Scotland Yard is not playing ball with Ken’s request to investigate a crime that no one said Jasper had committed. So this means the “no running commentary on an ongoing police investigation” strategy to push the issue off the agenda has come unstuck.

Brian Paddick, the ex-Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioner and LibDem candidate for Mayor puts it succinctly:

“Last week, Ken Livingstone suspended one of his closest aides, Lee Jasper, saying he wanted to enable the police to investigate the allegations of malpractice and corruption made against him.

We now learn from Scotland Yard that there is no such police investigation taking place. It begs the question why was Lee Jasper suspended in the first place?”

The GLA will now presumably be able to cross-examine Jasper. The police are still investigating six companies which have enjoyed the LDA’s generous patronage…