LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan personally signed off plans to allow a top aide to work from home over lockdown – from San Francisco.
Mandarins at City Hall threw the mayor under the bus for signing off his political aide Jack Stenner’s move to California, while still working for City Hall, as revealed by HOAR last week.
In a leaked letter, top London mandarin Mary Harpley revealed the move was “clearly” signed off by Mr Khan himself.
In a letter to Mayoral Candidate Shaun Bailey, she added: “I have made it clear above that Jack Stenner’s terms and conditions are a matter for the Mayor, not me.”
However she clarified the aide – on £120,000 a year – will have his pay slashed as he is working fewer hours.
The letter added: “He is working reduced hours temporarily and being paid a reduced salary as a result.”
Mr Bailey called for the Mayor to sack his aide while he is living abroad.
He said: “Sadiq Khan signed off his senior aides bumper £120k salary to work from his beachfront San Francisco apartment – whilst ordinary Londoners sit at home worrying about their jobs.
“If Khan’s most senior advisor isn’t committed he should resign.
“Sadiq Khan now faces a choice – come clean, or sack Mr Stenner – because wasting taxpayer’s money like this is not acceptable.”
The Mayor’s office said Mr Stenner will be returning to his job in London full time in the new year.
A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority, said: “In November Jack switched to a part-time role working remotely for a short period of time due to valid personal circumstances, and his pay was reduced accordingly.
“He will be returning to his full-time role in the Mayor’s Office in London early in the New Year.”
