There's nothing the left hate more than a black person who does well in the Tory party. They look at successful black or Asian Tories and shake their heads in bewilderment at how such itelligent people can't see what they perceive as the real truth. Yasmin Alibhai-Brown gave the game away a couple of weeks ago when she referred to black Tories as "Uncle Toms". It may have been an appalling thing to say, but she was merely giving voice to a widely held view on the left. If you're black and you're a Tory, you've sold out.
And that explains in part what's happened to Ray Lewis over the last forty eight hours. Several commenters (anonymous, natch) have tried to compare Ray Lewis's situation to that of Lee Jasper. The difference between the two is that Jasper was found to have mishandled financial matters (and still did not resign) and only went after sexually charged emails were produced. It took months, if not years, for the media to wake up to Jasper. Yet in the case of Ray Lewis he was tried and charged by the media within hours of allegations being made. Lewis came out fighing, denied everything but in doing so probably made matters worse for himself. And for Boris. He should have known that every word he said would be pored over for an inaccuracy. He appeared to make out he was a magistrate, when the truth is that he has ben approved for magistracy - a slight difference, but enough of a difference to cost him his job.
Having now caught up with what's been written about the allegations I am still somewhat mystified. He's never been charged with anything by the Police. He's supposed to have taken money from a woman and then paid it back with interest a few years later. She's obviously so upset by the experience that she now works for Ray Lewis at the Eastside Young Leaders' Academy. You couldn't make it up. He's also accused of an as yet undetailed sexual misconduct allegation.
Like everyone reading this (whether they care to admit it or not), I have absolutely no idea if Ray Lewis is innocent or guilty of what he is accused of. He has resigned to clear his name and now awaits the outcome of an inquiry to be led by Martin Narey of Barnardo's. If he is cleared of all the allegations, Boris would be quite right to restore him to his position of Deputy Mayor. But if he does, Lewis will be fully aware that he is now Public Enemy Number One by the 'Uncle Tom' hating leftists. That in itself may mean he feels taking up his position again is just not worth the candle.
But through all of this, I have one thing in the back of my mind - the hundreds of black kids who have graduated from the Eastside Young Leaders Academy who Ray Lewis saved from a life of crime. Whatever the outcome of the Narey Inquiry, I for one shall not lose sight of the amazing work Ray Lewis has done with these kids over the last five years.
WARNING: I am well aware that this post will attract a lot of hateful comments both about myself and Ray Lewis. Be warned that anything anonymous which is abusive or insulting is liable to be deleted without explanation.
99 comments:
Iain, sadly you've been blinded by his blue rosette, much like Derek Conway, indeed like many other Tories recently who have been caught out.
If you believe it is all about race, then you are wrong. It is because he has been caught out by the media, but failed to be checked out by Team Cameron. A massive oversight.
Was he a governor ? Well he certainly didn't govern a prison, which is what I would call a governor.
Was he a JP ? Apparently not.
Was he under suspician by the C of E ? Apparently, according to the latest sources he was.
There are lots of fantiasists who have done some good work. You forget Iain that he is not being criticised for what he has done well, that is not the nature of critidism.He is being criticised because of the massive holes in his story.
I think Iain this posting does you no credit, sadly.
Words like those from the Yazz show that Socialists (and their covert "Liberal elite" self-loathers) treat everyone as clay for their use.
Minorities are considered "theirs". A tool for them just as the working class are. Not as individuals.
The Left always scream that Libertarians hate people, but in truth it is just psychological projection.
Light the blue touchpaper and stand back.
I think you are right Ian. And I commend you for saying things that are so unfashionable. I feel like Sir Humphrey commending Hacker for being "courageous".
You are right about the uncle tom lefty attitudes.
Boris is right to get him to resign. If these accusations are all smoke and mirrors the only people to suffer will be ordinary young black people.
Nich, I think you have made the mistake of not reading what I wrote, and instead you have commented on what you think I wrote.
I didn't say it was ALL about race. But I did say it is in part about race.
Could you explain just what kind of checks might have been done? Because I am buggered if I know.
I address the JP point. Yes, he was "under suspicion" by the C of E, but how would Boris have known that? And how could his people have found out?
he may not be being criticised for what he has done well, but here is never an acknowledgement of his good work by anyone on the left because it involves that word which the left hate - discipline.
I accept there are holes in his story, which is why I have been careful to say let's await the outcome of the Narey inquiry. My words were "I have no idea if he is guilty or innocent".
What would have done me no credit if is I had joined the lynch mob.
There is no reason at all why this post should attract hateful comments, either addressed to you or to Ray Lewis. It is dispassionate and objective.
When His Grace posted upon this, he was accused of being 'foolish' and 'mischievous' by an 'Anon' (from Conservative HQ), but nothing more. Of course the accomplishments of Mr Lewis should be recognised: his work is inspirational and important. But his manifest personal and political success begs the question about why he misled in his biography, which His Grace has now reproduced in full before the Mayor's office removes it.
Not only is there no mention of his having been a Church of England vicar for a decade (a third of his working life simply not mentioned), but he clearly states:
"He is also a Trustee and Governor of the Petchey Academy in Hackney and a Justice of the Peace."
Why mention the latter if he was never appointed? To be recommended is obviously not the same as being appointed, yet Mr Lewis refers to this distinction as 'hair-splitting'. His Grace is known for his pedantry, and truly regrets what has befallen Mr Lewis, but he wishes all of Mr Dale's readers to be informed that he has been recommended (on more than one occasion) for the positions of MP, pope, and prime minister.
He shall duly add them to his CV.
Labour's reaction to this, from Hazel Blears in particular, has been ungracious, hypocritical, desperate, opportunistic and partisan. The BBC should be ashamed at making this reaction one of their top headlines.
I hear no acknowledgement from them of all the good things Ray Lewis has done.
Hi Iain.
Frustrating isn't it. One would like the political discussion to be about politics but this guy has been hung drawn and they're about to stick the knife in before we do know what he did - if he did anything at all.
People hate politics for the artificial division between those zealots and dilletents who scream that Lewis is guilty or innocent based on whether they support Labour or the Tories (Norfolk blogger excepted).
It was frustrating when it happened Ken and Lee Jasper and it's frustrating now.
The political discussion can't go on like this.
I think this is sad. Lewis is clearly the sort of non-political person we need in politics.
But this is a question of non disclosure. If Lewis, through shame or naivety, seeks to alter the facts of his life when being vetted by Johnson/Cameron or when unveiled as deputy mayor, then of course he will be unable to continue in his position.
