Published: June 18th 2010 - at 1:47 pmTories try to rehabilitate disgraced advisor
On 24th June the Conservative think-tank Centre for Social Justice is hosting a conference titled: ‘Young, Drifting and Black‘.
The tagline is: ‘Tackling the oppositional defiant behaviour of Black boys’. No stereotyping there then. And we were under the misapprehension that the right was against racial profiling.
One of the key speakers will be Ray Lewis, director of the Eastside Young Leaders’ Academy.
Lewis was the former London Deputy Mayor who had to resign two years ago after claims of financial irregularities. At the time Boris Johnson said he would re-appoint Mr Lewis if he cleared his name.
Very conveniently for Boris, that inquiry into Lewis’ affairs was dropped. And now the Tories are trying to bring him back into their fold.
First, Boris announced a few days ago that Lewis would return to a role at City Hall.
Now the leading Conservative think-tank is taking lessons from him on how to deal with young black kids.
Just to give you a flavour of how Ray Lewis helped boys:
I had heard about the marching regime at [Lewis's] Eastside Academy, but was still unprepared for what I found. “We! Are! The! Young! Leaders’! Academy!” the boys chant at the end of a morning’s drill, as Lewis enters the hall. “What are you looking at his bottom for?” he barks at a young adolescent. “You a batty boy?”
His gaze sweeps up and down the lines. “I don’t see any rhythm in this room. You move like poonani! “Someone,” Lewis announces, “has been going to the Paki shop across the road. And stealing from that shop. Does anybody know who the guilty party is? Say so now!”
Words fail me.
Update: The attempt to rehabilitate Lewis had always been on the cards. “Mr Lewis’s return as an adviser appeared to be a deliberate attempt by Mr Johnson to rehabilitate his friend,” writes Adam Bienkov.
The Mayor was reportedly “completely gutted” to have lost “his ally” two years ago.
Another one of Boris’s disgraced aides, and Tory donor, David Ross was also quietly brought back by Boris last year.
And then there was the Veronica Wadley affair of blatant cronyism.
Funny how all those who complained of “cronyism at City Hall” are now completely silent. Where art thou Andrew Gilligan?
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Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments
Wow… corruption, racism, homophobia and sexism. I s’pose he’ll fit right in with the Conservatives then.
I’ve tried to type what I think about this several times. Can’t seem to amnage anything sensible. So, I think I’m just going to go and weep gently into a cuppa.
Funny how all those who complained of “cronyism at City Hall” are now completely silent. Where art thou Andrew Gilligan?
Pfft, you’ll be accusing him of journalism next!
“Where art thou Andrew Gilligan?”
At the Telegraph where Boris is top columnist.
Asking that paper (or Gilligan) to pounce on Boris would be a bit like asking Larry Elliott to fact check Polly. Just isn’t going to happen for fairly obvious reasons.
Young leaders academy.
Christ why don’t they just join the scouts.
‘Tackling the oppositional defiant behaviour of Black boys’.
Good lawd, it stinks of Brownshirt language.
Ve hav vays of making yo do what ve say, ya.
CSJ are not hosting any conference. Capital Men are hosting the event supported by Mayor of London, EYLA, Met Police, John Hopkins Bloomberg, Runnymede, International Boys’ School Coalitions.
Nick Cohen and Sally, did you not read the full Decca Aitkenhead article?
Apart from some of the words that Lewis uses (which are pretty indefensible) it seems that she ended up thinking that these two different methods might not be so far apart in outcomes afterall.
As well as those backward words from Lewis, I found the Kids Company way of reducing attacks on bus staff was to give the perpetrators free bus passes almost as shocking.
Lewis was the former London Deputy Mayor who had to resign two years ago after claims of financial irregularities. At the time Boris Johnson said he would re-appoint Mr Lewis if he cleared his name….. that inquiry into Lewis’ affairs was dropped.
The inquiry by Martin Narey wasn’t, as far as I recall, into financial irregularities but into allegations of sexual misconduct.
The Police had thoroughly investigated the financial allegations and decided no charges should be brought.
The sexual allegations don’t appear to have been stood up either. Lewis vigorously denied them and no-one has brought forward any witnesses/proof to contradict him.
So, two years on, I think Lewis can reasonably claim to have cleared his name – except in the matter of exaggerating his CV when he said he’s become a magistrate.
