Tuesday, March 04, 2008

“Dog Whistle” Politics drive Lee Out?


Just remember this on the way into work tomorrow in London, when you battle through all the hostile and jeering media headlines about Lee Jasper’s decision to resign as a senior advisor to London Mayor, Ken Livingstone. This really is “Dog Whistlepolitics.

"Statement by the Greater London Authority on the resignation of Lee Jasper

A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority said:

“The record of the GLA in dealing with racism in London has been outstanding. Racist attacks have been reduced by more than a half in eight years, and last year racist attacks rose by 12 per cent in the UK as a whole by fell by 14 per cent in London.


“Operation Trident, aimed against black gun crime, has been an outstanding success with the arrest of many dozens of criminals engaged with guns without a single shot being fired.

“The GLA is an exemplary authority achieving national recognition in the country in regard to equality and procurement. “Lee Jasper played a leading role in regard to these, and no evidence has been presented for the criminal allegations presented by the Evening Standard.

“However Lee Jasper has stated that in light of material published today that he has tendered his resignation. The Mayor has accepted it.”

Notes to Editors
1. Resignation letter from Lee Jasper below:
Ken LivingstoneMayor of London
4 March 2008

Dear Ken,
I am proud of my record in contributing to the huge reduction in racist attacks in London, the work I have carried out in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service in relation to Operation Trident, reductions in the levels of domestic violence and the increased employment of Black, Asian and women officers.

Further, the work we delivered in ensured equality in London is delivered has been astounding.
However, it has become clear that a number of matters which are not of first importance in London are being used to distract from the crucial questions in the election campaign.
The racist nature of a relentless media campaign and the consequent effects on myself and family have placed an intolerable strain on all of us.

I have decided to put a stop to this by tendering my resignation.

8 comments:

Charlie Marks said...

Given that I've not seen any killer evidence against him and the attack has been orchestrated by Boris backers in the press - I think that this is a fine example of the dirty art of dogwhistle politics.

Boris's backers will have to come up with something better than this...

Anonymous said...

Time for a boycott of the Standard

lets get their free sheet of the streets as well

we should be actively supporting the alternative free newspaper

and end the Standards virtual monopoly

who owns the press is becomming more important every day

Anonymous said...

...if he was innocent why did he resign? No smoke without fire!

John Gray said...

Hi Charlie
Yes, they have nothing on Ken so they keep plugging the theme that if you are black and work for Ken you must be corrupt.

Yes, Anon 1 we should all boycott the Standard (and companies that advertise in it) and support its much better freebie rival.

No, Anon 2 there is often smoke without fire. Lee is not corrupt but resigned because he made a stupid mistake sending “inappropriate” personal emails. He has paid the price for this.

Anonymous said...

Although you are so strident in your support...like Ken I think you may have backed the wrong person here. What was it he wrote to Karen Chouhan? Lets remind ourselves!...He wanted to "honey glaze her" before a "passionate embrace" and that he loved her "thighs, bum and belly"...just before he granted her company 65K of tax payers money...oh errr!

John Gray said...

Come off Anon – Lee never “granted” anyone money. Regardless of Politics or positions I bet loads of people will now be regretting sending idiotic emails to people they fancy.

Anonymous said...

On Lee's authority the organisation she ran received 65K? There is no doubt about this? There is a serious conflict of interest here. Instead of endorsing these ill advised comments you should be condemning them. Can we ask what position this put Chouhan in? Maybe we will find out in due course...oh err missus! Ken backed the wrong person here...so much for his judgement.

John Gray said...

hmmm - sorry matey, Jasper did not directly approve grants? He is was out of order over his personal emails - not coruptt.