Let me repeat, I am sad and I hope that he can continue to work for London in a more informal capacity.
I hear no acknowledgement from them of all the good things Ray Lewis has done.
Alas, as the Bard observed:
"The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones."
Unlike Mr Starling, I did make the mistake of reading your post.
Talk of "Uncle Toms" is an hysterical over-reaction. YAB, whatever you think, does not speak for anyone other than herself.
The fact is that he claimed to be a JP. The Ministry of Justice found it very easy to check this. His claim is untrue.
Whatever good things he has done, this makes him unreliable and unsuitable as a Deputy Mayor.
Let's hope that if the Tories are able to represent blacks in future they make a better job of it than Mr Lewis did in representing himself.
Labour are fine ones to lecture any one about loans.
As for playing fast and loose with the truth. Sexed up dossiers anyone?
Iain
Congratulations on finally getting round to even reporting this story.
Your view that a possible by-election candidate in Glasgow had decided not to stand was a bigger story than the Deputy Mayor of London being forced to resign for lying about his position (and then being hung out to dry by Boris) spoke volumes.
But, having finally gotten round to reporting it, to then launch a load of vitriol like this really is beneath you. We actually used to work together a long time ago and I've read your blog and personally wished you well ever since although I support, as you may have guessed, another party.
I still think you're a decent bloke actually - and in hindsight I think even you will cringe when you re-read what you have just posted.
Grow up.
Iain, thanks for your clarification. You do have to accept though that the title of your posting is rather "catch all",and tars everyone with the same brush. The use of the term "unlce Tom" though particularly has race implications, which is the point I was aiming at.
You are quite right about the comparison with Jaspers.
Nothing he has been accused of is as bad as whay Jaspers is pretty much agreed to have done.
The speed & venom of the attck is far greater than with Jaspers.
This is quite obviously not because of racial prejudice. The prejudice lies elswhere.
It is indeed the anti-racist professions gathering round to defend their bailliwick against Conservative encroachment.
However the previous willingness of the Tories to roll over for the McGrath issue clearly encourages such tactics. They should counterattack - naming all the atackers including the BBC & demanding they confirm they will publicly apologise when/if it is confirmed no improper financial gain was made.
Iain
Very good post. Thank you. It is really depressing to think that we are going to get lots more of this virulence from now on.
Congratulations Iain even more rubbish than your Conway defence.
This is a story with, 'Legs' tomorrow's Sunday papers might make even more uncomfortable reading for you.
Still you can always blame it on the, 'Left'
I don't think its a coincidence that the BBC, Guardian and Channel 4 all had similar stories coming to them from different sources.
Lewis may have done good work and he seems a charismatic individual but to lie about your past at a press conference called to clear up suspicion shows a serious lack of judgement (as does Boris' appointment of him without doing checks!).
The Yasmin column was unbelievable. I kept commenting all week that she had been blatantly racist. Boris has real problems because the "liberal" coloured left can be as nasty and as racist as they like about whites and fellow blacks and there are no comebacks. If he appoints blacks, they are "Uncle Toms" if he doesn't, Boris is racist.
And comments form people like Norfolk Blogger are hilarious. I am suspicious of lots of people in Norfolk, but I don't imagine he would expect that to stop them getting a job, but there you go.
As it stands, Ray is no different than anybody, we all have a past. From what I've read, there's nothing that I would consider even approaching a serious doubt. As Iain says, nothing is pointing to a guilty as charged. Its rich for people to treat him as if that is the case, what's happened of being innocent until proven guilty?
To have a champion of getting the youths together and helping them find a good road, when there are so many paths of doom, is something to be proud of. Indeed, Ken Livingstone said that he'd like to discovered him himself.
Boris is right to say that When he clears his name that he'll welcome him back is a mark of a loyal and true friend, he understands the reasons for Rays action at this juncture.
This is a sad indication of the spin that the media and people in general , get carried along by in this country. It has gone from shooting down the successful people in life, to commiting them without trial and to distroy the reason why anybody would want to help people less fortunate than themselves, thankfully good people look through that.
Sexed up CV, maybe, who hasn't done that. Convicted criminal? Not that I can see....
One reason why this story is getting so much interest is that it plays to the suspicions most of us had that Boris Johnson's mayoralty would be a shambles. And so it is proving.
Either Lewis has done something wrong or Boris is weak and lacks judgement. Or both....
Nothing to do with racism Ian.
The deputy Mayor for Young People has been found to have been defrocked from the C of E for alleged sexual and financial liasions with vulnerable parishoners and is currently lying about his status as a JP. It doesn't matter what colour your skin is, no way can you be deputy Mayor with that hanging over you.
His alleged misdemeanours as a priest may well be cleared up but how is he going to explain away why he was up until yesterday claiming to be a JP?
It also begs the question. Was he really the Governor of one of Her Majesty's prisons?
Anybody wishing to become a JP would need to apply to their local Bench. Applicants who appear to meet the Bench's requirements will be invited for interview, and should that prove successful, a second interview.
The Bench's Advisory Committee will make their decision and advise successful candidates that they are being recommended for appointment.
It is pretty unusual for people not to be appointed following recommendation, so Lewis may have sincerely believed that he had been appointed.
Iain, you're sadly blinkered by your party colours on this one. Not all left leaning people regard non-white conservatives with suspision or contempt as you assert. Although some undoubtedly do. But in refering back to Yasmin's column you've missed the big point here.
Trial by media is skewing our politics for the worse and the political classes of all colours pander too it and therefore compound it. I'm labour but I don't think either Lewis or Jasper should have been hung out on the basis of allegations only.
I think Ken should have suspended Jasper sooner, and I think Boris could and should have suspended Lewis rather than sacking him. If they adopted this approach then either one of them could have them back when and if they are cleared. Or sacked them if they were proved guilty.
We jump to judge too quickly. And hold our politicians to standards that the vast majority of us could never keep too.
I'm saddened that you use this to make a left/right point. As a member of the Labour party I think it's positive to have people of all backgrounds holding positions of power and influence. (Obviously I'd rather Labour held the power).
And it's desperately sad when our politicians can't have even the merest whiff of a mistake in their backgrounds.
The media, politicians, commentators and voters need to be more mature in their expectations and reactions.
Clutching at straws aren't you Iain? A man lauded by David Cameron, David Davis, and of course blundering Boris, has been found wanting, yet all you can see is his colour (or accuse others of only seeing his colour, which is too cute even for you).
