Secret emails expose Mayor aide scandal

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Leaked emails show that the chief executive of his London Development Agency expressed "the deepest possible concern" about a £345,000 grant to a close friend of the Mayor's senior aide, Lee Jasper.

The emails - obtained by the Standard - show that Mr Jasper's friend, Joel O'Loughlin, grossly overcharged, deceived the LDA and failed to provide any of the services he promised.

The LDA chief executive, Manny Lewis, wanted to sack Mr O'Loughlin, claw back all the LDA's money and even talked about suing him.

But within days, after Mr O'Loughlin contacted Mr Jasper, the LDA performed a 180-degree turn, offering Mr O'Loughlin another £250,000 and a lucrative consultancy.

Two senior LDA managers who vehemently protested against this deal - one calling it "extortionate" and "against the interests of the GLA" - were subsequently sacked. The emails show that Mr Jasper played the decisive role in one of the sackings.

The emails undermine claims by the Mayor that our story last week - that £2.5million has been paid to organisations controlled by Mr Jasper's friends and business associates - was a "tissue of lies" and that there was a "full audit trail" on all the projects we mentioned, including one called Diversity International.

London Assembly member Richard Barnes said: "These emails bring [a] cover-up right to the Mayor's feet."

The emails raise serious questions over how much the Mayor knew as they were copied to senior members of his office including Redmond O'Neill, director of public affairs.

The emails make clear Mr Jasper's day-to-day involvement in the LDA's work and the extraordinary influence he exerted over it.

TO READ THE FULL STORY CLICK HERE

TO READ THE APRIL 27, 2006 LETTER CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

April 27, 2006 letter (pdf)

TO READ THE ORIGINAL EMAILS, CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW

April 22, 2006 (pdf)
April 23, 2006 (pdf)
April 25, 2006 (pdf)
May 1, 2006 (pdf)
May 5, 2006 (pdf)
May 5, 2006 (pdf)
May 5, 2006 (pdf)
May 6, 2006 (pdf)
June 21, 2006 (pdf)
June 21, 2006 (pdf)
June 25, 2006 (pdf)
July 11, 2006 (pdf)