated in her struggle – often against her own side – to take this issue further and get answers. None of us on this committee have made any allegations. What we want is proof that things are being done properly. I even tried to stop the process by asking the LDA to do its own independent audit of the projects, but there was no will to do this.

    Now it appears that we as the scrutiny body need to quickly and calmly begin a full and proper enquiry into the LDA’s funding methods. If the LDA responds to these allegations in the way it has responded to our committee’s clear polite requests for information, then there really will be a problem for it, for its officials…and for the Mayor. And kicking it off beyond the May election would not be entirely wise either.

  2. When will Andrew Gilligan and other Tory commentators stand up and admit they don’t like Jasper for the same reason as they continue their witch-hunt against Commissioner Ian Blair… they loathe progressive politics and all its proponents?

    The Evening Standard continues to be a propaganda leaflet for the Boris mayoral campaign… long may it – and the rest of the Daily Mail group papers – continue their circulation decline.

  3. Martin

    Why wait for evidence when shouting ‘sleaze’ loudly and often can more quickly destroy reputations.

    It was interesting to see the Assembly Member’s comments:

    “I even tried to stop the process by asking the LDA to do its own independent audit of the projects, but there was no will to do this.”

    Perhaps a sign that the Assembly needs tougher oversight powers?

  5. There is a severe intensity in the concerns about the missing cash in the letter from Manny Lewis, the LDA’s Chief Executive who wrote on discovering that he had been lied to by one of the manager of one of the projects:

    “..a number of serious matters that have come to light….culminating in our discovery this week that there is a creditors meeting…..to put DIL into liquidation.”

    DIL – Diversity International Ltd is one of the organisations run by one of Mr Jasper’s friends, Joel O’Loughlin.

    http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/downloads/270406-Letter.pdf

    Such a letter would only be written by someone in Mr Lewis’ position, if he had cast iron evidence of at best irregular activity.

    Coupled with the statements by lawyer Brenda Stern, this London tax payer deserves far more than the dismissive bullying displayed by Mr Livingstone at his Press Briefing today.

  6. I have read the comments posted on your site with interest. In the first instance may I kindly make some corrections since inaccuracies irritate me no end.

    Liam, there is no ‘Daily Mail group papers’. Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) is the management company for five major newspapers (Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, the Evening Standard, London Metro, Irish Mail on Sunday and the advertising publication Loot.)

    Pav, unless you have evidence to substantiate your position I suggest that you refrain from comment. Simply because a figure denies the allegation/s does not constitute it as being a fact, (i.e something that can be proven). Many politicians and public figures have denied stories/allegation/s that were later found to be true. Do you recall Sir Ian Blair informing us about Jean Charles De Menezes the innocent brazilian. We were told how he jumped the barriers, he didn’t. And so it went on until a staff member leaked the necessary documents to ITV.

    It is also worth pointing out that a few years ago the London Mayor who has had much to say by way of criticism of the Evening Standard in recent weeks used to write for them. Thus I feel none of the Mayor’s remarks carry any weight or credibility. In my mind you can’t draw a salary from a newspaper then condemn it later since you were happy at one point to line your pocket with its proceeds.

    I have followed the story since it broke on Wed 5th Dec 2007 and have listened to both parties concerned, Errol Walters and Andrew Gilligan. It may be worth some of you tuning in to the website link below to hear Errol Walters’ most pathetic response to the allegations of financial impropriety. Walters stated that he did not respond to the allegations put to him by Gilligan prior to the article being published because he would ascertain a refund for his phone bill. Hardly a good enough excuse. If you receive a telephone call from a journalist to inform you of their intentions and you consider it unimportant enough as a priority, are you fir for purpose?

    I’ve had cause to complain about the editorial of Associated Newspapers in the past but that does not negate from the fact that they have a duty to investigate and publish stories in the public interest. For clarity, the public interest is what the public should know, not what they are interested in. Further, if Walters was so confident that the allegations had no standing why has he closed down Brixton Base instead of opening his b

  7. The allegations against Ken Livingstone and Lee Jasper made by Andrew Gilligan concerning the waste and abuse of public funds by the LDA are self-evidently very serious. If, as both claim, these claims are without foundation, they should sue. If they fail to do so, Londoners will rightly draw the conclusion that Livingstone and Jasper are scared to have the various claims tested in open court.

  8. Now Kate Hoey, one of London’s more progressive Members of Parliament has called for a police investigation into aspects of this affair. Mr Livingstone needs carefully to consider his position, take this matter seriously and provide some answers. Responding that critics are all racists, will not do.

  9. Stephen Emms writes ‘Responding that crtics are all racists, will not do’. I have to disagree with you there Stephen as the R word always seems to have the effect desired by it’s users i.e instant shutdown of any criticism

  10. I worked as a volunteer at one of the organisations in Brixton base and never once saw evidence of the allegations. What i saw were a number of organisations aiming to empower, educate and inform black people of their social, political, economical standing.

    I believe this is the work of a media machine that does not want to see this prosper. I second the idea that this is an Anti-Ken campaign and am disappointed the LDA have been quick to slaughter this project. The problem was, although the organisations were based there, funding for individual projects was hard to obtain and the right type of support was not given to these organisations.

    Contrary to the belief that orgs were ‘swimming in cash’ – that simply was not the case. Many orgs probably folded as they did not have the right individuals in place. There was no drugs den, no gangsters or such. Although the ignorance of a middle class white man coming to Brixton could get intimidated by the sight of black males and stereotype them as drug dealers! Rather than just blindly funding a building, projects should have had a support system in place to insure the correct skills, resources and knowledge are obtained by the individuals.

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