Your defence of 'wait until the results of the inquiry' is also pretty hypocritical. We know he's not a JP as he claimed, no inquiry needed there. We also know that he was put on the 'Lambeth List' for a reason, yet instead of accepting that leading Tories had made a fantastic mistake nailing themselves to Lewis you come out firing at his critics! Pathetic.
There's now a gaping hole in Tory policy on education and youth crime, as well as social policy generally. That's the uncomfortable truth. What a shame you can't admit it.
Dear me Iain. This is incredible. Ray Lewis CANNOT be proved innocent of various untruths and lapses of judgment and of candour. This is nothing to do with your offensive projection of his being considered an "Uncle Tom". Rubbish.
He did pretend to be a magistrate. He was not one. He did say, kind of, that he was a priest. But not that he had been defrocked. He said he didn't know this. He told the Mirrior he had known about the allegations for some time. Boris had known for two months. Lewis then told C4N that they'd just been sprung on him.
He does not dispute the taking of money off various people including a woman who is now a colleague (almost £30,000 returned with some kind of interest after some seven years) or a young man with learning difficulties (£8,000).
I have not seen any comment from him about giving a bouncing cheque to a Nigerian investor (again £8,000) at Heathrow.
He says he was a Prison Governor. For which we find he was in fact Head of a Young Offenders Establishment for quite a short time. About a year was it?
His school is feted. Yet Newham have not agreed to provide any funding this year (though several hundred pounds was paid over in error) after they introduced a robust application process in which Ray's crew were not successful.
The "separate development" model is at best controversial and contested as a route to take.
He says he was "no saint" which presumably covers these runnings as well as the "sexual misdemeanors" he was asked of by Jon Snow on C4N. No doubt the NOTW or the People will have some of the stories this week or next.
He was not CRB checked never mind having an Enhanced Disclosure. These would have revealled multiple complaints against him for violence. None of which led to a conviction, but would nonetheless have led a responsible employer, especially a politician to step away.
As I have said on my blog I asked the mayor's office immediately about the man's partial CV as issued by Boris. It showed gaps which again would put off responsible bodies.
Was he even a Tory? I think he was in fact just a chancer who would have been flattered by any such offers. But he cannot be "cleared". He is unclearable.
And I don't know where you're going with the Lee Jasper line but it really won't wash ... except to say that if you had a history of giving people the benefit of the doubt if they were not allied with the Tory party then this would have more credance.
It is an absolute disgrace that you are trying to make the rightful criticism of this man, this liar, this rough diamond, into a race attack.
The BNP etc were after him on that basis.
But it is outrageous to suggest that the Bishop of Chelmsford or other critics acted because of Ray Lewis' race and ethnicity. He's been found out, in current untruths as well as past issues, that is all.
As I understand it if you are nominated as a magistrate and get through the interviews you then have to sign up and commit to a minimum of sitting on the bench.
Did Ray Lewis get through? Just now we don't even know that.
And we don't know that much about the success of his educational activities.
If you don't sit you're not a magistrate. If you've never sat, more so. It is not something to add to a boy scout's arm of CV liveners.
Incidentally Kip Malthouse was interesting, suggesting Ray Lewis was on a back burner musing on the long term and hadn't actually suggested or caused any of the police etc activity.
This one will run and run.
I totally agree with every word, particularly your last sentences.
Ray Lewis has created something incredibly valuable all by himself, out of nothing. For that he deserves our patience and forbearance until this situation is decided.
well done Iain. **** the left wingers....
whatever facts are revealed concerning mr lewis i think most of us agree that a man is innocent till proved guilty and that hazel blears is a bit of a dumbo !
I am a Black Labour supporter and I think what has happened to Lewis is incredibly sad but I cannot support him now. I was so happy when Boris appointed him (even if I am Labour). Most Black Londoners were. I feel very, very let down by him and just don't understand why he lied like that. It's Boris I feel sorry for really. Ken made sure the people he surrounded himself by were loyal to him above all else. If Lewis was truly loyal to Boris he would told him everything about his past before even considering the job. If Boris wants to survive the next 3 years and 10 months he better clear out the Cameron hangers on and get his own Boris-loyal-and-Boris-loyal-team around him asap. On behalf of the whole Black community, I really hope Lewis can return to his work but reading everything I have I just don't think that will be possible. You shouldn't play the race card on this one, Iain, it's barking up the wrong tree.
Norfolk Blogger
There are governor grades within a prison as there are prison officer grades. This man was a governor even if he was not the governing governor!. Further, I was appointed as a Magistrate and prior to being sworn in and sitting, I was told by the Lord Chancellor's Department that once appointed I could rightfully put JP by my name. The letter of appointment had it on! I must assume this is what occurred in this case?
Iain, I am not convinced that race played a part in this matter. Rather, I think that anyone appointed would have endured the same scrutiny. I watched a recent televised London Assembly meeting and was horrified at how ghastly and partisan it was. It begs the question how best to vet prospective appointments. My understanding is that CRB checks do not cover allegations - neither should they. Innuendo and often spiteful gossip should not be recorded as fact. What is clear is that individuals who are "normal" and have not been subjected to the media's attention can give disastrous interviews. Media training is very necessary. Also, as someone who has regularly interviewed prospective candidates for employment (individually and as part of a panel), one has to rely on CRB, application form, track record and personal gut feelings. I too have been mislaid - part of life. The winner of the latest Apprentice series lied on his CV - still got the job and some of the panel indicated that "lying" was to be expected with CVs. I did not like this statement but must assume there is some truth in it? What is sad is if Mr Lewis felt the need to do so and for that I feel very sympathetic.
Neither am I convinced of your argument that all people on the left of the political spectrum are opposed to black people being Tories. Whilst you quoted Yasmin Alibhai Brown, I do not think she is representative of the broad left in the UK. I was once of the left (university days) but was and still remain liberal and this woman's views are abhorrent to me. Although I am of mature years, I find her views very old fashioned and very much out of touch.
I think it is all very sad. I think this man would have made a positive contribution as he certainly seems to be in touch with what is happening with young people and this is very necessary to affect change. I await the enquiry - minor misdemeanours should not preclude talented people from getting on!
Mrs Dale? Barking? How very dare you.
To quote that well-known left-wing newspaper The Torygraph
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: “No, he is not and has never been a magistrate.”
Is that clear enough for you Mr Prolix Anon @3:48 PM?
The man lied on his CV. It is curious as to why he should have done it, and probably censorable, but I think his not having been a JP is far outweighed by the inestimable good he does saving black kids in Newham from potential lives of crime and despair.
Blears's reaction is further proof that Labour, too busy with their auto-bash-the-Tories mode, simply don't get it.
k @ 3.27
"If Boris wants to survive the next 3 years and 10 months he better clear out the Cameron hangers on and get his own Boris-loyal-and-Boris-loyal-team around him asap."
