Boris Johnson's £1Bn Property Deal With Chinese Co At Royal Albert Dock

[R K]

http://www.channel4.com/news/boris-johnson-london-propery-deal-china-albert-dock

Exclusive: Boris Johnson is under fire over his handling of a £1bn deal for a Chinese firm to redevelop a huge site on London's historic Royal Albert Dock.

This follows an investigation by Channel 4 News into the track record in China of the firm which won the contract - ABP - and into whether ABP were given favourable treatment during the tender process.

There are also questions over donations to the Conservative Party from an Anglo-Chinese businesswoman who acted as adviser to ABP.

Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the government's Committee on Standards in Public Life, suggested to Channel 4 News there should be an independent investigation into the tendering process for the development, which will take place on publicly-owned land.

"It has the smell of a semi-corrupt arrangement, doesn't it?" he told Channel 4 News:

"If, in fact, somebody is going through a sham process to ensure that someone they want to be successful in the process, but it's not a level playing field for UK companies, and there have been some financial transactions of an intimate nature then that smells to me of a semi corrupt arrangement."

In May 2013 the Greater London Authority granted Advanced Business Park - known as ABP - the tender to develop the 35-acre site at the Royal Albert Dock, a derelict site opposite London's City Airport. The development was hailed by Boris Johnson as "a beacon for investors", and ABP hope that the site will become an important forum for scores of Chinese firms operating in Britain. The project will include 3.2 million square feet of office space, leisure facilities, and 845 residential flats. It is thought to be China's largest property investment in the UK.

Enquiries by Channel 4 News also suggest ABP had what could be perceived as an unfairly cosy relationship with London and Partners, Boris Johnson's taxpayer funded agency set up to attract foreign investment to London. In particular, London and Partners has been sharing an office with ABP in Beijing since March 2012.

London and Partners was involved in the marketing of the project, and was described as a "stakeholder" in the tender process. Channel 4 News has official documentation which show that they were asked to make an assessment of ABP's claims that the company had lined up other Chinese companies that would take space in the new development - a critical aspect of ABP's pitch.

What's more, Tongbo Liu, the former head of London and Partners, who used to act as Boris Johnson's personal representative in China, left the agency to work for ABP in March 2012, while the tender process was still going on. He has told us that ABP took over the lease of the office at the same time paying 70 per cent of the rent.

'They are a subsidiary of the Mayor'

We have confirmation from London and Partners that ABP currently have the lease of the London and Partners office in Beijing and L&P pay 30 per cent of the rent. In a statement we were told that ABP moved into the office in Beijing in 2011, but that the two bodies had separate leases with the landlords until January 2013.

Nicky Gavron, Labour's most senior member on the Greater London Assembly, told us: "The Mayor set up London and Partners, and London and Partners are his inward investment arm, and he funds two thirds of them. So they are a subsidiary of the Mayor. The Mayor appoints the Chairman. So you would expect the Mayor to have a grip on the practices of London and Partners."

Gavron added: "If there are questions raised about London and Partners, I think then it raises concerns about the Mayor's overseeing of the practices of London and Partners."

"London property is a global asset class" Boris Johnson, Davos 2014

[Corruption]

Good old Boris, always struck me as an outstanding crony capitalist.

Its all perfectly legal though, there is no story here.

[Ulfar]

Was it the first time we have seen him pressed by a journalist and didn't he seem to get flustered and irritated rather quickly.

If this is an example of his behaviour and response to pressure his chances of being PM have just hit an iceberg. I wouldn't want him as PM as he is a nasty piece of work, the more the press highlight this the better.

[Liquid Goldfish]

Was it the first time we have seen him pressed by a journalist and didn't he seem to get flustered and irritated rather quickly.

If this is an example of his behaviour and response to pressure his chances of being PM have just hit an iceberg. I wouldn't want him as PM as he is a nasty piece of work, the more the press highlight this the better.

When your entire public persona is a carefully contrived act then it must be very hard to think on your feet.

[R K]

Was it the first time we have seen him pressed by a journalist and didn't he seem to get flustered and irritated rather quickly.

If this is an example of his behaviour and response to pressure his chances of being PM have just hit an iceberg. I wouldn't want him as PM as he is a nasty piece of work, the more the press highlight this the better.

Completely undone by some very straightforward and simple questions.

His Black Swan moment for me.

Very similar to when Crick nobbled Grant Shapps on Corinne Stockheath.

These people skewer themselves by the manner in which they respond (or fail to respond in Boris' case).

Edited November 13, 2014 by R K

[billybong]

£160,000 - to sell London down the river and to exclude the British. The Conservative branch of the LibLabCon is a desperate cheapskate like the other branches.

Why semi -corrupt - why not just plain corrupt.

Edited November 13, 2014 by billybong

[tinker]

The only use a politician has is having influence, usually this only matters when there is money to be made. Hence the stench at the top. Why there are dodgy deals and ill-conceived policy. Someone will benefit - not likely to be Joe Public.

[Vested Disinterest]

There's some more on Boris' dodgy connections with Chinese property developers re. Crystal Palace park "regeneration" (I think it's lovely as it is). In last fortnight's Private Eye, I nearly forgot to say.

[sf-02]

It's VERY rare for Boris to be scrutinised in the media. Amazing though his true self reveals itself under a bit of questioning. He's never gonna make PM given his controversial views and inability to respond to questionning (eg he is very pro-immigration and big banks, the City etc).

It helps to avoid scrutiny when you go on holiday to the home of the owner of London's only paper (standard) and the nationwide media (though London based) only focus on the bumbling schtick.

[billybong]

He looked as if the interviewer had him bang to rights during the interview.

It was as bad as if he'd given the usual glib excuses so beloved by Conservative, Labour and LibDem - the right thing to do, diversity, global opportunities etc etc and all the other pretend reasons for pure self serving graft and selling UK people down the river.

[oracle]

http://www.channel4.com/news/boris-johnson-london-propery-deal-china-albert-dock

"London property is a global asset class" Boris Johnson, Davos 2014

2 things in play here.

1)personal greed on boris' part.

2)the chinese relationship with russia....I put it to you that china is NOT communist,most of the chinese I know are very shrewd businessmen, they are very much capitalist at heart...when the time comes, china needs russias resources....if russia does try to go all communist and attack the west,china is being lined up to take their resources if they screw up and lose a load of troops in the process.

likewise with the russian relationship vis a vis the ME.

russia might be seeking to use the ME as proxies to do their dirty work before attacking..but this puts an extra finger in the pot saying,if you play, you play for keeps.

..if you lose, you lose the lot.

I think russia are probably more sensible than that, and will let the ME knock each other out and not get directly involved.,they will certainly be quite vocal and play hardball with gas supply/prices, but that would be about it, seeing as their main competitor,OPEC is being put through the meat grinder I would expect them to actually be quite pleased, but would need to feign outrage..

if it came to a military square-up-against 2 billion chinese+indian they have absolutely no chance.

Edited November 14, 2014 by oracle

[Corruption]

One thing you can be sure of is the Chinese state wont be outsourcing building contracts to British companies, let alone give them a helping hand over companies from their own nation.

Strange how those who mock UKIP and support whichever arm of the Liblabcon suits their agenda are quiet.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Corruption

[Corruption]

From one corrupt Tory to another, got to get in quick before theyre kicked out of office.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mozambique/11233343/The-minister-the-mine-and-the-1300-an-hour-payday.html