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Third Boris Johnson deputy mayor resigns
Paul Waugh and Andrew Gilligan22.06.09
Boris Johnson's deputy mayor Ian Clement dramatically quit today amid claims that he lied about his expenses.
The Mayor accepted Mr Clement's resignation after “discrepancies” emerged in his claims for restaurant bills, the Standard has learned.
In a move that rocked City Hall, the deputy mayor was forced out of office when at least two of his lunch “guests” came forward to say they had never been present on the dates claimed.
Mr Clement, deputy mayor for external relations, was disciplined last week for running up about £1,500 on a corporate credit card. The money was spent on groceries and meals out. He also used the card to upgrade two Beijing flights on British Airways to business class while Mr Johnson flew economy. Mr Clement claimed at the time that he had made a “crass mistake” and the Mayor refused to accept his offer of resignation because he believed that there were no further allegations. Mr Clement's resignation is the third by a deputy mayor in less than a year.
It is understood that Mr Johnson hauled in Mr Clement this morning after investigators found a problem with a claim for a restaurant meal. A senior City Hall source said that at least one of the meals Mr Clement had claimed for had not been with the person Mr Clement named on the expenses claim.
“In the so-called legitimate' meals, the person on the list [Mr Clement claimed for] was not really present,” the source said. “We had reason to doubt one specific meal which we put to him. He did not deny it.
“Boris was quite right not to hang someone for stupidity in using the credit card. But dishonesty is a quite different matter.” In his letter to Mr Clement, the Mayor said: “Thank you for your letter of resignation, which I accept with immediate effect. In the light of the further discrepancies in your expenses, it is clear that your position is untenable.”
In his own letter, Mr Clement wrote: “It has been a pleasure to work for you and I am sorry that I have let you down and deflected away from the excellent work you and indeed your team are doing in delivering for Londoners.”
When Mr Clement's original credit card bill was revealed, he was forced to hand back the credit card.
The Mayor said at the time: “There's a difference between what is crass and what is appropriate, what makes me angry and what is actually dishonest.” He said the main thing was that Mr Clement had repaid the money in full. However, in preparation for Wednesday's meeting of the business and administration committee, officials went over the restaurant receipt and found the “discrepancy”. The Standard understands that in at least one case, a meal at the Blue Olive restaurant in Barnet, his stated guest was not present.
Jeannette Arnold, who chairs the committee which is investigating the breach, said: “Serious questions remain about how long the misuse of the card continued, apparently undetected, and the type of expenditure that was charged to the GLA without being repaid.”
Len Duvall, leader of the London Assembly Labour group, said: “For all his talk of transparency in his office, it's clear that serious questions need to be asked as yet another deputy bites the dust.”
One deputy mayor, Ray Lewis, was forced out after it emerged he had misled the Mayor about his CV, and another, Tim Parker, left after a month in the post.
Reader views (26)
Boris seemed to be saying until he gets shown to be a crook I will back him, but once he gets outed then I never liked or believed the bloke. Is Boris never going to take responsibility for the people he appointed, presumably interviewed and screened, and then cosied up too. At what point does Boris have to resign for appointing so many crooks?
- S Lloyd, Ealing England
I'm a bit confused why Boris has been congratulated. He's sought a resignation when fraud was near-proven (i.e. that receipts for the Blue Olive restaurant were incorrect and it is unclear what valid reason Mr Clement had to enter the name of a dining companion who was in Scotland at the time). What else was Boris expected to do?
The correct question to ask is what can we say about Boris' judgment when five of his appointees have resigned in varying degrees of disgrace?
The silly comparisons with Livingstone are just that, silly. Lee Jasper (who should have resigned earlier or been sacked) did not have the claims against him proven. I believe that to be the case to this very day.
- Chris N, London, UK
Well done Boris.Labour are desperate to get back in and ruin London again.So keep up the good work Boris.
- Fred Skinnerly, London ,uk
Where is Lady Bracknell now we need her!
- Barry Edwards, London, UK
How much more evidence is needed, Boris is a clown, surrounded by crooks: gawd 'elp London!
- David, london uk
What about his dinner guest? Come on Cockell do the decent thing.
- Richard, London
Loving the desperation of the Boris groupies.
- Colin, barking essex
In Boris's statement today he said that:
"In the light of the further discrepancies in your expenses that have emerged this morning, it is clear to both of us that your position is untenable."
But they didn't emerge this morning. They emerged in the bulk of receipts that his own office released last week.
Did he even bother to read them before offering Clement his support?
What is he doing up there on the eighth floor?
- Sally Kumas, Stepney
YEA! Boris for Prime Minister
- Oceaneagle, Goring on Thames
Who cares? Boris is doing an excellent job, let him get on with it rather than digging up dirt trying to tarnish him. He is mayor because the majority of Londoners trust him.
- Frank, London
I think Len Duvall should note that at least Mr Clement had the decency to resign which is more than can be said for some Labour MP's.
- C.Percival, Chicago.U.S.A.
Mark G/Val Daniels: actually you're both wrong. It shows decisive leadership and the adherance to proper standards in office - qualities that the lame duck Prime Minister lacks and entire Labour administration lack.
- Adam, London
-ST London: My word, a politician with some honour!.........
He had no choice but to resign! I hope the police become involved!
- Cee, London
I believe Boris has acted properly and no blame can be attached to him personally. He may be seen by some as a buffoon, but he is not. Nor is he himself dishonest. Nobody could have suspected when he appointed Ian Clement that Mr Clement would go on to invent dinner guests to obtain money by deception-or does Val Daniels think there is some way of spotting this in advance? I don't believe Ian Clement has a previous record of dishonesty. Well done to Boris for acting as soon as he found out.
- Catherine Scott, London England
The comparisons with Ken Livingstone are apt.
Ken lost one aide in five years.
Boris has lost five aides in one year.
Boris's leadership is mired in sleaze, corruption, racism and incompetence, this is bad for London, his mayorship is turning into a laughing-stock.
- Robert Hancy, London
And this from the man who used to chair the London Councils Crime and Public Protection committee.
- Lizzy, Barking
This is a City hall culture of sleaze that ken Livingstone would never have allowed to happen. Boris should resign now
- Keith Price, Luton, England
A taste of what is to come from a Tory Government I guess... shame he couldn't get by on his £120,000 a year salary!!
- Mark G, London
well Val Daniels I'd say it shows that the mayor backs his judgement and acts decisively.
- Scott, London
Good for Boris for dealing with this swiftly. It is a sign that he will not stand for mistakes and slack behaviour, it is a testament to the number he has made to resign that he sticks to the rules and expects others to do the same, unlike his predecessor who let anyone do the job.
- Kimberley, London
Well done Boris, no messing.
Now make sure we are refunded in full - unlike Livingstone.
- Undercover Elephant, Dole Farm, Crays Hill, Essex
And another one bites the dust. What does this say about the Mayor's judgment?
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
These people should be taken to court and fined or imprisioned along with all the MPs.
- Christopher, london
At last Boris has a theme tune..... " and another one bits the dust"
- Jc, SE1
My word, a politician with some honour! Imagine, Livingstone, you might still be in power if your cronies had shown a similar understanding of public accountability.
Well done, Mr Clements. Your mistake was to misjudge how serious the Mayor is about cutting costs and you have done the right thing by resigning. A lot of people would have clung on indefinitely to the detriment of London.
- St, London
Well done Boris! I agree that there is a difference between someone making a mistake (however stupid), but dishonesty is something else. May this be a further lesson to politicians who think that taxpayers money is their own 'piggy bank'.
- Beatriz, London