Absolutely spot on. Ray Lewis was a Cameron man. The Very first thing Dave did after becoming Tory Leader was to meet Ray Lewis infront of the cameras at the Eastside Young Leaders Acadamy.
I am willing to bet Boris will be wary of taking on a Cameron stooge again and leaving to trust that that the Conservatives have checked out their man properly. Looks like Dave has inadvertently stitched Boris up like a kipper.
As I understand it, Lewis didn't complete the Magistrates' training course - perhaps someone knows better? Does he put 'JP' after his name - I don't know.
He denied the Nigerian fraud claim on his C4 interview.
At Boris's launch, Lewis made it clear that he would take on the role offered in order to carry on his work, but he would not ally himself to a particular Party; I thought he was incredibly charismatic, so I hope, though doubt, that he will be able to clear his name.
As a Conservative, I believe that had Lewis been appointed by Livingstone and these accusations had been made, we would have condemned him.
Iain, I agree completely with your post.
I get the impression Labour thinks it is owed the votes of black people, those not complying being a traitors, hence the bile.
I would find it very upsetting to come from a "minority" race or religious group of any kind.
As soon as you get into politics you're supposed to lobby for that minority.
Gays seem to have made the break through.
Truth is we are mix of beliefs, colour isn't one of them.
Is he worse or better than a Prime Minister who lies about a war?
You are absolutely right and well put.
As a black woman who grew up in Africa I used to be very puzzled by the notion that if you were black your loyalties’ SHOULD lie on the left. As a business person and an inherent capitalist I found this notion to be a bit bizarre.
Africans and Middle Eastern (my beautiful heritage) are naturally conservatives, so where did the idea of “if you are of color you are/support Labour come from?”
Could it be an indirect way of keeping that group in a certain box? I wonder! Specially when I see scholars and successful journalists get all bothered and twisted as soon as one of us goes right.
Haven't time to read all the posts but the blog seems fair minded to a fault. But then, it's an old liberal/tory failing, believing a man is innocent until proved guilty.
Incidentally, the BBC web site story was an insult to journalism. I had never really believed the BBC had an inbuilt left wing bias until that. Outrageous.
Seems a very fair description of events - but you'll be attacked anyway by those who don't believe in the old saw of being innocent until proved guilty.
BTW, the BBC website story was one of the most scandalous bits of spin it's been my pleasure to see. The BBC neutral? Ha!
Norfolk Blogger wont print my bloggs because I kept disagreeing with him, I called him a Leftie and as you can see he is in the forefront of the leftie condemnation of Ray Lewis before any invesigation has been carried out. The left wing are far more vindictive than the right.
He is not liberal.
I have reasons to believe that the Labour government pushed for the appointment as head of a government organisation of a New Labour faithful who claimed to have a formal degree in engineering. (His CV is still in the public domain.) Unfortunately, this was not quite true.
Iain, the magitrate isue was no mere cause of misspeaking. Lewis's profile on City Hall ha stated he was a JP ever since it was uploaded and the same claim was made in the press release annoucing his appointment.
The Guardian was very positive about Ray Lewis in January this year:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/30/raylewis.interview
No trace of a murky past then.Iz it coz I iz tory?
Iain: "Could you explain just what kind of checks might have been done? Because I am buggered if I know."
An enhanced CRB check, which would have been appropriate for a Deputy Mayor of London.
Iain: "I address the JP point. Yes, he was "under suspicion" by the C of E, but how would Boris have known that? And how could his people have found out?"
Er....a phone call to Lambeth Palace? After all, the Bishop of Barking wrote to Boris with the required information just a few days after Lewis' appointment, so the information would have been easily available before it.
Anonymous:" I was appointed as a Magistrate and prior to being sworn in and sitting, I was told by the Lord Chancellor's Department that once appointed I could rightfully put JP by my name. The letter of appointment had it on! I must assume this is what occurred in this case?"
Er...no. Lewis' own statement yesterday stated that he had been merely "recommended" for the position of Justice of the Peace. Recommended. Not appointed. There is a major difference.
Iain, I think you are on a bizarre tack here in trying to make a race issue out of this with your "Uncle Tom" phrase.
I think you need to calm down a bit.
This is a clear issue of recruitment procedure. CV examination and appropriate checks and references. Very simple. It is done hundreds of thousands of times a day by Human Resource departments all over the world. But not in Borisland apparently.
More crucially, if Boris had actually followed the constitution of the Greater London Authority and appointed just one deputy mayor from the assembly members, then he (Boris) and Lewis wouldn't be in this mess.
Boris made a fundamental misjudgment in over-promoting Lewis to an invented role of one of several "deputy mayors" which have no validity according to the Greater London Authority constitution. Lewis' skills and experience could easily have been brought to bear as an adviser, a work party leader or an informal ambassador. Due to the low profile of such roles it seems doubtful that any of this controversy would have arisen. It was Boris misjudgment in giving Ray Lewis the tag "deputy mayor" which has largely led to this crisis for Boris.
So, Boris is actually responsible for the bucket of ordure which is now driblling down his face. No one else, and certainly not "leftists", whatever their views on the phenomenum represented by the obscure phrase you have dragged up.
See 'Common Purpose' - it ticks all the right boxes. I
It's everywhere in the public sector, in particular the BBC - and it doesn't like non-believers making it to a position where their influenece may be challenged. Until this malign organisation is outed nothing, absolutely nothing will change in public life.
Judith.
As anonymous @ 3.38 says, when a magistrate is appointed (having been recommended by his local Bench's Advisory Committee)he/she receives a letter from the Lord Chancellor's office advising him/her that they have been appointed. Sometime after that they will be invited to their local courthouse to be sworn in. It is then that they officially become a magistrate. They will not however commence sitting until they have completed their training.
In Ray Lewis' case it appears that he had been recommended, but, somewhat unusually, that recommendation had not proceeded to appointment. This period of limbo can take 4-5 months.
Given the rarity of those recommended not being appointed it would not have been unreasonable for Ray Lewis to believe that his recommendation pretty much equated to appointment, particularly if he was confident about his criminal record.
What he may not have realised is that the Enhanced CRB checks, which are run on these occasions, look at other relevant information and it is my guess something came up that was sufficient to warrant declining his appointment.
We must however also bear in mind that according to today's Telegraph,in the year to February 2008, 680 people were issued with incorrect information on their background checks by the CRB.
