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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Mayor suspends funds row adviser | Mayor suspends funds row adviser |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| London's mayor has suspended his race adviser after a series of allegations of financial irregularities. | London's mayor has suspended his race adviser after a series of allegations of financial irregularities. |
| Mayor Ken Livingstone said he had taken the step after Lee Jasper himself asked for the newspaper allegations to be referred to the police to investigate. | Mayor Ken Livingstone said he had taken the step after Lee Jasper himself asked for the newspaper allegations to be referred to the police to investigate. |
| An internal inquiry had already cleared Mr Jasper of any wrongdoing. | An internal inquiry had already cleared Mr Jasper of any wrongdoing. |
| The allegations concern money paid by the London Development Agency (LDA) - the mayor's business arm - to a number of black organisations. | The allegations concern money paid by the London Development Agency (LDA) - the mayor's business arm - to a number of black organisations. |
| One of them was Brixton Base which is run by Errol Walters, a friend and close associate of Mr Jasper. | One of them was Brixton Base which is run by Errol Walters, a friend and close associate of Mr Jasper. |
| 'Unsatisfactory report' | 'Unsatisfactory report' |
| Brixton Base received £280,000 from the LDA to pay rent, even though the LDA is its landlord. It also received £230,000 to stage three short courses in arts. | Brixton Base received £280,000 from the LDA to pay rent, even though the LDA is its landlord. It also received £230,000 to stage three short courses in arts. |
| An internal LDA inquiry found that Mr Jasper had acted legally. | An internal LDA inquiry found that Mr Jasper had acted legally. |
| The report said it did not have the power to look at claims private individuals took money from organisations to which the LDA had given funds. | The report said it did not have the power to look at claims private individuals took money from organisations to which the LDA had given funds. |
| The Evening Standard should immediately take any evidence it claims to have to the police or stop making these false allegations London mayor Ken Livingstone | |
| It has referred these allegations to the police to investigate. | It has referred these allegations to the police to investigate. |
| But the London Assembly described the report as "unsatisfactory" and has called for an independent inquiry. | But the London Assembly described the report as "unsatisfactory" and has called for an independent inquiry. |
| On Friday, Mr Jasper asked for allegations made in the Evening Standard newspaper to be referred to the police. | On Friday, Mr Jasper asked for allegations made in the Evening Standard newspaper to be referred to the police. |
| "I am being prevented from clearing my name, black organisations across London are being weakened by a systematic campaign in the Evening Standard from seeking funds, and a deliberate attempt is being made to divert attention from the real issues confronting London at the Mayoral election," he said. | "I am being prevented from clearing my name, black organisations across London are being weakened by a systematic campaign in the Evening Standard from seeking funds, and a deliberate attempt is being made to divert attention from the real issues confronting London at the Mayoral election," he said. |
| "This is being done deliberately and consciously - far from seeking clarity, the Evening Standard for 10 weeks has been running stories of false allegations against me without taking alleged evidence to the police." | "This is being done deliberately and consciously - far from seeking clarity, the Evening Standard for 10 weeks has been running stories of false allegations against me without taking alleged evidence to the police." |
| 'Absolute clarity' | |
| Mr Livingstone stressed the police had not approached him and that he thought the investigation would clear his race adviser. | Mr Livingstone stressed the police had not approached him and that he thought the investigation would clear his race adviser. |
| "The Evening Standard should immediately take any evidence it claims to have to the police or stop making these false allegations - in the good old phrase, 'put up or shut up'. | "The Evening Standard should immediately take any evidence it claims to have to the police or stop making these false allegations - in the good old phrase, 'put up or shut up'. |
| "In agreeing Lee's request I have also made the extremely difficult decision that, like any GLA officer subject to a police investigation, Lee Jasper will be suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation," Mr Livingstone said. | "In agreeing Lee's request I have also made the extremely difficult decision that, like any GLA officer subject to a police investigation, Lee Jasper will be suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation," Mr Livingstone said. |
| A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said it will examine any material that is handed to it on any subject where there are claims of a criminal act in London. | A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said it will examine any material that is handed to it on any subject where there are claims of a criminal act in London. |
| A statement from the Evening Standard said: "We welcome any police activity that will give absolute clarity to the spending of public money. | |
| "It is absolutely right that the investigations are as comprehensive as necessary. We have always said that we are very happy to co-operate with the police in providing them with information from our investigations." |