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Police have questioned Boris Johnson's chief of staff, Sir Simon Milton, and his chief spin-doctor, Guto Harri, as part of their investigation into the Mayor's former deputy, Ian Clement.
Officers from Scotland Yard's Specialist Crime Command entered City Hall last week and took statements from Sir Simon and Mr Harri. Documents were also seized. A number of other GLA officials, believed to include the authority's director of finance, Martin Clarke, were also interviewed.
Mr Clement, the deputy mayor for government relations, dramatically resigned three weeks ago after allegedly falsifying his official expenses. The Standard revealed that he had claimed public money for at least three meals with Tory council leaders who said they had not dined with him on the dates concerned.
On at least two of the occasions, Mr Clement was in fact entertaining his lover, 23-year-old Tory party agent Claire Dowson, whom he met while working on the Johnson campaign and has escorted at several public events.
Mr Clement also has a long-term partner and child at his main home in Dartford. He has been accused of taking Ms Dowson on a hotel stay in Europe at public expense and of misusing a corporate credit card issued to him in his former role as leader of Bexley council. Bexley councillors will tomorrow vote on a motion ordering the authority to conduct a full investigation of Mr Clement's allowances and expenses.
Sir Simon has been questioned because he has responsibility for the administrative arrangements for the expenses system.
It is not clear why Mr Harri has been interviewed. He was unavailable for comment last night.
A City Hall spokeswoman confirmed the police interviews but said the Mayor himself had not been questioned and "was not expected to be". However, it emerged last month that Mr Johnson had personally signed off some of Mr Clement's most recent expenses.
Mr Clement had been repeatedly warned, including by Mr Johnson, about the use of his GLA credit card. He used it to upgrade his ticket on a flight to the Beijing Olympics when the Mayor and other officials flew economy.
The card was confiscated three weeks before he resigned after it emerged that Mr Clement had used it for personal items, including groceries and work on his Jaguar car.
The fraud inquiry began last month after City Hall reported Mr Clement to police. The spokeswoman said Sir Simon and Mr Harri were not interviewed under caution. "We are co-operating with the inquiry," she said.
Mr Clement was unavailable for comment.
Reader views (10)
is "Dame of Shame" Shirley Porter still in the Conservative Party; or did they boot her out?
- David, london, 15/07/2009 17:43
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It's good that the mayor is being efficient and has got on top of this before it got nasty. Well done Boris!
- Kimberley, London, 14/07/2009 17:01
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Lee Jasper was lambasted by the auditor for behaviour described as "inappropriate," "below the standards expected" and in flagrant breach of the GLA's code. When will Ken's groupies stop trying to rewrite history to fit their own fantasies?
- Alexandra Healey, London, 14/07/2009 16:56
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No mention here about the auditors giving a clean bill of health to Lee Jasper on every count, no I thought not. What was found wanting, though, was the GLA's financial management, or lack of it. Obviously their lax accounting methods have allowed misuse of expenses on a massive scale. Mr Clement may be one of many who will yet be investigated. At least Ken's administration didn't have sticky fingers. Eileen is so right; how did Simon Milton ever get a job at City Hall with his previous history. Boris doesn't need 5 Deputy Mayors; perhaps now he will rid himself of these junketing fools and put the money to better use. Or perhaps he should start issuing luncheon vouchers.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain, 14/07/2009 15:02
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There seems to be no end to the sleaze and the only way to stop it is to end the allowance system altogether and make these people pay out of their substantial salaries or failing that, put all of it under intense scrutiny.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK, 14/07/2009 12:10
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There is no doubt that these people should be investigated by Police. What i would question is why Police have managed to come to this decision so quickly, when it has taken months to act against those who belong to NuLiebour.
It is obvious that we are seeing yet more political manipulation of Police by this duplicitous government.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 14/07/2009 12:04
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Just goes to show what happens when Mayoral candidates are not properly scrutinised before an election!!!
It time we followed American practice and named teams BEFORE an election.
Boris just refused to say who would support him if he won and now we have a Cowboy Mayor whose lost more deputies than Wyatt Earp and whose feet must be full of holes given the number of times he shoots himself in the foot.
Ah well Gilligan will be pleased that Artics on route 507 will be replaced in a couple of weeks? Thing is the new buses will be 12 matre rigid single deck buses and the open boarding will remain! So much for fare evasion excuse.
Question is when will the first of these 12 metre buses get stuck trying to turn just like the old pre-artic ones did!!
And nearly £3 million extra is being wasted in extra costs on the 3 routes affected Boris Johnsons "Black Hole" wonder how many millions extra it would cost to replace all artics?
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 14/07/2009 11:51
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I'm not surprised at all. In fact, I think the police have taken their time in taking action. Former leader of Westminster council Sir Simon Milton has trouble shaking off the tainted image of one of local government's biggest fraud and maladministration of Shirley Porter and homes for votes fiasco. Who says history doesn't repeat itself?
- Eileen, London, 14/07/2009 11:46
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Lets hope they visit the House of Commons after they have finished with the city hall corruption investigation?
Funny how they have not done that yet; isn't it?
But then we all knew they never would; they are just as bent as each other when it comes to covering their own backs; and protecting their bent friends.
- Mickinlondon, london., 14/07/2009 10:50
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"He was unavailable for comment last night. "
Unusual for a spin-doctor, particularly one normally as loud and outspoken as Mr. Harri. Still, it's nice you've finally noticed the sour culture at City Hall, Andrew.
- Tom, London, UK, 14/07/2009 10:30
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