I address the JP point. Yes, he was "under suspicion" by the C of E, but how would Boris have known that? And how could his people have found out?
Because the Bishop of Chelmsford wrote to him about it in May (source Daily Mail)
I think Kennedy padded his resume about his war record & having actually written the book he got a Pullitzer for. Moses padded his about being born Jewish. St Peter unpadded his about never having met the bloke.
Noy quite putting Lewis in those categories but if there was no financial rip off then exagerating the extent to which you almost became a JP seems small beer.
It isn't racism but it is probably anti-racist machine politics defending their ownership of the race issue & consequent votes/money.
Like most people living outside the M25 bubble, I have to confess ignorance of the inner workings of the London Assembly & the Mayoralty.
It does strike me though that Ray Lewis as Boris's appointee had to be approved by the London Assembly.
He wasn't just put into office, there needs to be a special meeting at which MLA's essentially vet him and vote on whether or not to confirm his appointment, does there not?
That committee, as I understand it was chaired by Jennette Arnold- a Labour MLA.
So while Boris may have messed up the vetting, though God knows how he was supposed to find this stuff out, he was still confirmed by MLA's of all parties who were tasked with vetting him.
I have to wonder though, why we are discussing this before the charges have been investigated, let alone substantiated.
We are being forced, mainly by the media, to treat him as guilty, because someone has accused him of impropriety!
I am happy to be corrected on the mechanics of the confirmation process, as I admit to being an amateur when it comes to how the GLA works.
I am mystified as to why Narey has been chosen to head the inquiry. As any fool know, Narey was head of the Prison Service. If he finds that Lewis is innocent, the enquiry will be decried as "the old boys network protecting one of their own".
The reality is that Lewis is now so tainted, rightly or wrongly, that he will not hold public office for the foreseeable future.
Personally, I think he has been shown for what he is, which is all highly entertaining bearing in mind the shortcomings of Livingstone's friends...
Totally off topic, but how about all of the anonymous geniuses having the bollocks to use their real, or identifiable names?
Surely, even on t'web, having the courage of your convictions should still holds good?
I actually do not have a problem with members of the BME community being Tories, I just can't understand why anyone would be a Tory! But I have to say I found myself blogging a sympathetic tome today, as did fellow Lib Dem Meral Ece. In my view, appointing a youth worker rather than a police officer to look at tackling the very real problems of gun and knife crime in London, was visionary. I am saddened that this frankly tragic outcome is being used as a political football. Our children are dying - as far as I know the allegations against Ray Lewis do not include him being responsible for anyone's death. Of course if the allegations are true then I do not condone them, or his gilding of his CV. But, if his appointment could have contributed towards saving even one young life, the fact that some people are crowing over his demise is frankly shortsighted and the worst kind of political bigotism (if there is such a word!).
If Boris hadn't appointed on the basis of skin colour, he wouldn't be in this pickle.
Why did Boris make Ray Lewis a deputy Mayor?
The guy is not a politician, he is a champion at turning around the lives of youngsters, mainly ethnic, who have strayed away from the straight and narrow. Making Lewis's job political was just plain stupid. Was David Cameron leaning on Boris?
If Ray Lewis had not been given a political role, I doubt he would have come under political crossfire.
Boris should distance himself from team Cameron and remember that HE is the most powerful Conservative in the Land, not Dave.
Iain, the problem here is that 'what is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander..'
I am not suggesting or insinuating that you participated in much of the muck-raking which took place in the latter part of Ken's time in office.
Many even jumped on the 'Ken is anti semitic' bandwagon, which was clearly nonsense - he was giving as good as he got to an obnoxious and annoying journalist - just because he was Jewish should not give him a 'free pass' to harass people in the way that he did.
And now it is coming back to bite people, as people spot weaknesses in Boris Johnson's team and try to get to the bottom of it. That is what is called 'journalism' - a bit of an alien concept in the blogosphere, but there you go.
The big question is 'Who Is Next?'
We all know that Bad News Comes In Threes.. And the journos on the red top tabloids and big broadsheet Sundays will even as we speak be searching through the rubbish bins of Boris Johnson's other deputies for some sleaze, and muckraking with old boyfriends, girlfriends et al..
They will have been told by their editors' to, as Eddie Murphy might put it, 'crawl up Bozza's @r$e with a microscope' as the next scoop will bring a substantial dividend in extra sales...
Anyone fancy a side-bet as to who is next to have the bucket of ordure tipped over their head ?
I'm sure Ray Lewis is a nice enough guy, but the fact is 'He fibbed, and he's f**ked.. '
"Talk of "Uncle Toms" is an hysterical over-reaction" -- no it is not. I can read and I know how many beans make 5, thank you very much.
As for 'doubts about Boris' and 'shambles' ... this is equally pathetic. If Lewis had been a leftie then all the leftie bleeding hearts would have been saying how a black man has to over egg his CV in order to get a look in - its all because of the 'institutional racism' of our white society. Without a doiubt someone would inevitably mention 'slavery'.
But because he's working for Boris - its (pardon the expression) knives out time.
And if Ken can hang on to Jasper for years when we all knew about LDA money going missing then I think Boris's prompt action is laudatory not shambolic. We will get an inquiry and THEN we can determine our opinion.
I repeat - its the young blacks of London who going to miss out.
Let him who is wothout sin, cast the first stone. John 8:7.
I usually prefer to lurk rather than post, but I can't help but comment on some of Chris Paul's purple prose.
As Iain says - we have no idea what he's done and how serious it might be, although the statement about being a JP could be seen as gilding the lily a bit. But I think some people are jumping to conclusions.
"He did pretend to be a magistrate. He was not one."
The evidence seems to be that he has been recommended for appintment, but is not actually entitled to sit yet. However, the MiniJustice response that he "is not and never has been a JP" is disingenuous, surely a correct response from a neutral Civil Service press officer should have been to explain that he had been recommended but not yet formally appointed?
"He did say, kind of, that he was a priest. But not that he had been defrocked."
I don't think he has been defrocked. He has been placed on a list which means that he is not entitled to exercise his ministry in the Church of England. Interestingly, his placement on this list appears to have taken place after he stopped working for the C of E. There appears to have been no attempt to investigate the allegations or to ascertain the truthfulness of them, which is strange to say the least. My suspicion is that he was put on the list so that if he did attempt to return to the Church, they would be flagged up - but we will find out when the investigation is over.
"He said he didn't know this. He told the Mirrior he had known about the allegations for some time. Boris had known for two months. Lewis then told C4N that they'd just been sprung on him."
Yes there are inconsistencies here... although it could just be inaccuracies in reporting, he could also have been referring to different allegations in different reports.
