UK News
Livingstone under pressure as adviser resigns
By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Jan 24, 2008, 8:15 GMT
(FILE) The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone pays obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, 23 November 2007. EPA/RAMINDER PAL SINGH
(M&C) - An adviser to London's mayor Ken Livingstone has resigned after lying over a free trip.
Rosemary Emodi, the deputy to Livingstone's chief race adviser Lee Jasper, had denied accepting a trip to Nigeria last year but was forced to resign when presented with evidence by the BBC.
According to the BBC, Emodi spent three nights in a £200-a-night chalet at the Kamp Afrika resort in Lagos. The incident has put pressure on the long-serving mayor after he initially backed Ms Emodi's denials.
"When someone looks you in the eye and gives you an absolutely categorical assurance I tend to accept that," he said.
He continued to back Emodi's boss, Lee Jaspar, saying he had "absolute integrity" and accused the Evening Standard of running a "smear" campaign against him.
The newspaper had raised questions over Mr Jaspar's funding of black organisations.
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