“So, two years on, I think Lewis can reasonably claim to have cleared his name – except in the matter of exaggerating his CV when he said he’s become a magistrate.”
This is of course not a serious problem.
Lying to a public body. His interview panel.
Wayne Rooney on his CV has described himself as a high court judge.
David Cameron has won the VC on his CV
David Miliband is professor of economics on his CV.
But what the hell.
This seems like tokenism. A case of “we have a black man in our camp”, so we can make negative statements on black youths. So we are not racist because of Ray.
If you are going to make the comments, have the courage to do so without a token black guy carrying the pressure of resulting outcry.
Reactions: Twitter, blogs
- Christian DeFeo
RT @libcon: How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Adam Bienkov
RT @sunny_hundal: Tories trying to rehabilitate a disgraced former advisor, despite his exposed tactics http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Teresa Cairns
RT @libcon: How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Tom Royal
RT @sarahditum: RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Teresa
RT @antonvowl: RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Devoid Larkoid
RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/cj486K
- Liberal Conspiracy
How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- sunny hundal
Tories trying to rehabilitate a disgraced former advisor, despite his exposed tactics http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Sarah Ditum
RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Joshua Fenton-Glynn
Lewis: odiouse man racism,homophobia,corruption odd whn I wrkd4 @CommonPurpose thy thought him appropriate2wrk wth kids http://bit.ly/d1e9Fc
- Liberal Conspiracy
Boris has form in pushing cronies at City Hall, & was "gutted" when Ray Lewis left. Post updated: http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- antonvowl
RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- PJ Crittenden
Racist, homophobic and involved in "financial irregularites"…but you still have a role to play for the Tory Party. http://tiny.cc/iafq8
- andrew young
RT @antonvowl: RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Julian Swainson
RT @sarahditum: RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Clay Harris
RT @sarahditum: RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Cllr Joshua Peck
RT @sunny_hundal: Tories trying to rehabilitate a disgraced former advisor, despite his exposed tactics http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- gwyn bailey
RT @sunny_hundal: Tories trying to rehabilitate a disgraced former advisor, despite his exposed tactics http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- earwicga
RT @libcon How the Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced former advisor http://bit.ly/cj486K
- pam lorenz
RT @sunny_hundal: Tories trying to rehabilitate a disgraced former advisor, despite his exposed tactics http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Soho Politico
Via @libcon, IDS and Philippa Stroud's Centre for Social Justice plays host to Ray Lewis, who calls gays 'batty boys'. http://bit.ly/cj486K
- MARK EDWARD LEWIS
RT@SohoPolitico IDS and Philippa Stroud's Centre for Social Justice plays host to Ray Lewis,who calls gays'batty boys'. http://bit.ly/cj486K
- Sergei Fedorov’s foreclosure problems tied to financial advisor – MLive.com (blog) | SaveMeFromForeclosure.com
[...] Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced advisor | Liberal Conspiracy [...]
- Tory Voter
Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced advisor | Liberal Conspiracy http://bit.ly/bpbviy
- andrew
Tories try to rehabilitate disgraced advisor | Liberal Conspiracy: Liberal Conspiracy. Boris has form in pushing c… http://bit.ly/aJ8i4T
- sunny hundal
This is Ray Lewis trying to educate kids: "What are you looking at his bottom for? You a batty boy?” http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- lydia harris
RT @sunny_hundal: This is Ray Lewis trying to educate kids: "What are you looking at his bottom for? You a batty boy?” http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Gert
RT @sunny_hundal: This is Ray Lewis trying to educate kids: "What are you looking at his bottom for? You a batty boy?” http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Aileen Kane
RT @sunny_hundal: This is Ray Lewis trying to educate kids: "What are you looking at his bottom for? You a batty boy?” http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Leon Green
RT @sunny_hundal: This is Ray Lewis trying to educate kids: "What are you looking at his bottom for? You a batty boy?” http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Dominic Falquero
RT @sunny_hundal: This is Ray Lewis trying to educate kids: "What are you looking at his bottom for? You a batty boy?” http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
- Shirley Summers
RT @sunny_hundal: This is Ray Lewis trying to educate kids: "What are you looking at his bottom for? You a batty boy?” http://bit.ly/bhw3lU
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