"He does not dispute the taking of money off various people including a woman who is now a colleague (almost £30,000 returned with some kind of interest after some seven years)"
From all reports, this was some sort of investment and the woman has been quoted that although there were "difficulties" they have now been sorted out to her satisfaction - so much so, that she is now prepared to work for the man.
"or a young man with learning difficulties (£8,000)... I have not seen any comment from him about giving a bouncing cheque to a Nigerian investor (again £8,000) at Heathrow."
You haven't tried very hard then, he denied these both categorically on C4N on Thursday.
"He says he was a Prison Governor. For which we find he was in fact Head of a Young Offenders Establishment for quite a short time. About a year was it?"
Well that sounds to me like a job that can be described as a "prison governor", a YOE is after all... a prison for young people. And "governor" is a title that covers a whole variety of management roles in the Prison Service.
"His school is feted. Yet Newham have not agreed to provide any funding this year (though several hundred pounds was paid over in error) after they introduced a robust application process in which Ray's crew were not successful."
I do not think that anything can be read into the fact that a, presumably lefty, local authority doesn't want to fund his school.
"He says he was "no saint" which presumably covers these runnings as well as the "sexual misdemeanors" he was asked of by Jon Snow on C4N"
He was a vicar. "Sexual misdemeanor", even if true, could cover a variety of things that you and me might get up to every day and expect not even to be remarked on.
"He was not CRB checked never mind having an Enhanced Disclosure. These would have revealled multiple complaints against him for violence. None of which led to a conviction, but would nonetheless have led a responsible employer, especially a politician to step away."
The apparent lack of vetting does raise some concerns - but not only did these complaints - for minor things like common assault - not only not lead to convictions, the police saw no need to take action. I would see no reason not to employ.
"As I have said on my blog I asked the mayor's office immediately about the man's partial CV as issued by Boris. It showed gaps which again would put off responsible bodies."
That would worry me as well - but we're assuming that what Boris issued was what Lewis gave Boris. The version issued by the mayor's office could easily have been edited for public consumption, just to make it shorter and more relevant.
"Was he even a Tory?"
Why does that matter? Are only fully paid up members of the political classes allowed to contribute to running the country?
"But he cannot be "cleared". He is unclearable."
As I have pointed out above, many of the statements you seem to think are unequivocal proof of wickedness could have other explanations. I don't know if he can be cleared on all of them - and I think he is probably too tarnished to be reappointable - but let's wait for the enquiry and for some sort of truth to come out.
Several commenters (anonymous, natch) have tried to compare Ray Lewis's situation to that of Lee Jasper. Ray Lewis's situation to that of Lee Jasper. The difference between the two is that Jasper was found to have mishandled financial matters (and still did not resign) and only went after sexually charged emails were produced. It took months, if not years, for the media to wake up to Jasper.
What utter rubbish. Lee Jasper was *accused* of having mishandled financial matters. Best part of a year on, and still no evidence has been provided to substantiate those allegations. Why should he have resigned based on allegations he denied and continues to deny? The only person who has done that in recent years is Peter Hain. Lewis refused to resign when allegations about financial misconduct were first made - it was only after he was found to have lied about his background that he went. Similarly, Jasper resigned when it was revealed that he had had a sexual relationship with someone who worked for an organisation that he recommended recieve a grant (note, he recommended they recive a grant, he did not and was not in a position to make the actual decision) - the failure to disclose that relationship was a breach of the Code of Conduct that Livingstone set up for his staff, and that's why he rightly resigned.
The only thing Jasper was guilty of was failure to subject his private life to public scrutiny - something Johnson himself has been guilty of at least twice. He was tried and crucified by the media, by vipers like you Iain, who have done nothing of merit in their own lives and get satisfaction from trying to destroy those who have. In fairness, what Jasper did is perhaps comparable to Ray Lewis' failure to reveal the full history of his time in the Church. That Lewis also invented false claims about his background makes it clear that their situations are not comparable. Jasper failed to disclose the whole truth, Lewis actively lied.
The attack on Ray Lewis is amazing. Maybe the guy has a chequered past, maybe he told some porkies on his CV. What he does seem to have done is achieved some results with difficult kids in difficult situations (might even have been a bit physical). Many of us would applaud what he's done right, not condemn for what he has done wrong (if anything).
However, he has committed the greatest sin of all and allied himself with the archdevil Boris Johnson. No quarter must be given. Even an oath of allegiance to Ken Livingstone could not save him now. A blood sacrifice was demanded for James McGrath and now they they will never be satisfied.
This is the revenge of the left for being thrown out of the offices they thought were theirs for life. Stand up to the them and they will be shown to be the bileful, lying, untrustworthy creeps they and we know they are.
Bring back Ray Lewis now.
Personally, I hope that Ray Lewis cleared of all the allegations and those that made them are found.
I will await the outcome of the investigation of course but if what you say is right Iain I really cannot understand why the women he is alleged to have taken money off is still working for him and what grievance if any there could be if he paid the money back with interest?
Moreover, on the whole issue of the JP thing. If he has been 'approved' then surely he is a JP.
Sadly, I do think that what we are seeing here is the colour of things to come when Labour is kicked out of power. Just a series of unsubstantiated allegations that are near impossible for anyone to rebutt on the day they come to light and then massively spun and aired endlessly in the media. I see Sky/BBC are still running the Ray Lewis story the day after he resigned. Why?
It is totally energy sapping for the party in power of course as we saw with the Major Govt. It contributes nothing to the well being of the country. Probably, this issue will do real damage to the prosepcts for young Black teenagers in London. Something very close to my heart as the Uncle of a young mixed race teenager who is too frightened to go out of his Mum's house in London for fear of being attacked by gangs.
Fine, let us all see exposure of wrongdoing (where there is some) but not these slurs and leaks to the media about events that even the police seem to be uninterested in.
Chris Paul
You are a hypocrite.
No-one has said that Ray Lewis was defrocked. You even admit you know that he was simply on the Lambeth List. This is as different as appointment and recommendation for being a magistrate.
You are also lying. Lewis did deny taking money of certain people. The woman he accepted taking money off works for him, so cannot be that upset by the incident.
So you lie, and muddle the technicalities, in a post where you are alleging lying (without solid justification) and complaining about an admitted muddling of a technicality.
How do you have the cheek to criticise Iain?
With the Daily Mail publishing new claims on Sunday
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1032396/Boriss-deputy-Ray-Lewis-raided-fund-poor.html
surely the idea that this is a leftist ambush stops becoming remotely likely?
