'Mayor's answers over Ian Clement don't stack up' - Mike Tuffrey (Newham Borough Liberal Democrats)

Newham Borough Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

'Mayor's answers over Ian Clement don't stack up' - Mike Tuffrey

July 15, 2009 12:10 PM
Originally published by London Assembly Liberal Democrats

Mike Tuffrey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the replies provided today by Boris Johnson to the London Assembly about the expenses of his former Deputy Mayor Ian Clement said:

"Boris Johnson's claim that he knew nothing about the abuse of a GLA corporate credit card by his, now ex, Deputy Mayor for Government Relations Ian Clement before June 1st 2009 is not credible. His answers simply don't stack up.

"It would have been necessary for the Mayor's personal staff to have said nothing for months, despite the furore about expenses raging nationally at the time. Most significantly he would have had to signed the log two months running without even looking at it or asking any questions, let alone challenging why Ian Clement was only entertaining Conservatives.

"Boris Johnson must now publish the detailed expense claims of all his personal apopintees for the period from March 2009 to date, so the London Assembly can examine the extent of any other impropriety. If there are possible improprieties found Boris Johnson must agree to come to a further meeting of Business Management and Administration Committee without restrictions."

ENDS

Notes to editors

Fact 1.

Boris Johnson is on record as stating that in August 2008 he knew that Ian Clement had paid for a flight upgrade.

Fact 2.

In October 2008 there started to be a further irregularities in the use of the corporate credit card by Ian Clement. He was warned on two separate occasions by GLA officers that the use of the credit card for personal expenses was not allowed under GLA rules.

Fact 3.

From March 2009 the GLA's Expenses and Benefits Framework changed and the Mayor became directly responsible for signing off the expenses of advisors and appointees.

The Mayor's office knew at least from April 2009, if not sooner, that Ian Clement was continuing to use his GLA credit card for improper expenses as his secretary was checking claims and receipts. As proof of this a list of disallowed items was attached to the April Credit Card log (now under investigation by the police), which totalled £523.22 out of a total statement of £719.04.

Fact 4

Boris Johnson signed the credit card log on April 22. The form that the Mayor signed clearly states, "I confirm that I have checked these expenses and that they relate to official GLA business conditions of use of the corporate credit card and the Expenses and Benefits framework."

Fact 5

The Mayor again signed the credit log on 29th May 2009 when the log had itemised improper items totalling £278.87, out of a £435.48. On May 29th 2009 the Mayor signed the form again.

In the two logs, items which Boris Johnson approved as a proper use of taxpayers money were two lunches with Tory MPs, two lunches with friends from Ian Clement's old council, Bexley, and a unattributed lunch without receipt that appears to contravene the Mayor's own new expenses rules