News from London Assembly Labour

Mayor still refuses to act against banned councillor

Labour respond to reports that Mayor Boris Johnson has written to his disgraced fire authority deputy, Bertha Joseph, for further clarification but STILL refuses to sack her.

Labour’s leader at City Hall, Len Duvall, said: “Boris has known about this since October, if not before. You have to wonder why it’s taking him so long to decide whether someone who spent money intended for children’s charities on ball gowns for herself is not fit for office? I understand Boris’s reluctance to lose yet another appointment in sleazy circumstances but it’s time he did the right thing and removed this councillor from his administration.”

Bertha Joseph was found to have brought her office into disrepute by Brent council on 13 October 2009. She appealed and, as her appeal was on-going, was appointed by City Hall to the position of deputy chair of London’s Fire and Emergency Planning Authority – a position for which she receives £19,000 in allowances. Councillor Joseph lost her appeal on 9 February – almost one month ago – and was suspended from the council for six months.

The judge who heard her case criticised her “repeated lack of credibility” and said that, because of her actions, “she surely cannot expect again to serve as Mayor”. He also said her actions could have deprived charities of funds.

Because of legal loophole, Councillor Joseph’s suspension from Brent council does not disbar her from the fire authority unless the Mayor decides she is unfit for office. Despite repeated calls, Boris Johnson still refuses to act.

Boris Johnson on Bertha Joseph:

11 February
“The legal advice clearly shows there is nothing to prevent Bertha Joseph from serving on the board.”

Councillor Joseph was found guilty in October 2009 and lost her appeal on 9 February 2010

Later on 11 February
“I can’t quite establish from what you’re saying what the charges against this councillor are. If there are legal proceedings to be followed and if there is a suspected crime here then I’m sure that the police will be called in.”

24 February
“I understand why you want to attack LFEPA, magnificently chaired as it is, I understand why you want to beat up on Tory councillors but I’m not going to be dragged into making any premature declarations today.”

Boris Johnson’s legal power:

Under Schedule 28 of the GLA Act 1999, Tenure of Office Section (3) – “The Mayor may at any time, by giving notice to a member of the Fire Authority, terminate the member’s appointment, if he is satisfied that the member is unable or unfit for any reason to discharge his functions as a member”

Boris Johnson’s troubled appointments:

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

July 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

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

Ongoing: Veronica Wadley – interviewed and selected by the Mayor despite being rejected by his own appointment panel. The appointment was blocked by the secretary of state on the grounds it breached sleaze and cronyism rules

Other news from London Assembly Labour

• Ken: "This morning's tube delays are completely unacceptable" - 10 February 2012
• Boris Johnson's comments are ill-judged and offensive - 9 February 2012
• Ken answers his critics about his support for LGBT rights - 8 February 2012