Background information:

During the week ending 17 October 2003 (the date of the broadcast referred to by Mr Jasper) it came to the attention of London's African community that an invitation that had been extended to the internationally renowned Garvey scholar, Professor Tony Martin, to speak at the Mayor of London's First Voice Conference on 24 October 2003, had been withdrawn by Mr Jasper, apparently as a result of concerns raised by the Jewish community. The "disinvitation" was reported on the front page of the Jewish Chronicle dated 16 October 2003.

The matter was raised by Mr Schumann in his weekly phone-in programme the following day in the presence of the popular edutainer, Leo Muhammad. Mr Jasper telephoned the programme live, and was unable to give either Mr Schumann or Mr Muhammad a satisfactory explanation of his actions.

For further information on this affair, please see: http://www.blacksandjews.com/Martin.UK.Disinvitation.html

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From: Lee Jasper [Lee.Jasper@london.gov.uk]
Sent: 20 October 2003 16:52
To: Patrick Berry; Neil Kenlock; Yvonne Thompson (E-mail)
Cc: Rosemary Emodi; Sheila Archdeacon; Joy Johnson

Subject: Private and Confidential Addressees Only[Scanned]
Importance: High

Directors Choice FM
Borough High Street
London.
Monday 19th October 2003

Dear All

Re Geoff Schumann show.

I write with some regret in relation to a formal complaint about Geoff Schumann show this Saturday 17th October 2003 . I would ask that you provide me with a transcript of the show as it was in my view a very unbalanced and disturbing programme. I urge you to listen to the programme and come to your own conclusion. For my part I have, in the past raised these issues informally with Directors who have continually assured me that a more balanced approach would be take in future by Geoff. Sadly this has not materialised. I now intend to have the said show screened for balance and accuracy and will be corresponding further with you on this matter in due course. I was informed by Geoff that he had tried to contact my press office on Friday afternoon to get ' my side of the story ' I have checked with the Mayors press officers and there is no record of any such call.

I would therefore appreciate it if you could provide me with the details relating to this.

Given my own commitment to Choice FM and the fact that you are one of our principle media partners for the GLA group I am particularly disappointed that despite several informal attempts to resolve these matters no solution seems to have been found.

I suggest an urgent meeting is arranged between my office and Choice representatives at the highest level at to discuss these matters further.

Yours

Lee Jasper
Policy Director
Equalities & Policing
Mayors Office
City Hall
London.

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On 3 March 2004, it came to the attention of the African community that Mr Schumann had been "sacked" from his role as a presenter on Choice FM. The matter was reported by Blink ("The 1990 Trust's independent interactive site for black communities") here:

Choice DJ Geoff Schumann axed by Capital bosses http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=3007&grp=1&cat=197

The Blink / 1990 Trust report includes the following:

"Lee Jasper, chair of the National Black Alliance, said: "Geoff Schumann’s sacking is indefensible and he has my 100% personal support in what must be a difficult time for him.

"His Saturday morning show radiated both balance and maturity in addition to Geoff's sparkling personality. His unique contribution to the intellectual and political debate within the black community in London was without doubt beyond compare. His presence on London's airwaves will be sorely missed particularly by me."

The "Lee Jasper, chair of the National Black Alliance" referred to in the Blink / The 1990 Trust article is the same Lee Jasper who was formally the Director of The 1990 Trust between 1995 and 2000, as well as being Senior Advisor to the Mayor on Race Relations and Police and Policy Director Equalities & Policing and the apparent author of the email shown above. The National Black Alliance, together with The 1990 Trust, was one of a number of organisations who issued a joint statement on 27 October 2003 endorsing the decision to ban Professor Tony Martin from speaking at the conference referred to above.

(Please see http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=2654&grp=38&cat=130).

Also included in the list of organisations issuing the joint statement is Operation Black Vote, of which the same Lee Jasper is Chairman, and the National Assembly Against Racism, of which the same Mr Jasper happens to be National Secretary.

The named recipients of the email apparently authored by Lee Jasper are Patrick Berry, Neil Kenlock and Yvonne Thompson, all of whom were black directors of Choice FM between 1990 and 2004. It does not appear that the note was sent to Choice FM's white directors.