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A director of Boris Johnson's regeneration agency sacked for allegedly using the “N-word” says he was not given a chance to defend himself.
Nick Hoare, 56, said he was dismissed from the London Development Agency in a five-minute meeting despite insisting he had not used racially offensive language.
Mr Hoare told the Standard he was marched off the LDA's premises after three colleagues submitted written complaints that he used the phrase “n***** in the water park” in an internal meeting.
But Mr Hoare, who was married to a mixed-race woman for 20 years, maintains he never used the “N-word” and believes a comment made under his breath — about there being a “bigger issue for the start” — had been misheard.
He is now consulting solicitors and considering an appeal against the ending of his six-month consultancy contract and over his belief that the LDA breached rules on confidentiality.
Mr Hoare was dismissed by LDA chief executive Peter Rogers last week. Less than a week earlier he had been praised at the “highest levels” for the standard of his work.
He joined the LDA in July as temporary director of contracts management and commissioning after being recruited by deputy chief executive Sarah Ebanja, who is black.
He said the phrase he is accused of saying did not make sense: “I find the whole thing quite bizarre. I think the LDA took a very harsh decision. I'm not in the habit of making nonsensical statements,” he said.
“Everybody who knows me, all my friends, just laugh at the idea of me making a racist statement.
“I think the LDA has been very inflexible. I do understand its policy around these issues, which is another good reason why I would not have said the thing that has been alleged. In no way am I a racist.”
Reader views (21)
Obviously we need tougher laws! How about 'Abolition Of Words That Sound Similar To Other Words That Are Offensive Act'. Simply make it an offence punishable by fines and/or imprisonment (maybe even the death penalty for serious cases). Clearly if someone hears something that they are offended by they should be compensated even if they misheard. It is what they believe they heard is what counts! Any fool knows that. If there were a lot less words available generally, life would be so much simpler as there would be less possibilities to upset anyone. If only people had microchips implanted in their brains, their thoughts could be monitored 24/7 by the government, which would be super because then they could have a little electroshock administered remotely to dissuade them from repeating their crime (and save them a fortune in fines!) I will suggest it to New Labour as a vote winning policy for the next election. Things can only get better....la la la!
- David Moon, East Sussex, UK, 06/11/2009 13:22
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Being married to a someone of mixed race doesnt mean one cannot be racist - of course they can.
I was once eating a Marathon Bar, before they became Snickers and I was next to my partner (hes black, Im white) and I said 'snicker' somewhere in the conversation and he went funny on me and I didnt realise after I asked what was up that he said I said 'N*****'. OMG I was embaressed as I hadnt, he had misheard. Its very easy to mishear someone, it happens all the time does it not?
I do believe this is a mistake and people are too jumpy when it comes down to race and relations.
- Cj, London, UK, 05/11/2009 22:50
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Maybe its Boris who need sacking , how could those stupid voters put him in power , he is nought more than a great bully , and we all feel his times up .
- Andrew, Veliko Turnovo ... Bulgaria, 05/11/2009 21:52
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I work on building site, can someone please tell me the pc way to describe a JCB digger, lest I'd be misheard and get sacked from my job.
- George Philips, London, 05/11/2009 16:37
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If he did not say it, then this really sad and I hope he is reinstated as well as compensated.
- Angela, London, 05/11/2009 16:06
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Racist language and behaviour cannot be defended. The victims remain affected for life.
- Jo, London, 05/11/2009 15:01
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The LDA should be terminated. It is a complete waste of public money, it is actually counter-productive.
- Anglo, Sussex UK, 05/11/2009 14:36
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Digger wrote 'it is funny how it is always the Left that generate "thought-crime" terror
Please, you can't be serious.
- Cronk, London, 05/11/2009 14:33
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@Digger: You are so spot on. Anyone who thinks, makes an innocent mistake or is misunderstood is 'erased'. No court case, no justice, just the flick of a switch. Once we're all gone, the masses, like those in Logan's Run, will be content - until reality sets in at some point in their lives.
