Mayor aide suspended after corruption claims

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has been forced to suspend one of his senior advisers over corruption allegations.

But Mr Livingstone says he has full confidence in Lee Jasper, his adviser on equality and policing.

He has called on the Metropolitan police to investigate the allegations so Mr Jasper can clear his name.

The Evening Standard newspaper claims organisations linked to Mr Jasper received millions of pounds in grants in return for apparently very little.

"I am being prevented from clearing my name, black organisations across London are being weakened by a systematic campaign in the Evening Standard from seeking funds, and a deliberate attempt is being made to divert attention from the real issues confronting London at the mayoral election," Mr Jasper said in a statement.

Mr Livingstone said Mr Jasper was being subjected to a "trial by media" and criticised the London Assembly for refusing to scrutinise the issue.

"I believe this investigation will exonerate Lee Jasper and show this to be a shameful campaign," the London mayor said.

"As the interests of London are best served by putting an end to this malignant political charade I have concluded that a full police investigation is the most authoritative way to end this story once and for all."

The incident attracted criticism from rival Boris Johnson, the Conservative candidate for this May's mayoral election, who said "millions of pounds of taxpayers' money has been wasted or trousered by cronies of the mayor".

"It is clear that the mayor's handling of City Hall is descending into sleaze, chaos, and now cover-up," Mr Johnson said.

"How can the mayor possibly focus on crime, housing and transport when he is mired in maladministration?"

Mr Livingstone's campaign team hit back against Mr Johnson's comments with their own attacks against the Tory favourite.

It alleges a tape recording exists in which Mr Johnson agrees to give "fraudster Darius Guppy" the address of journalist Stuart Collier so Mr Collier can be "beaten up".

"In contrast to Johnson's unsubstantiated claims today, the case against him is a matter of record and should be fully investigated, particularly given its extreme relevance for anyone who wants to be involved in crime and policing in London."