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Labour says London Tory administration in "disarray"

05/07/2008

The Labour party has said the Conservative party is in "complete disarray" after the second-highest official in the London administration resigned.

In elections in May, the Tories took the mayor's office from Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone with Boris Johnson's new team taking over responsibility for the running of the capital.

Two senior officials from the new administration have now resigned from their offices with deputy mayor Ray Lewis' decision to step down causing further problems in the party.

Communities secretary Hazel Blears said the Tory leadership was to blame for the scandal.

She said: "People across the country will note that after just two months, the new Tory administration in London is in complete disarray.

"David Cameron has known Ray Lewis since his first day as Tory leader and Boris Johnson appointed him as deputy mayor days into the job. People will ask themselves: how have they allowed themselves to be embroiled in a mess like this?," Ms Blears added.

Former mayor Livingstone also lay the blame for the resignation on Tory leader David Cameron and accused the present London administration of not know how to run the city,

Ken Livingstone, who was replaced by Mr Johnson as London Mayor, said: "In my entire eight years in office I suffered only one enforced resignation of any of my most senior officials, Lee Jasper, and that only after seven years.

"This extreme contrast shows vividly the incompetence of Boris Johnson and his administration. It is an equal crisis for David Cameron who, it should be remembered, chose to make his first photo opportunity as Tory leader with Ray Lewis," he added.

Current mayor Mr Johnson said his confidence in Mr Lewis had been "shaken" and that he had been "misled".

Financial irregularities and Mr Lewis' claim that he was a magistrate when he had only been recommended for the post are being seen as the key reasons for the resignation of the deputy mayor.