Reading through the Evening Standard from a couple of nights ago, I came across this paragraph from the Standard's City Hall Editor Pippa Crerar.
Sir Peter Hendy has shaken off embarrassing claims that he spent public cash on a fling with an escort girl. And the London transport chief also has his boss’s backing. Asked on LBC radio about the claims, the Mayor said: “This sort of thing doesn't affect the excellent job he’s been doing. Allegations about him giving her free Oyster cards have not been substantiated. I didn't see any evidence of any impropriety.”
So, Boris sees nothing wrong with the man who knows all the shortcomings and weak spots, of London's Transport networks such as, Buses, Underground trains, stations and services, information that would be priceless to terrorists in preparation for another 7/7 attack, sleeping with a £140 an hour prostitute.
Is this what we've come to expect from a "Knight Of The Realm"? no honor and no respect for their highly paid position.
Despite going online and logging onto adult websites, known for their infectious nature, many containing key loggers and viruses that can bypass security and take over whole systems, he has Boris's blessing.
I wonder if the powers that be have investigated Ms Grundy thoroughly.
Who was her pimp?
Which agencies she's worked for?
I also wonder if the adult websites used to advertise her "personal services", have been thoroughly checked for malicious code.
Just a few decades ago men of honor would resign at the slightest hint of a scandal involving "Call Girls".
Its amazing the way this type of behavior is just shrugged off these days.
JOHN PROFUMO
In 1963 John Profumo, Secretary of State for War had an affair with Christine Keeler, the reputed mistress of an alleged Soviet spy.
(Wonder if they've checked out Ms Grundy's other sugar daddies)
Profumo lied to the House of Commons when he was questioned about the affair and subsequently was forced to resign. His actions damaged the reputation of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government. Macmillan himself resigned a few months later because of ill health.
LORD LAMBTON
In 1973, Antony Lambton's liaisons with prostitutes were revealed in the Sunday tabloid The News of the World. The husband of one of the prostitutes, Norma Levy, had secretly taken photographs of Lambton in bed with Ms. Levy and had attempted to sell the photographs to Fleet Street tabloids
On 22 May, Lambton resigned from both his office and Parliament, which caused a by-election for his seat. Lambton renounced most of his titles, except for the courtesy one of Viscount.
RON DAVIES
Labour MP Ron Davies, was credited with being the 'architect of devolution in Wales and led the campaign to create the Welsh National Assembly.
In 1998, he became the first member of Tony Blair's Cabinet to resign admitting a number of "serious lapses of judgement".
He stood down citing "an error of judgment" in agreeing to go for what he said was a meal with a man he had met while walking on Clapham Common in London, which is a well-known gay meeting place. He was mugged at knife-point. The full details of the incident (which he infamously called a "moment of madness" at the urging of Tony Blair's Press Secretary Alistair Campbell) have never emerged,
He later acknowledged that he was bisexual, and was receiving treatment for a personality disorder which led him to seek out risky situations. He stood down from Parliament at the 2001 General Election.
TEFLON TfL
It seems that any scandal involving TfL or its senior staff gets shrugged off and buried from the gaze of the Media.
- We've seen private hire roundels sent to a west London operator, without their vehicles being inspected. We were informed by former Director of LTPH John Mason, it was just an inspector from SGS doing a favor for a friend and that no cash had changed hands.
- We've seen an operator being issued multiple satellite office licences, even though they had only been registered as an PH operator for just a few days, contra to TfL policy. We were told it was an old company, just a name change, it was the same director, it was the same registered premises, just one lie after another. Now this same company has been awarded a satellite office licence in a prime City location where a rank for licensed Taxis has been refused.
- We had an employee of LTPH arrested for taking cash over the counter for Bill renewals. At the time, John Mason said, no one has been arrested at Palestra. But it later emerged, Brazilian national Marcos Gurgel was arrested, charged and found guilty of fraudulently obtaining £249 from Taxi Driver Stanley Marut.
- We've had very little information from LTPH/TfL over the counterfeit/stolen bills and badges. First counterfeit came to light when an alleged Taxi driver did a runner, after an accident in Victoria which involved cutting the roof off a Taxi to remove 3 elderly American passengers. As far as we know the driver has never been traced. Despite requests for information about the incident in Victoria, still not one word from LTPH.
It has recently been announce on Twitter, that following investigations by LTPH and the Met's Safer Travel Command, there have been 47 arrests of drivers being in possession of and misusing counterfeit documents.
Now we have the Mayor's Transport Commissioner, allegedly surfing dangerous adult websites to contact a prostitute.
This is the same man who could ultimately decide if a Taxi driver or a Private Hire Driver, is a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
We are informed in the TfL staff manual, any driver involved in the solicitation of a prostitute, will be deemed unfit to hold a licence.
Double standards?
It is also alleged Hendy agreed to be the high priced hooker's guarantor to a residential property, which involved a signature from another senior officer from TfL, who as yet has not been named.
We are told, this is a private matter.
What type of scandal has to happen before managers and directors of TfL have to face the music.