London mayor's Aussie adviser quits

(AAP) - An Australian adviser to London Lord Mayor Boris Johnson has been forced to resign after embroiling his boss in a fresh race row.

Johnson initially defended his senior political strategist James McGrath, after the Australian appeared to suggest that Caribbean people should go home 'if they don't
like it' in Britain.

But Johnson - who has been caught up in other race rows - later sought McGrath's
resignation, believing the remarks would further tarnish his reputation on race
issues, The Times reported.

While McGrath's comments had been taken out of context, Johnson said, the strategist
could not continue in his job.

That would only hand his opponents "ammunition," Johnson said.
McGrath - who helped Johnson win the vote for mayor last month - made the remarks
when he was asked if the victory could result in the departure of many older
Caribbean immigrants from the capital.

According to Marc Wadsworth, the anti-racism campaigner writing on the internet news
site www.the-latest.com, McGrath replied: "Well, let them go if they don't like it
here."

McGrath's departure is a sign of how sensitive race issues are for Johnson, who has
been criticised in the past for calling black children "piccaninnies" and saying
that black people had "water melon smiles", The Times reported.
Despite the Australian's departure, Johnson offered some words in his defence.

"James is not a racist. He shares my passionate belief that racism is vile,
repulsive and has no place in modern Britain," he said in a statement.
"... his response to a silly and hostile suggestion, put to him by Marc Wadsworth,
allowed doubts to be raised about that commitment.

"James' remark was taken out of context and distorted," Johnson said, but added
McGrath recognised the need for "crystal clarity on a vital issue like this".

McGrath has worked for the Conservative Party for seven years and is a former
adviser to shadow chancellor George Osborne and ex-Tory chairman Francis Maude.

Conservative blogger Iain Dale said McGrath should not have been allowed to quit.

"James McGrath is a no-nonsense Aussie," he wrote.
"He doesn't beat about the bush, but these remarks could have been made about any
group who 'don't like it here' - white, black, whatever."