Kate Hoey foir Deputy Mayor
I hear
John Major's government was tarred with the petty misdemeanour's brush. At the time thought was that these were heinous crimes. Now after 11 years of NuLab spin we can surmise that a lot of the so called "sleaze" of the previous Conservative administration would have been spun out of all proportion to their faults.
We should be aware that NuLab is at it once again. Never mind all the officially sanctioned sleaze they have introduced in the last 11 years. Goebbles would have been proud of their negative propaganda.
"Iain, I am not convinced that race played a part in this matter. Rather, I think that anyone appointed would have endured the same scrutiny."
Totally correct.The whole point of the Lewis saga is to get at Johnson, had Lewis been white the same stories would have run.It has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with the press having a reasonable hunch that Boris will be gaffe prone and a wonderful filler for their newspapers.
So, Boris appoints a bloke, based on his current record helping young people and other worthy pursuits. Said bloke turns out to have a few skeletons in his cupboard. On said skeletons coming to light, thanks to some dirt digging by a labour supporting hack, Boris gets rid of the dodgy bloke - quickly. What's the story, beyond the unproven allegations of dodginess against Ray Lewis?
The way the labour supporting media (bbc, grauniad et al) have jumped on this says more about the desperate and dire state of the labour party than anything else.
Unless the more serious allegations about Ray are proven, Boris should bring him back ASAP. I just can't get worked up about the J.P. thing, the poor bloke was on the back foot. He's not a seasoned politician or indeed media savvy. The big error of judgement from Boris was to hold a press conference before he knew all the facts.
Richard Dale said...
"The woman he accepted taking money off works for him, so cannot be that upset by the incident."
According to the Sunday Telegraph, she lent him £25,000 and was given an IOU but she was disturbed when payments stopped and he went off to the West Indies.
She reported the matter to the police but when, many months later, she received a few payments she asked them not to make any charges.
Anon 5/7 4:48 "But then, it's an old liberal/tory failing, believing a man is innocent until proved guilty."
Oh well, I suppose you can now stick them in a cell for 42 days whilst you think about it.
ps whoever you are I sincerely hope you get accused of a crime you didn't commit, then have to prove your innocence rather than somebody else having to prove your guilt.....
I said the whole RL fiasco would be doomed to failure. He was appointed to the DepMayor's role to draw the sting from the loony lefties attack that 'Boris and the Tories are RACIST'. I hadn't heard of RL before Boris put him into the DepMayor's role. Ken made the point that Boris had no coterie of well known 'hangers-on' to succesfully delegate roles within his administration to. Ken had more than a few 'trusted' hangers-on to do so after he was elected. In-fact appointing RL to the post may well have damaged the 'race-relations' further by pointing out the fact that RL had to resign AS WELL as Ken's pet poodle Lee. The point being that if you are black the best you can come up with is to be a 'hanger-on' to a more prominent white man! Dear God, if people spoke about race etc honestly (ie) that immigration has never been given the 'ok' by the people etc, we might be able to move-on from a debate which has been going on for fifty f'n years- and i suspect will go on for another 50 and get much worse! BTW, you cannot tell me that putting that dense woman in as chair of the London Assembly had everything to do with sending 'a message' to the BNP member (ie) up yours) and nothing to do with her ability to chair a body such as the LonAssembly!
Would Iain Dale prefer that Mr Lewis had been left in post, given what we have seen of his obvious economy with the truth this past week?
Or should we just ignore it because - well because he is black and a Tory?
It really does demonstrate the absolute and utter desperation of new labour supporters that they devote so much time to comment on this 'marginal' issue, whilst their party is in complete melt-down.
Shame.
"I have absolutely no idea if Ray Lewis is innocent or guilty of what he is accused of."
Neither do I. I do know that if he is a conman he is jolly good at it.
Should the worst befall perhaps he could move to New York and become a defence lawyer. He'd earn squillions.
Chris Paul said...
"I have not seen any comment from him about giving a bouncing cheque to a Nigerian investor (again £8,000) at Heathrow."
Had you been paying attention to the C4 News you claim to have watched, you would know that he denied all knowledge of this alleged incident.
I'm amazed that nobody has mentioned the past occasion when a priest was accused of financial misdemeanours. Father Ted's explanation that "the money was just resting in his account" seems to fit perfectly here.
I find the anonymous comments less than brave, myself. See
http://racheljoyce.blogspot.com/2008/07/anonymous-comments.html
It now appears that there will be no 'Narey Inquiry' because Ray Lewis has resigned. This puts us all in a difficult position; the allegations will neither be officially found confirmed or officially dismissed.
The fall of Ray Lewis raises as many questions about David Cameron's judgment as it does about Boris Johnson's, given the high profile which Cameron has given including making his first visit as Leader of the Party to the Eastside Academy.
Lee Jasper was not, of course, "found to have mishandled financial matters", and there is an ongoing inquiry into him (not the Tory stooge audit panel set up by Boris). So the two are in different situations.
hankfully, Mr Lewis has taken the time to explain his position to Gavin’s Gaily Gigest in a specially drafted statement*:
“Yesterday I made the decision to resign as deputy mayor after a series of unsubstantiated media allegations which were totally true. They inferred that I had conned three people out of money whilst a vicar in the late 1990s, but of course failed to mention that the entire reason for organised religion is to con people out of money. This was an unacceptable omission in my view, but an omission I feel the media will fail to atone for.
“They claimed that I am barred from appointment to any post in the Church of England but I know that I could be the Archbishop of Canterbury if I really wanted to. I can of course only speak for what I know to be true and it’s not my fault that I choose to put my fingers in my ears and sing “la-la-la” when somebody is telling me something that I don’t want to hear.
“Similarly, the media allege I am not a Justice of the Peace. Whilst it is true that I have not been appointed a magistrate officially, I do occasionally wander the streets of London in robes and a funny wig meting out my own brand of vigilante justice in a kind of Judge Dredd / Judge Deed fantasy.
“I ask now for my family and myself to be left in peace, so that I can continue to concoct a series of lies that may eventually lead me to become Supreme Overlord of the Universe.”
The only comment from Mayor Boris Johnson’s office was:
“Cripes, golly, well gee-whiz, this is a turn-up for the plus fours what!”
My thanks go to the Foundation for Obvious Jokes and also to the Centre for Political Stereotypes for help in putting together this post. Any errors, of course, remain entirely Ray Lewis’s.
* Specially drafted in that it is a complete and utter fiction… Just like Ray Lewis’s career.