- Oflife, Oxford, 05/11/2009 14:10
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Six comments so far & none of them blaming Gordon Brown. Is this a record?
- Robert Turner, Corsham UK, 05/11/2009 13:53
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A sad tale. I just hope that instead of an 'everyday person', he is one of those 'pc pioneers' who are now beginning to feel the consequences of their absurdities themselves, though not as harshly as other people. If not, I am very sorry indeed for him if he didn't say that word.
- Helen, norwich, 05/11/2009 13:25
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He is married to a mix race woman, so OBVIOUSLY the man is not racist. More PC madness in a growing Orwellian State.
- Porky Pies, New Addington, Croydon, 05/11/2009 13:19
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Theres no way that would happen in Australia. Unless he said it live on National TV or something like that.
- Jim Of Oz, Melbourne Australia, 05/11/2009 13:19
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When I was at college, the lefties made up a story that someone in the Young Conservatives made a racist comment at a party. She was banned from students union premises. Now all you have to do is get on the wrong side of someone and you lose your job it seems.
- Jules_London, london, 05/11/2009 13:19
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the london assembly needs to be scrapped they have done nowt for londons whatsoever..and boris johnson..what a clown
- Rsaviour, london, 05/11/2009 12:57
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Yeah right!!
- Reay, london, 05/11/2009 11:15
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Having worked in the LDA, this story does not surprise me.
The LDA culture a few years ago was toxic (remember Jasper?), and the above article indicates not much has changed, with extreme versions of people with either little ability or experience un-meritocratically getting promoted or having MBAs paid for by taxpayers for playing up to the then weak leadership.
Similarly sackings, especially at director level, would come out of nowhere for supposedly offending the wrong person(s) with power and influence and an agenda to put others down for their own gain.
Taxpayers should not be funding this sort of disgraceful quango.
- Jim, London, 05/11/2009 10:57
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i believe him because everyone , especially people like him, know never to use that n word. That is why when i first read the first account of it, it did not make sense to me.now it seems it was people listening to him imagined he said it. Quite a common occurrence to imagine an insult when none is intended. To misheard n....r when he meant bigger says more about those who accuse him of it. It is surprising that they did not ask him to explain himself, To sack him without asking him for his version of events must be illegal and this would be unfair dismissal.
- Anthony Wong, london uk, 05/11/2009 10:54
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I sometimes think we are living in an Orwellian state, or perhaps worse - France during the "terror" when self-appointed thugs decided who lived or died. Indeed, it is funny how it is always the Left that generate "thought-crime" terror and then use it as a way of eliminating their opponents (Robespierre, Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao, Castro - all have used it and millions of innocents have been butchered). Just very odd - why the "champions of the underdog" think such oppressive tactics justifiable. What is truly galling is the double standards - in my office there is a Leftwing guy who makes racist comments employing what he describes as a "post racist irony". Yet if I made the same comments (not that I would), I'd be finished. How dare he decide what is and isn't OK to say. If it is banned, it is bannned - there's no reclaiming words because you know you're not guilty of the associated "thought crime". It is truly terrifying and of huge harm to the very demographic it is supposed to be helping - how many non-white people lose employment opportunities because an employer is (literally) scared they won't be able to sack someone no matter how poor at their job they prove to be? Typical leftwing "law of unintended consequences". Idiots.
- Digger, London, 05/11/2009 10:47
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".. Mr Hoare, who was married to a mixed-race woman for 20 years .."
An obvious racists then.
This Racism flag that is waved constantly is so abused now it has become tattered and torn. It has lost all meaning and it is no wonder people simply switch of or get ****** of when it crops up time and time again.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 05/11/2009 09:34
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I sincerely hope this man receives a large payment. This is a clear breach of confidentiality and his name has been dragged through the mud without justification.
The ultra-PC crowd need to be removed from all areas of public office.
- Dannyp, Egham, 05/11/2009 09:15
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