Ray Lewis has an established record dealing with young people who have been written off by society.

As the director of the Eastside Young Leaders Academy in Stratford, the Deputy Mayor for Young People took a tough stance with the 90 boys who attended after school and on Saturdays.

The youths, aged eight to 17, learn to march, stand to attention and are taught old-fashioned discipline such as how to speak respectfully to adults and say "please"" and "thank you".

According to an external audit, the programme showed an 80 per cent reduction in the boys' short-term exclusions and a 70 per cent improvement in academic achievement. Two of the boys have been selected to attend Rugby school.

It was the Young Leaders programme - founded by Mr Lewis with his own money after he quit his job as a prison governor - which so impressed Boris Johnson.

In his new role Mr Lewis, 45, will work with community groups to tackle violent crime. One of the first things he intends to do is appoint a gangs czar to tackle the problem of "kids killing kids" in London.

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