Anonymous 9:57: "Moreover, on the whole issue of the JP thing. If he has been 'approved' then surely he is a JP. "
Well, he said he had been "recommended" to be a JP - not "appointed" or "approved".
I feel sorry for Lewis. He didn't ask for the role of Deputy Mayor. This is purely and solely a cock-up by Boris in creating a non-existent series of extra "Deputy Mayor" roles, over-promoting Lewis and failing to carry out recruitment checks that a recruitment agency could have carried out in a few hours.
As for the suggestion of "Kate Hooey for Deputy Mayor": There is actually only one proper statutory "Deputy Mayor for London" and that is Richard Barnes AM. All the other three (it was four) "Deputy Mayors" have been specially invented by Boris to provide him the maximum opportunity for embarrassment when the press rake up dirt on them ;-)
I haven't seen any evidence of these "uncle tom hating leftists", certainly not at grassroots level.
I don't know whether the media - who pursued what seems like a legitamate story - are the ones being fingered for being horrible lefties.
But certainly outside the media world, I've picked up nothing but support and sympathy for Ray Lewis.
I myself went on BBC London radio (Vanessa Feltz) early on Friday morning to voice my support for Ray, and I wasn't alone.
I am utterly bemused by the story on this blog. It bears no relation to the feelings and opinions I've encountered.
Lester Holloway
New Nation
Come on Iain, you're more intelligent than that. Given the casual lying that Ray Lewis seems to indulge in, you should be running a mile from him not coming to his defence.
If Ray Lewis was exactly the same person, but an aide to a Livingstone administration instead, would you still think the same? I think not.
This affair isn't terribly important, and will soon be forgotten. However, it does show that the Conservatives are less tolerant of sleaze (or the appearance thereof) than Labour. Rather than letting the damage drift on for months, as happened with Lee Jasper, the matter is now closed, and Boris can get on with his job.
That is the correct, indeed only, way to handle these situations.
Anon
"Had you been paying attention to the C4 News you claim to have watched, you would know that he denied all knowledge of this alleged incident."
Well he would, wouldn't he?
Who tipped off Channel4?
Why did they wait two months to break the story?
I'll wager Ken has a hand in this, the sly old fox. I'll bet he cracked open a bottle or two when Lewis resigned. He's luvin' it.
I can't believe BJ didn't check out Lewis' references?; that need to be explained.
Interesting slants on the Ray Lewis saga from the Starcourse blog.
http://starcourse.blogspot.com/2...-ray- lewis.html
Apparently the Bishop of Chelmsford, who popped up on Channel 4 to denounce Lewis, has an axe to grind.
He was passed over for the Archbishopric of York in favour of the present incumbent John Sentamu - who is a) black and b) principal patron of Ray Lewis's charity EYLA.
The Times describes the bishop as "A far left liberal activist..."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/ tol...ticle725983.ece
Other intersting points:-
Lewis set up EYLA with £20,000 of his own money - the money seemed to flow in a different direction in Jasper's case.
EYLA won the Guardian Charity Award in 2007 - so the Grauniad thought he was a star last year, before he went to work for Boris.
The whole thing looks like a classic lefty smear job to me.
Rachel Joyce said...
"I find the anonymous comments less than brave, myself."
We find yours less than interesting.
Anonymous said...
"Well he would, wouldn't he?"
No doubt. Perhaps the point being referred to eluded you.
PS What would you recommend he should have said if the alleged incident never actually happened?
Whether the accusations are right or wrong the whole story is clearly being centrally managed by somebody. Reports on BBC and Sky were word-for-word identical - read from a press release. The only person interviewed in connection with the allegations was Ken's friend the Bishop of West Ham. No journalist bothered to track down any of the alleged victims of Ray Lewis' alleged crimes. No journalist bothered to track down any of the hundreds of young men who have been helped by Ray Lewis. The whole thing stinks. Its another example of Labour's belief that they will never win an election fair and square and another demonstration of their glaringly obvious black propaganda. Its also another example of the way they blacken the reputations of doctors, farmers or anyone else who stands in the way of their vile divisive politics.
Twig said...
"Who tipped off Channel4?
Why did they wait two months to break the story?
I'll wager Ken has a hand in this, the sly old fox."
I don't think so. Currently, Livngstone is embarrassed by the fact that, at the time, he applauded the appointment of Lewis by Boris.
John Reith SIHG: "Lewis set up EYLA with £20,000 of his own money -"
Not borrowed off anyone then?
As a keen student of political history, Iain, you will know that it's not the original scandal that ultimately does for you, it's the cover-up.
The decision to cancel the Narey inquiry into the allegations against Ray Lewis will make matters worse, not better for Boris.
Have faith Iain, just think of what is going to happen at the next general election and then we'll know who really controls the adjenda: left of right.
No journalist bothered to track down any of the alleged victims of Ray Lewis' alleged crimes. No journalist bothered to track down any of the hundreds of young men who have been helped by Ray Lewis.
Just as in the glowing profiles that appeared in the press over the past year or so, when no-one bothered to do the basics either - everyone just took Ray Lewis at his word. These allegations all pre-date those profiles but none was ever mentioned.
The following is from the application form to become a magistrate (available as a PDF from the MoJ web site):
"Is there anything in your private or working life or in your past, or to your knowledge in that of any member of your family or close friends, which, if it became generally known, might bring you or the magistracy into disrepute, or call into question your integrity, authority or standing as a magistrate?"
The options are Yes or No.
To have been recommended for appointment, which Ray Lewis says he was, you must answer 'No'. And in Ray Lewis's case, that would be a lie, wouldn't it?
Your post echoes my thoughts exactly. I remember Adam Afriye called an Uncle Tom by Yasmin Ali whatever, when he got elected. Funny how the left think it's ok to be racist.
With Ray Lewis, it's a bit like Whoopi Goldberg's character in Sister Act - not a real nun but did good work all the same. In Boris' shoes, I'd have made him adviser on youth crime, not deputy mayor.
It's now clear what Labour would be like post 2010 - bitter and lashing out at the Tory govt and probing all personal lives of Tory MPs.
I think Boris' election and Barack Obama vs the Clintons' fight has made the penny drop for a lot of African and Caribbean people - the left have only just seen us as victims and pawns in their crazy world view. Basically, if black people want equality, then they should vote how everyone else does - on policies, lifestyle, etc, not because we're expected to support a particular party (Labour here of Dems in USA).
The pathetic attempts by Labour and their running dogs at the BBC and Guardian to derail Boris guarantees that next election, he'll get my 1st preference vote.
Keep exposing the double standards, Iain. Eventually the message will get through - tho' not to YAB and co.
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