I knew Ian and I liked him. I am still at a loss as to why he would throw so much away over such stupidly trivial sums of money and it saddens me that it has come to this. However it is absolutely right that he has been charged, in any other walk of life he would have been and people involved in politics cannot be seen to be above or immune from the law.
12.25 - Update:
Ian has been charged on five counts of fraud and will appear in court early next week.
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9 comments:
I know in the past few MQT the Mayor has been questioned and still is about Ian Clement. I don't think it's anything to debate over, he has been charged and it came to the attention of the public. I don't think we should look at the negatives but pleased that as soon it became clear that he was misusing expenses, he was dismissed. I expect that this would have not been the case under another administration, could be swept under the rug by all means.
Einy, you're trying too hard to be a politician! I couldn't care less whether the alleged offender is Labour, Tory or whatever. But are you trying to say that if a Labour mayor had been in power then this would have been hidden as your attempt to shift the focus from this guy being a Tory???!
In the continuing scandal over expenses all sides seem to be riddled with people who are more committed to personal wealth and career than working for the people who vote for them, there are no party-political points to be gained. It just demonstrates another politician who hasn't got that the public feels it has been robbed.
But if you do want to play that game you might like to reference William Hague's description of Jeffrey Archer as a mayoral candidate of 'probity and integrity'! That was so funny for many Tory and Labour people (I have voted for both) that I just had to put it in.
How many MPs have been charged? If not none, then almost none compared to the numbers who have chosen to resign (with full pension) at the next election.
One bad apple will be charged (and will probably still emerge without a significant punishment), but what about all the other rotten apples in the barrel?
David, just look at Lee Jasper when the Labour Ken Livingston was mayor...
At least Boris sacked Ian Clement while crooked Ken stood by jasper.
James,
I too knew and liked you and as one of your constituents I consider you do a good job.
I am sadden that instead of actually contacting me, something you have not done since I resigned on the 22nd of June, to at least hear my side of the story so a rounded and informed view of my situation could be considered you chose to vent forth on you blog indiscriminately.
Further as you do not know what I have been charged with and the details of those charges then how can you say that it is absolutely right that I have been charged and by inference assume my guilt.
I also assume by your comments that you do not support the Met Police amnesty for officers who have misused their corporate credit cards, no resignations there just training and will be lobbying the CPS to press charges as it is as you say absolutely right that no one is seen to be above the law no matter who they are.
In conclusion, I would also ask you to note that I resigned, I did not receive or seek any type of payoff, that I was never a professional politician as such, unlike many of those who inhabit the corridors of westminster but an ordinary person who made mistakes and paid a price for those mistakes.
Dee, you're right about the Jasper affair. What I'm frustrated about, and I keep levelling this at James, is that as a voter I don't want to hear 'he/she is Labour/Tory/Libdem and is crap, my man/woman is better then your man/woman,' together with what appears to be a complete lack of policies or constructive suggestions. Whatever has happened to Clement is sad enough for him/us/politics but Einy's attempt to score political points over this is another example of destructive and worthless 'political' comment. Give us policies and intentions, not playground sniping.
Ian - what do you mean "I was never a professional politician as such"!? You were the Deputy Mayor for London and paid £127,000 a year (plus expenses). What did you think it was - a hobby?
The London electorate and Conservative Party are heartily sick of you, so please please disappear from view, sparing us your 'ordinary person' rubbish and this disgusting wallowing in self-pity.
Dear oh dear! I'm all for public figures making use of new media, but having Mayoral advisors scrapping like this over the Internet is hardly an edifying spectacle.
Anonymous is right - Ian Clement's self-pity is deranged and fantastically pathetic. Yet I can't help but also feel that if Cleverly really did like his colleague, as he claims, then surely it would have been more respectful to have actually spoken to Ian Clement, rather than blank him for two months and then write about him on a blog?
I may not have had much time for the previous Mayor's political advisors, but at least they were a damn sight more together than this utter shambles.
Ian Clements said:
Further as you do not know what I have been charged with and the details of those charges then how can you say that it is absolutely right that I have been charged and by inference assume my guilt.
I see that in court Ian pleaded guilty to all the charges, so I think James was entirely correct to state that it was right for him to have been charged. It would have been a disgrace if charges had not been brought and even Ian had to admit that he was guilty.
The judge said that Clement had "flagrantly and arrogantly" abused public money.
"You must have known full well when questioned in relation to these matters of the manifest bogusness of the claims you were making."
"you saw yourself as somehow above the rules."
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