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Bishop U-turn on Boris Johnson aide
Pippa Crerar and Robert Mendick07.07.08
The Church of England today admitted it was wrong to claim Boris Johnson was warned in person over his disgraced former deputy.
The move prompted senior Tories to brand the Church "reckless" in putting out incorrect information.
The Church suggested over the weekend that the Mayor had been told of allegations made against Ray Lewis during an event at Millwall football stadium on 11 May.
It claimed the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Rev David Hawkins, spoke to the Mayor about his deputy, who resigned on Friday after a series of allegations emerged about his time as a vicar in West Ham.
But today a spokesman admitted the conversation did not take place. The Rev Chris Newlands, chaplain to the Bishop of Chelmsford, which includes the Barking diocese, said: "I had a conversation with the Bishop of Barking and that is what he told me [that the bishop had a conversation with Mr Johnson about Mr Lewis] and that is what I reported.
"But when the Mayor questioned him [about the conversation], I went back to the bishop and he said he didn't think he did."
The Church now admits the only warning it gave to Mr Johnson was in a letter sent on 13 May, headed "Global day of Prayer".
In the sixth paragraph, Bishop Hawkins wrote: "As you probably know, your deputy mayor Ray Lewis was a Church of England clergyman in my Episcopal area in the Nineties.
"He is no longer serving in authorised ministry in the Church of England. If at any point you wish to speak to me about this do be in touch."
Mr Newlands accepted today that "with hindsight" the paragraph could have been more prominently placed. He added: "We never knew it would blow up the way it has.
"You cannot make an allegation without being absolutely sure you have everything backed up, so writing between the lines is a standard way of saying we need to have a conversation about this."
A senior Tory at City Hall said today: "The Church were careless and indeed, dare I say, reckless, in that they suggested and allowed reporters to draw the conclusion that the Bishop of Barking had issued a specific warning to the Mayor of London about Ray Lewis.
"Boris has no recollection of that conversation. The Bishop himself has subsequently confirmed that the only thing they did was exchange pleasantries.
"It's really quite appalling." Another source added: "If the Church was that concerned about this why did they never call the police?"
Mr Lewis stood down on Friday after the Evening Standard revealed he had misled the public by saying he was a magistrate.
It followed allegations of financial impropriety and sexual harassment, which he vigorously denies.
Mayoral aides insist Mr Johnson is "pressing on" with business undeterred. The Mayor's spokesman denied City Hall was in chaos and said Mr Johnson stood by his decision to appoint Mr Lewis as deputy mayor for young people.
He said an independent inquiry into the affair had been abandoned because the Mayor could not justify the expense.
The Mayor will now take charge of Mr Lewis's agenda of setting up "boot camp"-style Saturday schools for troubled teenagers.
Reader views (21)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
If the church is all seeing and all knowing then how come they mess it up all the time?
- Mikko Takala, Drumnadrochit, Scotland
Some of the comments on here are ridiculous. You can try and spin this however much you like - but the man lied about being a JP. There is no question about this. He possibly may be guilty of financial 'irregularities' - although I will reserve judgement about this (a luxury not afforded to Jasper)." So says Kieran of London. or is that Kieran (formerly of city hall?)
This is an odd characterisation.
"the man lied about being a JP" agreed. but so what?
there isn't actually a real extension of this, it's a fact without clear implication. The political equivalent or pointing at an orange, and yelling 'look orange'. the natural response is: yes, and?
"He possibly may be guilty of financial 'irregularities' - although I will reserve judgement about this (a luxury not afforded to Jasper)."
Possibly may be? aside from the great equivocation here, this is factually wrong. Ray Lewis cannot be guilty of financial irregularities with public money, as the matter is a private one. There is no possible, no may be about it.
I still maintain that anyone whiter than white (pardon the pun) is not going to be appropriate for dealing with street crime in London.
The Ray Lewis affair is regrettable, and it has been handled swiftly and decisively. Though perhaps it is still a sub-optimal outcome.
- Scott, london
"And Boris's "Forensic Audit" will probably find no dirt as the most dodgy grant it could investigate is the £50,000 given to Price Waterhouse Cooper, outside any proper procurement process, when one of the four members of the Audit Panel is a senior manager at PWC. I don't think they will find a single example in Ken's eight years of such a corrupt piece of grant giving."
Hugh - Are you Dr Susan Porter or have you just lifted that paragraph word for word. Or are you part of Kens team still bitter at being beaten by the better man?
- M Spanner, Ilford
Boris did the right thing by appointing Ray Lewis, and for the right reasons.
If Ray Lewis does have a chequered history, so what.
What counts was the good work Ray Lewis was doing for London, and in particular the young black people in London; which was probably a lot more than his accusers are contributing!
London is the sad loser here
- Howard, Potters Bar
Some of the comments on here are ridiculous. You can try and spin this however much you like - but the man lied about being a JP. There is no question about this. He possibly may be guilty of financial 'irregularities' - although I will reserve judgement about this (a luxury not afforded to Jasper).
Equally, City Hall is certainly guilty of sheer incompetence in failing to even do basic checks on his background. Criminal investigations were launched against him in the past!
Two senior aides gone in a just over a month. How can people defend this - and use the obvious and ridiculous method of attacking Labour or the old administration? How long can you continue to do this?
