Sunday, January 11, 2009

Why “Corrupting” Boris is now beyond a Joke!

I think that in London (and elsewhere) we have all had a bit of fun with Boris as the “Mayor”. His apparent hopeless bumbling around, hair astray while madly waving flags about has appealed to the British traditional love of eccentricity.

The Damian Green MP affair however shows Boris in a different light. Putting aside for now the rights or wrongs of Green’s arrest by the Police and the immediate aftermath, it is clear that Boris did publically disclose confidential information he received as Mayor and Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority from a senior Police officer, Sir Paul Stephenson, which he did not have authority to disclose.

Then, unbelievably, while a MPA Chair he publicly gave his opinion on the rights and wrongs of an ongoing criminal investigation in his own force, surely potentially “corrupting” it?

The GLA Labour group are right to enquire whether Boris will intervene in the investigation of all criminal suspects in London or only when they are his mates and political allies?

Can you imagine the row, the absolute explosion, if Ken as Mayor had done something similar?

Boris is facing charges that he failed to comply with GLA and MPA code of conducts : -

Transgression of section 4(a):

You must not disclose information given to you in confidence by anyone, or information acquired by you which you believe, or ought to reasonably be aware, is of a confidential nature

Transgression of section 5:

You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority into disrepute”

Transgression of section 6(a):

“You must not use or attempt to use your position as a member improperly to confer on or secure for yourself or another person, an advantage or disadvantage”.

The GLA and MPA standards committees will meet on March 4th to consider what to do.

Guilty as charged M'lord” I think should be the only possible plea. Mind you, I won’t be holding my breath.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ken was rude and got a ban
lets see what Boris gets

everyone knows hes already bored with the job and wont stand again

Charlie Marks said...

Well, the Tory press would be having a field day with Livingstone if he'd acted in the same way as Johnson.

The bumbling is a put-on, a good way of filling in for lack of substance. What substance there is, lacks compassion...

The "bit of fun" consisted of having clips of party-goers on the Tube yelling "bollocks to Boris" broadcast internationally. Which was pretty depressing.

Anonymous said...

Of course no one in Labour gave any views on the investigation into Blair and the cash for honours scandal? Oh no! Let me quote from the Independent "Tony Blair held a secret meeting with the "key witness" in the cash for honours scandal at the height of the police investigation, The Independent on Sunday has learnt.
The Prime Minister had a personal conversation with Sir Gulam Noon, the Labour donor whose nomination forms were changed after the intervention of Labour fundraiser Lord Levy, less than four weeks ago. The meeting was " very friendly". Friends of the curry magnate say he believes Downing Street is still "very keen" for him to become a peer.
Opposition politicians last night questioned Mr Blair's judgement and called on the police to interview him about the meeting. There is now speculation that Sir Gulam, who lent the party £250,000, could be included on Tony Blair's resignation honours list: such a list may not have to be independently vetted." and of course no one in labour blocked the investigation into the Saudi arms deal" Hypocrite!

John Gray said...

Hi Anon 15 Jan

What on earth are you going on about?

What statement did Blair release at the time? Was Blair the Chair of the Met? Did Len Davall, the Labour Chair of the time publically state that Blair was "innocent"? Of course he didn't.

Please don't be such a donkey as to not even bother to reference or link your assertions.

BTW - Are you an aspiring ES journalist? You will go far!

Anonymous said...

A member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's inner circle was today arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice by police officers investigating cash-for-honours allegations.

Ruth Turner, the 10 Downing Street director of Government communications, was questioned at a London police station before being released without charge pending further inquiries.

Mr Blair said he continued to have "complete confidence" in Ms Turner, who he described as "a person of the highest integrity".

The fact that Ms Turner was questioned on suspicion of perverting the course of justice will spark speculation in Westminster that the police may be turning their attention towards the possibility of an attempt to cover-up the sale of honours.

Anonymous said...

Blair intervened in decision to suspend Saudi arms probe.
Tony Blair: intervened in the decision to spend Saudi arms probe
Ministers last night faced calls for a fresh inquiry into the suspension of the bribery probe into BAE Systems' Saudi arms deals after it was revealed how Tony Blair intervened in the decision.

Newly released secret documents show the then Prime Minister begged his Attorney General to scrap a Serious Fraud Office inquiry, fearing it would jeopardise future fighter-jet contracts.

That would be "no interference in a police investigation then"!

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
You are still not referencing your quotes? Anyway Ruth Turner was not charged over this so I don’t see your point?

Ironically of course with the BAA arms bribes case if there had been a criminal case to answer (which it would appear there wasn’t) it wouldn’t have been any Labour politicians in the frame. In fact I read somewhere that dear old Maggie could have had her collar felt since the deal took place in her time and she authorised the so-called secret protocols. Now there is a thought?

Anonymous said...

Blair was the only PM ever interviewed under caution by the police.

The point is that Labour have a shameful record when it comes to intervening in police investigations, so spare us bleating on about Boris.
The Met Commissioner was a light weight that became far too political - good riddance.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
Come off it, what rubbish - where is your evidence? TB was not charged (or even arrested) so how can you compare him with Boris who was Chair of the MPA while "0corrupting" a Police enquiry for crying out loud. You know I am right on this one. He should resign.

Anonymous said...

Was Boris interviewed under caution? No...were Blair and Lord Levy..Yes. Shameful. That obese slob Prescott was also interviewed for common assault...what a great example they set!

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
So what? Why wasn't Thatcher arrested and interviewed under caution over the arms deal?
I assume that you are pleased that cuddly Ken is back on the Tory Front bench?