Whisky in the morning for Ken as sleaze row claims first victim

For years, Ken Livingstone has been the immovable face of London politics. Yesterday, as an avalanche of sleaze allegations engulfed his office and forced the resignation of a key aide, his position had never looked more precarious. Even for a man who thrives on controversy, the capital's Mayor has not had a good week.

A slew of accusations, including that he fortifies himself with whisky during morning question and answer sessions with members of the London Assembly – have sparked doubts that his astonishing political career can last beyond the mayoral election in May.

Mr Livingstone has cheerfully owned up to that particular habit, but he added: "I don't think I've ever reached Winston Churchill's levels, and as it didn't impair him in the destruction of the greatest evil facing humanity, it won't interfere with my continuing to lead Londoners to the sunny uplands of the future."

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More seriously, and just when he needed it least, one of Mr Livingstone's advisers has been exposed as a liar and forced to quit. Rosemary Emodi, the deputy to the Mayor's adviser on race, had accepted a free weekend at a £200-a-night beach resort in Nigeria without telling her employers. Her stay was paid for by the resort, La Campagna Tropicana , near Lagos.

When journalists made inquiries about the trip, Ms Emodi told her employers that she had never been to the resort, and the Mayor's office issued a statement which later turned out to be untrue. The BBC obtained confirmation that Ms Emodi had in fact flown to Nigeria on Friday 30 November, returning the following Monday. The Mayor's office has emphasised that no public money was involved.

Her resignation makes the position of her immediate boss, Lee Jasper, all the more vulnerable. He has been accused of using his influence to get grants from the London Development Agency channelled to projects run by his friends. Some of the allegations have been referred to the police.

In May, London voters will choose who will occupy for the next four years the most powerful post in English local government. Mr Livingstone is hoping to win a third successive term, but opinion polls suggest that the incumbent is running neck and neck with his Tory challenger, Boris Johnson.

The polls also show that the issues that matter most to Londoners are crime, transport and jobs. Labour is hoping that this is all they will think about when they vote in May. "Jobs are up in London, police numbers are up in London, crime is down in London, transport is getting more investment. That's why we need a Labour Mayor," Gordon Brown told MPs yesterday. But for weeks, London has been deluged with allegations about the Mayor and his tight circle of advisers. London's main newspaper, the Evening Standard, has been campaigning relentlessly to bring about Mr Livingstone's defeat.

The newspaper has alleged that Diversity International, a company run by a business associate of Mr Jasper, received a £295,000 grant from the London Development Agency, just before it went into liquidation. The money disappeared.

Brixton Base, run by a friend of Mr Jasper, Erroll Walters, has received more than £500,000 in LDA grants. The Standard claimed that the LDA had been sent allegations from nine students of intimidation and lying by Brixton Base staff. Mr Walters is back in the news this week as a long-standing friend of Ms Emodi, who accompanied her to Nigeria.

It was alleged that Mr Jasper had links to companies – such as Brixton Base – which in total have received £2.5m. The Standard also alleged that Mr Jasper had used his position as the Mayor's senior policy adviser on equality to run a campaign attacking Trevor Phillips, the chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

On Monday, these allegations were taken up in a Channel 4 Dispatches programme, which added the spicy detail about Mr Livingstone's fondness for whisky, though it did not produce any evidence of him being drunk. The programme also named four advisers of Mr Livingstone who are past members of a Marxist group, Socialist Action. The information came from Atma Singh, a former member who worked for the Mayor's office until July. The Mayor's office has described Mr Singh as an "embittered ex-employee" who was sacked for misconduct.

The person who stands to benefit most from the Dispatches programme and the Standard campaign is Boris Johnson, a former journalist who is on good terms with other journalists. Yesterday, he said: "Being the Mayor of London is a huge privilege and not one I will take lightly. From day one of my administration I will be accountable and open to scrutiny. The position will never be abused again."