John Rowland wrote:
I see the rapist minicab driver is still white ... has Boris sacked any of
Ken's racist Labour cronies since he took office at all?



"I do very much regret any offence caused by any past newspaper
articles. It really was never my intention to cause offence, but to
provoke debate. The articles, which I deeply regret writing, also don't
give a fair reflection of my views. I want to make clear that I am
emphatically not anti-immigration and can produce many quotes from my
writings in praise of immigration. Indeed, as I wrote in 2002.

"I believe that immigration, in getting cultures to mix and learn from
each other, in letting people better their lives in a country of their
own choice and helping them escape persecution, can be an enormously
powerful and positive force for good. Immigration has undoubtedly
enriched Britain over the centuries."

I have repeatedly publicly condemned racism, and those who espouse
racism. Over a year ago I wrote in the Spectator.:

"The Left was definitely right on basic moral issues, particularly on
promoting tolerance whether it be gay rights, women's rights or
combating racism."

I want to assure you that my policy advice to the mayor will be based on
the following principles: support for diversity, opposition to racism
and other forms of discrimination, support for immigrants and immigrant
communities, and support for equality of opportunity. I invite you to
judge me by these standards, not by what I may have written some years
in the past."

That was Anthony Browne, Boris Johnson's Policy Director, writing
recently to apologise to Labour's Jennette Arnold after she highlighted
some unpleasant hack journalism he'd written prior to his appointment.

It's got bugger all to do with transport though, hasn't it, John?

Tom