Jasper and Livingstone play games with ‘racism’
In the course of my work I have met a number of black and ethnic minority workers who have almost certainly been subjected to race discrimination, but who refuse to bring discrimination claims against their employers. The reason is always the same: they fear being seen as playing “the race card” (and that is often the exact phrase they use).
In other words, genuine victims of racism are put off taking action over it (or, sometimes, even raising the matter at all), because of a perception that opportunists use unfounded accusations of “racism” as a smokescreen, when faced with justified accusations of wrongdoing.
I’ve no idea how widespread this sort of opportunism is (but I suspect it’s much less than most people seem to think), but it undoubtably does go on. And as far as I can see, Lee Jasper and his boss Ken Livingstone have been playing the “race card” for all it’s worth in the events leading up to Jasper’s resignation. I can’t improve upon Dave’s account and assessment, here. As he says, there is clearly a case to answer: the female recipient of Jasper’s smutty emails was also the recipient of a London Development Agency grant, a few days later, of £65,000. Neither Livingstone nor Jasper have produced a shred of evidence that racism has played any part in these accusations, yet both talk about “the racist nature of a relentless media campaign.” Perhaps Livingstone’s “relentless campaign” against Trevor Phillips was also motivated by “racism”?
It also occurs to me that Jasper’s resignation might just be a clever little manoeuvre cooked up to take the heat off himself before he was scheduled to be questioned by the London Assembly, and off Livingstone in the run-up to the mayoral election. It is noticeable that Livingstone, throughout this affair, has attempted to argue that the test of Jasper’s probity is whether or not he (Jasper) is prosecuted. This has never been -for socialists, anyway - an acceptable guide to guilt or innocence on charges of corruption and cronyism: just look at the example of Wendy Alexander, for instance.
But here’s Livingstone, quoted in today’s (6 March) Morning Star: “I think it has been an absolutely disgraceful campaign. I would bet my own life that they (presumably Scotland Yard, who have already announced that Jasper will not face criminal charges -JD) will clear Lee Jasper and I will reappoint him when they do so.”
Let me be clear: I think Livingstone and Jasper are presently perpetrating a massive scam.
Unfortunately, I still think that the left has no choice but to vote for this scammer.
Jules said,
March 7, 2008 at 12:17 am
Jim - briefly:
The London Development Agency have also cleared Lee Jasper of any wrong doing, the matters they referred to the police have also amounted to nothing. The basis of the case against Jasper now appears to be that days after that notorious e-mail the 1990 Trust received a grant of £65,000. and Jasper made the recommendation for the donation. Why the flirtatious e-mails (which the recipient says were harmless banter) should change anything I don’t know - Jasper has been involved with the trust for years. At any rate its a charitable organisation that exists to “protect and pioneer the interest of Britain’s Black Communities” - there’s no way Jasper could personally profit from the organisation.
Blatent rightwing smear campiagn aimed at ousting Livingstone and replacing him with the toff Boris. To be honest Jim I think your (and the AWLs) animosity towards Livingstone is getting in the way on you seeing the wider political picture here.
Red Maria said,
March 7, 2008 at 12:47 am
Jules, that’s all very well but it’s not on for Lee Jasper to fling charges of racism around at anyone who happens to criticise or question him. I don’t dislike Lee Jasper but not only does he dishonour the noble cause of anti-racism with such frivolous claims, ultimately he also lets himself down. It’s a sad thing to see - a well-meaning man, grown fat in a well-paid sinecure and lost to petty venality and a banal mid-life crisis.
charliethechulo said,
March 7, 2008 at 12:48 am
Jules:
giving grants to organisations that they approve of, without proper, democratic, accountability. That’s *political* corruption of the kind that anyone familiar with, say, Region One of the T&GWU (until recently) would be familiar with. It’s something that the left should fight agianist tooth and nail. Livingstone and his Socialist Action cronies are arch-exponents of this form of corruption.
This won’t do. The accusations of corruption do not involve Jasper lining his owm pockets: they involve him (and ‘Socialist Action’
Red Maria said,
March 9, 2008 at 12:56 am
I think the word “corruption” is a bit strong. Petty venality, cronyism and throwing his weight around is rather more the size of it. Either way, it’s undesirable though.