Statement
The Evening Standard from 5 December to 15 December published a series of grave allegations that were either presented without proof, or investigation of which has now proved to be false. In the light of this the Greater London Authority has now demanded.
1. Full and unequivocal retraction of these allegations by the Evening Standard and the printing of a public apology.
2. The dismissal of the journalist, Andrew Gilligan, responsible for not one but a series of these false allegations.

Specifically:
• On 5 December Andrew Gilligan alleged that decisions of the London Development Agency may have been influenced by threats of black gang violence into giving grants to black organisations. No evidence was presented for this allegation.

• On 5 December Andrew Gilligan alleged that a project funded by the LDA was a vibrant hub for 'criminals'. No evidence was presented for this accusation.

• On 5 December Andrew Gilligan alleged a contract to procure a website was corruptly awarded due to a company because it was run by a 'friend' of Lee Jasper. No evidence was presented for this. Andrew Gilligan has since attempted to retreat from this allegation but it was clearly made and has not been withdrawn.

• Andrew Gilligan alleged on 5 December that a GLA investigation was taking place into Lee Jasper. The statement made on the same day by the GLA chief executive made clear this was false. 'Richard Barnes in April 2007 raised issues in regard to Lee Jasper. I formally investigated these and exonerated Lee Jasper in July 2007. Richard Barnes wrote to me again on 25 October querying the results of my investigation and I naturally agreed to look into the issues he raised. This however does not constitute an investigation into Lee Jasper and I wish to make clear that no formal investigation of Lee Jasper by the Greater London Authority is taking place.'

• On 13 December Andrew Gilligan alleged corruption in the LDA - and indeed quoted Richard Barnes as stating 'this looks like a real tide of corruption'. This was despite the fact that search of LDA records showed, and Andrew Gilligan admitted, that no payment of the £250,000 concerned in this allegation had ever been made either to those named by Andrew Gilligan or anyone else. This charge of corruption was therefore absurd.

• On 13 December Gilligan claimed that the LDA was pressured to make a payment of £250,000 to a "friend" of Lee Jasper and that the payment was not made only because the liquidator of the company concerned, Diversity International Limited (DIL), "vetoed it". Emails show that the LDA itself refused payment after it concluded that any possible intellectual property rights held by the company could be obtained from the liquidator. The statements in Gilligan's article were therefore false.

• In the same article on 13 December Gilligan quoted one paragraph out of eleven and one sub-paragraph out of eight from an email from Lee Jasper to Manny Lewis and claimed it showed Lee Jasper improperly pressuring Manny Lewis to make further payments to DIL. In fact the paragraph immediately before that quoted by Gilligan shows that instead of favouring DIL Lee Jasper stated: 'I am also reminded that I expressed very real doubts about the LDA procuring DIL at the point of the contract being agreed - expressed by myself and GLA officers repeatedly once we were aware of the LDA's decision to give this contract to DIL. Our clear recommendation to the LDA was to ensure effective contract management.' Far from supporting Gilligan's allegations this email shows Gilligan's accusation to be false.

• On 17 December Andrew Gilligan reported an interview with his source. Gilligan claimed that the complaint against her was from 'Lee Jasper's godson'. This serious allegation is entirely false as the person concerned is not Lee Jasper's godson.

Despite the fact that a whole series of the allegations made by Andrew Gilligan have already been shown to be false the LDA will review any evidence from Andrew Gilligan. It will not investigate the allegations for which no evidence has been presented.

This review will be undertaken by the Risk and Resources Committee headed by the statutory officer responsible. This decision was taken with the full support and agreement of its independent external auditor. That is now the right way in which the facts about this matter should and will be established and placed on public record.

I do not intend to indulge Mr Gilligan by commenting further on any matters under review. I will continue to rebut any further obvious deliberate untruths or distortions.

This systematic record of unproven allegations and falsification is why I have called on Veronica Wadley to dismiss Andrew Gilligan.