At Guardian Politics: Boris & His Appointments

I've just squeezed this blighter out for the blog. Thank God it's Friday.

On Wednesday the London Assembly voted unanimously to investigate Boris Johnson’s appointments of senior staff and consultants. The formal motion protests a desire for constitutional tidiness. Don’t you believe it - more than a few Assembly Members hope to further ruffle an already somewhat dishevelled mayor.

Ever since Johnson announced that a hand-picked Forensic Audit Panel comprised mostly of high-profile Tories would be taking a stern look at spending under Ken Livingstone’s regime, opposition AMs have been growling about Johnson’s apparently casual handing-out of powers and general attitude to recruitment.

The resignation of Ray Lewis, the first of an assortment of deputies Johnson had created, brought matters to a head. But there were already question marks of one kind or another about significant signings to Johnson’s mayoral team. The backdrop to this is his campaign promise to end the alleged “cronyism” and “sofa government” of the Livingstone regime and introduce a “cabinet for London” that would hold formal, minuted meetings. No such cabinet has been formed and there appears to be no intention to.

Here are some of Johnson’s main appointments in no particular order.

Tim Parker: He’s the multi-millionaire company restructurer (if you admire his work) or asset-stripper (if you don’t) who Johnson has dubbed his First Deputy and Chief Executive of the GLA Group. His job description puts him in charge of almost everything - including, some rudely remark, Johnson himself. Parker is also to become chair of the Transport for London board. Questioned by the Assembly about the appointment of Lewis, he said he thought the existing system of appointments was “robust.” But some members are curious about how Parker himself was recruited and if he was a suitable candidate for a public sector job.

He was also quizzed by about his considerable financial investments and any potential conflict of interest with his new role. Parker stressed he has “not a scintilla of doubt” that there is no problem. Yet although Johnson promised to introduce “tough new rules for Mayoral advisers to ensure their interests are declared and in the open,” the declaration of interest Parker has been required to make involves no disclosures about his assets. I doubt we’ve heard the last of this.

Sir Simon Milton: This distinguished figure in local government is Johnson’s planning adviser. But because he is also a (Tory) Westminster City Councillor, Labour critics say he is in breach of law preventing elected politicians providing such advice. Labour Group Leader Len Duvall is on the warpath and has written to a GLA Monitoring Officer – who oversees legal propriety at City Hall – of his concerns.

Johnson believes that because Sir Simon is giving his advice free of charge and on an “informal” basis, the rules do not apply. I asked to see, among other things, details of the agreement. Last Thursday I was told it would be “available shortly online,” but I haven’t spotted it yet. Meanwhile, Johnson has formally delegated his planning powers to another Deputy, Ian Clement, whose job title says he’s responsible for government relations and is, I’m told, presently in China on Olympics business. Confused? Let’s hope Clement isn’t.

Kit Malthouse AM: This very able member for the posh West Central constituency has been appointed to the Metropolitan Police Authority Johnson’s Deputy for Policing. To some this sets up a conflict between his assembly role of scrutinising the mayor. Asked about this at the Assembly on Wednesday Malthouse said he’d had legal advice that being a deputy did not make him “an executive member” of Johnson’s administration, because he’s “not in a position to instruct officers in the building.” But does he not give the mayor policy advice? Malthouse said he did, but that this wasn’t a problem because, “I guess that comes from my position as a member of the MPA.” Is this all fine or does it remain a grey area?

Mayor’s Transition Team: More than a dozen people were initially appointed as consultants to help Johnson get his feet under the desk. Chief among these were close Cameron ally Nick Boles and James McGrath who resigned following that unfortunate remark to a journalist about older Caribbean Londoners. Some have now moved on, but up to £425,000 in wages will have been paid to the team’s members before it is eventually disbanded. Boles has had to deal with questions about Ray Lewis’s appointment and how effectively he was vetted.

Some of this is arid stuff, but the political implications are clear. Johnson’s foes claimed throughout the election campaign that he is slapdash, incompetent and generally not up to high office. Should the Assembly’s investigation – to be conducted by its Business Management and Administration Committee – find serious shortcomings, the cries of “Told you so,” will be deafening.

Read it here too.

Comments

[Adam]

It seems to have got lost at the Guardian somewhere. I can't see it on the website anyway.

[Dave Hill]

It was just me being premature, Adam!

[angela]

They are just trying to rattle him and get up his nose, all very very babyish and it won't work.

[OneHopeOneChoice]

What even the Conservative AMs are being babyish? This was a unanimous decision, angela, and surely one Boris should welcome as a step towards openness and transparency which London apparently so desperately needed?

Image courtesy of the Tory Troll:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_ScB0Fp-2pr4/SHCUwGGsBDI/AAAAAAAAA3c/KgQFWh4QLHI/s1600/cityhallight.jpg

[angela]

Oh well, as Tim Parker said on the Politics Show this morning, Boris has made some very good appointments, things are moving forward, two people have left, no biggie. Very smooth performance. Suitably enigmatic. Promise of things to come from the Prince of Darkness, even if his reflection does not show up in mirrors.

ps. I have no problem with them doing an investigation if the Assembly deems it necessary, and we all know that Boris is an open book, it is just the snidey tone of some of them that I object to. Still, they are bound to warm up to him as he transforms London, they are bound to be a bit defensive to begin with and Boris is an understanding guy. (not too repetitive, am I Adam? xx)