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Boris Johnson's race row aide quits
Pippa Crerar, Political Correspondent24.06.08
A senior aide to Boris Johnson has quit after saying Caribbean immigrants should "go home" if they do not like London.
James McGrath, the Mayor's deputy chief-of-staff, claimed his remarks, which appeared on the internet, had been taken out of context.
But Mr Johnson decided that his political strategist, who played a key role in his election, would only provide "ammunition" to critics if he stayed in his post.
City Hall insiders said Mr Johnson understood that the remarks could be damaging to his attempts to be seen as a mayor for all Londoners. One said: "Boris is not a racist and he's damned if he's going to be portrayed as one by a careless remark."
In an interview with journalist Marc Wadsworth, posted on a "citizen journalism" website, Mr McGrath was challenged with the suggestion by the writer Darcus Howe that Mr Johnson's election cou ld cause an exodus of Caribbean immigrants.
He responded: "Well, let them go if they don't like it here." The 34-year-old Australian later posted a comment on the website, thelatest.com, in which he said: "The columnist suggested that older people from the Caribbean might migrate back to their homelands if Boris Johnson became Mayor.
"I felt that this suggestion was ridiculous and intended as a slur and responded by saying with words to effect of 'let people go if they don't like it here'. To imply that I meant that all black people who didn't support Boris Johnson should leave the country is utterly absurd and incorrect. And I would ask please that this insinuation is immediately retracted."
The Mayor defended him against allegations of racism but had already decided that he would have to go.
In a statement, Mr Johnson said: "It is with great regret that I have accepted the resignation of my political adviser, James McGrath. James is not a racist. He shares my passionate belief that racism is vile, repulsive and has no place in modern Britain. But his response to a silly and hostile suggestion allowed doubts to be raised about that commitment.
"We both agree that he could not stay on as my political adviser without providing ammunition for those who wish to deliberately misrepresent our clear and unambiguous opposition to any racist tendencies."
Mr McGrath was appointed director of political strategy at City Hall following Mr Johnson's victory last month.
Mr Wadsworth, a respected commentator on black issues, said he was "shocked" at Mr McGrath's "hubris", adding: "I did not rush into print with a story straight after the extraordinary meeting with McGrath on 20 May."
"I attempted a private dialogue. But, for a month, despite reminders from me, I waited in vain for McGrath's promised response. I found his apparent contempt for the serious issues raised - both at the meeting and in a document I sent him afterwards at his request - very disrespectful."
During the election campaign it emerged that Mr Johnson had once described black children as "piccaninnies" in a newspaper article.
Ken Livingstone said yesterday: "The real culture of the Johnson administration is becoming clear - one totally at odds with the needs of London as the most diverse city in the world."
Influential Tory blogger Iain Dale criticised Mr Johnson for letting Mr McGrath go. He said: "All Boris has done is attempt to appease people who are not capable of being appeased. What he should have done is stand by the man who has stood by him through thick and thin. What he has done is create a rod for his own back."
Reader views (22)
Oh Dear! Here we go again.
It amazes me how so many people have all of sudden become experts on what Black people want, think & feel. The majority of comments, thus far are from non-blacks with a few from black commentators (or so they say)
Look, the bloke said what he feels. End of - move on, get over it - leave the bloke alone. If that's what he feels - so. I m sure there are others, so what.
The response is so predictable - a very tired subject!
Next!
- Mic, bromley, kent
This is still a relatively free country and people are free to come and go as they please, e.g people moving to France, Spain etc because they prefer it there.
The same holds good for any race group and to say if you don't like it here, make the choice and move is not racist
- J Watson, London
PC behaviour gone mad again. Seriously - if anyone does not like living here, please leave.
- Jonty Bennett, London, UK
Oh dear oh dear. The wheels are coming off already.
- Billy Blighty, Sydney Australia
As A Caribbean immigrant living in London for 45 years, I wholeheartedly agree with the comments of LB and Mango. I loved London, which gave me a lot of opportunities. Any person of whatever colour or creed decides to emigrate, should embrace and respect that country culture, and strive to contribute to that country. They are however to hold on to their religion and culture, but also respect their adopted country culture. If they cant do this, then yes. Move on
- Hazel, Edgeware
I live in China, a country I have little but contempt for, whose water is undrinkable, air unbreathable, and human rights deplorable. I keep my comments to myself simply because I understand that the locals would demand, without feeling any need to apologise for doing so, that I get the hell out of their country.
Can no-one defend Britain anymore? What kind of country will I arrive at when I return next week after eight years? Once England was dependable in its culture, traditions and beliefs. Now it no longer exists. No wonder the Yanks don't trust visitors from Europe but instead demand more and more controls.
- Keir, Beijing, China
I really thought that Boris was beyond the call of the PC nazis. There is not one iota of racism in the comments made. This is all to typical of the ridiculous world we now live in. Its time to reclaim common sense and return racism to what it is. In this day and age if you are white, honest, middle class, educated and heterosexual then you are a nobody and where you are at the bottom of the pile.
- Duncan Walker, Ex Peckham now Samui Thailand
This must be a joke, why must people that stand up for serious issues be forced into resignation for what a very small minority MAY take as a slight. It's a personal opinion of the person that stated it, nothing more.
No crucifixion needed.
- Olivier, London
No one has to live or work in London. if you don`t like what's happing move everyone is free to move out of London. Same goes if I don't like a new tax or law If I feel I don't like what's going on I can also move out of London or even overseas within the EU that's was his point was. No one is made to stay here even people born in UK.
- Anthony, London
I can only applaud the comments made by so many of the respondents "If you don't like it here, feel free to leave ..."