People talk about Boris opponents unfairly attacking him - well it is his administration's own fault for giving them easy ammunition!
- Kieran, London, UK
At least Ray Lewis has the decency to resign unlike Lee Jasper who clung on until the very last minute he could!
- Sarah Ellison, Barnet
Seems Boris did the right thing. a left field appointment (one even Ken admits to wishing he made), that turned out to be untenable, so they parted ways.
More to the point, if you want someone more in touch than a bureaucratic city hall softie, then maybe you will come into contact with some people who have more dirt and checked pasts that you might ordinarily come to expect. That is natural.
In this case, it turned out to be a little too much 'past' so that was that. What's the problem? I hope he shows the same courage in appointing someone else next time.
- Scott, London
Boris is the Mayor of London, until the next mayoral election. Get over it! He appointed Ray Lewis on the basis of what he is doing for young black people in this city. Whatever Lewis did in his past, whether proven or not, is behind him and maybe because of his past he decided to give something back to society. Those who wish to tarnish Boris with this are concerned with political posturing rather than addressing the tragic situation we have with young people in London.
- Beatriz, London
Didn't the Bishop of Chelmsford have a meeting with Boris at a Millwall Football Club event, where he says he spoke to Boris personally, about issues surrounding Ray Lewis' appointment. How can Boris say he knew nothing of Mr Lewis' past until last week. Why did Boris's office attempt to prevent the press/media from publishing the details about Mr Lewis? If there is to be no independent enquiry, how can Mr Lewis prove he is innocent of the allegations in order for Boris to reinstate him as he promised.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain
Oh! Boris - now a ‘U’ turn?
How can you reinstate the Deputy Mayor you, and your leader David Cameron, were so keen and sure about if you do not have an enquiry?
You definitely said he was to be reinstated.
- Kenneth Elmes, twickenham, UK
Well at least he had the decency to resign - how about a comparison with all the dodgy labour MPs and Ministers over the years that had to be forced out! Mandelson, Blunkett, Levy, Nick Brown... sexual impropriety, financial impropriety, Labour can not cast stones!
- Joe, London
Why is it that Boris Johnson yesterday was at the Wimbledon tennis championships when on channel 4 there was a live TV program called disarming Britain. And it would have given him the perfect opportunity for him to discuss these urgent matters with people who have been affected by gun and knife crime, and who are also looking for solutions?
- Matthew, croydon
Anyone standing for public office should know that the spotlight will turn on them. The press have a job to point out any wrong doings. However I do not believe Boris has suffered from this. We all know that a lot of people have not put things on their C.V. that they should have. Boris must make greater checks in the future.
- Dave Smith, Croydon
Re JM's:
"Ken saddled uds (sic) with the Olympics and goodness knows where the grants he gave out ended up!"
Boris could always cancel the Olympics and give them to another city. (Been done before for the World Cup at least). He won't of course cos he thinks its as good for London as Ken did - and they are both right.
And Boris's "Forensic Audit" will probably find no dirt as the most dodgy grant it could investigate is the £50,000 given to Price Waterhouse Cooper, outside any proper procurement process, when one of the four members of the Audit Panel is a senior manager at PWC. I don't think they will find a single example in Ken;s eight years of such a corrupt piece of grant giving.
- Hugh Tarrant, Brentford
There are a lot of disgruntled people out to get Boris...they wont succeed, he is good for London. Unlike Ken who saddled uds with the Olympics and goodness knows where the grants he gave out ended up!
- Jean Matthews, London,England
You mention the Trotskyites in relation to digging for dirt on Mr Lewis. Would you rather Mr Lewis remained in office, even if the allegations are true. From this very paper, we read that Boris Johnson sought legal advice in an attempt to prevent publication of these allegations. So much for transparency if this is true. By what name are the low-life known who persisted in making false accusations against Mr Jasper? Still no charges, still no arrest. From the tone of your comment, it appears to be ok if the Tories attempt to cover up what should legitimately be in the public domain. With regard to your description of opponents being the 'enemy', what a twisted mentality you have. Most right minded people still think we live in a democracy, and we are not at war with the opposition. I find it is usually people of your ilk, who think those who do not agree with them should be crushed.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain
Jeremiah seems a tad bitter about trotskyites and wanting to crush them. Is he in the wrong age?
- Gary, London, UK
So, apart from being an enemy of some very poor losers, does anyone know, categorically, what really has actually done wrong? Seems to me that this sort of smearing just endorses the view that team red ken are a bunch of children who get very upset when things don't go their way. Why not have a pop at the million or so of us who voted Boris in, instead of picking on one guy?
- St, London
Boris in the dark.
Again.
- Fresh, London
It is right that officers of the London Assembly should stand up to scrutiny and it is unfortunate that Mr Lewis had not mentioned these issues prior to his appointment, but who could not have foreseen that the Trotskyites wouldn't have found some dirt if they kept digging long enough. I'm afraid Boris still has some weeding out to do -remember No.15 Rules of Power: Crush your enemy completely.
- Jeremiah, London
As Boris wriggles himself free of supporting Mr Lewis we are justified in asking - why was David Cameron so supportive? A lack of judgement on Mr Cameron's part, or a case of being let down by advisers who didn't do any background checks?
- Mike Abbott, London
