News from London Assembly Labour

Boris loses another appointment under cloud of sleaze

The deputy chair of London’s fire authority (LFEPA) last night became the fifth Boris Johnson appointment to leave City Hall in shame. Bertha Joseph was forced to quit after spending almost £1,000 of cash donations for children’s charities on ball gowns for herself. She was suspended from Brent council for six months last October for bringing her office into disrepute but Boris Johnson repeatedly refused to remove her from the fire authority.

Boris Johnson approved the promotion of Bertha Joseph to deputy chair of LFEPA despite her having been found guilty by the standards board. The deputy chair receives £19,705 a year in allowances.

Councillor Joseph lost her appeal on 9 February. The judge who heard her case said her actions could have deprived two charities of income. The charities involved are the Down’s Syndrome Association and Starlight, who work with seriously and terminally ill children. The police are reportedly investigating whether her actions broke the law.

Len Duvall, Labour’s leader on the London Assembly, said: “You have to question the integrity and judgement of this mayor standing by someone who has been disgraced and banned from public office. It’s not the first time one of the mayor’s appointments has had to leave under a sleazy cloud but he could have done the right thing a lot sooner. This is someone who spent money intended for children’s charities on clothes for herself. I’m amazed it took so long for the mayor to decide she was unfit for office.”

Boris and his appointments:

Jun 2008 – James McGrath – forced to resign after saying African-Caribbean Londoners could “go home” if they didn’t like Boris Johnson

Jul 2008 – Ray Lewis – forced to quit over allegations of improper conduct to his parishioners, financial irregularities and lying about being a magistrate

Dec 2008 – David Ross – forced to resign after using company shares to secure a personal loan and recently investigated on charges of assault against a woman

Jun 2009 – Ian Clement – sacked after lying about using a GLA credit card to pay for meals with his lover, groceries and repairs to his Jaguar