Before P/C we had the whingeing Poms - so those that didn't like it here went back -- those of us who stayed went on to make this wonderful country our home And then we were invaded by the Europeans, those that chose to stay went on to make the best wines in the world, run restaurants without Ramsay's sewer-mouth.
Again, if you don't like it, feel free to leave!
- Ian Heritage, Melbourne, Australia
We've got to the stage now where the most innocuous comment is seized on by the left for their own mischievous ends. But why doesn't someone have the courage to stand up to them, to say 'stuff you - you won't destroy me with your PC hatred of freedom of speech'? Only in that way can we start to return to normality, to an era where political discourse can be conducted without stupid name calling that has its basis in cowardice.
- Russell, London N10
Lets be sensible about this:
Option One: vote in the Elections. If the idiot {sorry/ Politician} you voted for does NOT win, then examine option Two...
Option Two could be "wait till next election & vote again... or Examine the prospects with regard to emigration.
If anybody thinks that is a racist comment then think about this: I was born here 51 years ago. I do not like the way this country is being dragged down. BUT I am too old to emigrate, Australia don't want us oldies. At least the Carribean, Nigerian, Polish, Latvian, Iraqui's, Pakistani's, Indians etc etc etc have that option.
- Dene Wood, Grays, Essex, That little country by the sea that used to have
Sir
Re the resignation of Boris Johnson's aide over a remark he made that if older people from the Caribbean could go back to the Caribbean if they did want to live under Boris Johnson's mayoralship.
Personally speaking as a black Londoner, I didn't find the statement remotely racist however I could see how such a statement could be jumped on by the PC mafia. What James McGrath is really guilty of is rank stupidity. Has he just arrived here off the boat? Wasn't he aware what an unguarded comment could do to the prestige of the mayoralship? To many people in the black community Boris' description of Her Majesty subjects overseas as "picannies" meant that Boris was on probation amongst many in the black community, who didn't actually vote for him, and therefore Mr McGrath's statement to The Voice Newspaper ( if you haven't read it imagine The Sun in the 1980s and early 1990 but for black people) would have only served to confirms their doubts about Boris and that's why he had to go. Anyone who has read The Voice will know that it is a paper that panders to black insecurities (though it also seeks to implant self-esteem with lesson on black history where the facts are at the least debatable and at most farcical). The statement by Darcus Howe, that of this possible exodus seems strange as only a few weeks ago in his column in The Voice he wrote that the high murder rate in Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad were reasons not to return to the Caribbean.
- Ronnie Hinds, Hampstead London
And what exactly is wrong with telling immigrants that if they don't like it here they should leave? This country is a unique and special place, proud of its island status. We have our culture, our heritage our values and those who are not prepared to live within our culture and to respect our heritage and our values are worthless to our society. It amazes me that some immigrants should expect us to change to fit in with their own cultural attitudes. Surely they left home because they wanted to live somewhere better? If we are not good enough for them, let them travel on...and let them take the politically correct lobby with them to the "promised land"
- Mango, Worcester Park UK
I don't believe Mr McGrath is a racist at all, there is a tendency for statements of extracts from statements to be taken out of context in today's media.
Boris has shown great political maturity by excluding Mr McGrath from his team, and will be a better Mayor for it.
What is more of an issue, is the stark lack of political sophistication demonstrated by Mr McGrath on the ethnic landscape of Londoners, Boris would do very well to invite a more ethnic-aware political advisor in the likes of Councillor Robert Benson of Harrow Council or someone who has a grass root appeal.
- Rasheed, Edgware
What is racist about this remark exactly? This is Britain and not a Caribbean country. I'm sick of politicians who pander to immigrants at the expense of our own culture. You would never see this happening in Jamaica - on my one and only visit there I found the local people to be pretty hostile towards tourists so god knows what it would be like to live there. I can guarantee they would not bend over backwards for British immigrants and give them truckloads of grants and extra help which is what Ken Livingstone did. And we all know what happened to that monkey don't we?
- Lb, London
I am not sure how this is a racist comment, or even an unfair one. If somebody moves here (or anywhere) and does not like it then why should they not go home, whether they are West Indian, Dutch, Polish or a Scouser.
Another mad politically correct decision.
- Nijel, London
Anybodyy who emigrates somewhere who doesn't like it where they are should return home. Why should the locals have to put up with you moaning about their country. Either stay and change things for the better, or leave and stop complaining. Ask if you are part of the problem or part of the solution!
- Liam Nsw, Australia
This is typical. There is not one iota of racism in the comment that McGrath said when read in context (as all comments should be). This is a shallow attempt to discredit Boris Johnson by association, and hopefully won't work. People are wising up to the deceit and trickery of such 'journalists' whose only desires are to pin something on people who say such a familiar phrase as this which 99% of people of all races have said at one time or another. If someone comes to your house and complains about the tea and biscuits you offer, the pattern on your carpet, and then threatens to leave, you'd say the same- if you don't like it you're free to leave. I had hoped with Boris being elected this politically correct nonsense would go the way of the dodo. Sadly it seems it's alive and kicking, for the time being at least.
- Richard, London, UK
What a shame that a good man like James McGrath has had to go because of slurs and innuendoes by politically motivated activists.
Conduct a poll and see what Londoners really think about this.
- Peter Thurgood, London, UK
One thing is clear - Ken Livingstone does not know when to retire and keep his mouth shut. His day is done. Time for him to exit the stage - for good.
- Alastair Adams, Worcester Park, Surrey
A shame this article does not state why professional black man Darcus Howe thinks that older Caribbean people might leave if Boris won. Has any such action occurred? Are there boatloads of ex-Windrush passengers clamouring to flee Boris' oppressive London regime? No.
- Squiz, Islington
