More on Ray Lewis
My predictions appear to have been proven true - before I made them. (Note to self: Read more than the BBC report…). Quoth the Mayor:
These allegations did not stop him from becoming a JP. They did not stop him from becoming an outstanding and respected prison governor. They did not stop him founding a school that has done untold good for East London children and they should not stop him from serving as my deputy Mayor.
In short: “Ray Lewis is a wonderful person who couldn’t have done this because he’s wonderful, and even if he did somehow manage it then, look at everything he’s done since.” And so pinning himself firmly to the, “Ray Lewis is innocent,” crowd. He really needs Lewis to be innocent, now…
Note another interesting parallel with the Lee Jasper case. Quoth the Mayor:
I believe that my deputy Mayor Ray Lewis is being made to suffer now because he has had the guts to serve in this administration and because he has had the courage to speak out against a stifling orthodoxy that has failed too many of our children.
Notice what that is? A diversion, designed to shift attention from the accused to the accuser by smearing their motives. Why the charges have been made has nothing to do with the charges themselves - but it serves as a useful means of ducking them. For Ken and Lee Jasper, it was because Jasper was black. For Boris and Lewis, it’s because Lewis is Boris’.
Noting these diversion tactics, I begin to wonder how honest the enquiry will be. Now he’s so firmly tied to Lewis’ protestations of innocence, it must be tempting for BoJo to make sure the panel is, “sound.” And pack it with primed and paid-up supporters. It wouldn’t be the first time, even in this administration; Forensic Audit Panel, anyone?
But we’ll see. Bet Boris regrets appointing so many important sounding, “Deputy-Mayors,” (with all the closeness the term implies) now…
(Hat-tip to Tory Troll for the quotes)
The Church of England are being much more equivocal about it all (see added quote on my blog). The relevant Bishop appeared on Channel 4 news and made it pretty clear that Lewis would have known about these allegations. Lewis also appeared and was equally equivocal.
The strong defense by Boris seems unwise at best and the claims of political motivation are bizarre considering where the claims are coming from. This one’s going to run and run.