London deputy mayor quits

LONDON, July 5 (UPI) -- London Mayor Boris Johnson's deputy resigned Friday amid allegations of financial and other misconduct.

Johnson, a conservative member of parliament elected mayor this year, said he accepted Ray Lewis' resignation with "extreme reluctance," the BBC reported. But Johnson also said his "confidence was shaken" when he found that Lewis had wrongly claimed to be a magistrate.

The Metropolitan Police received a number of complaints about Lewis, The Telegraph reported. None resulted in formal charges.

There are also reports that the Church of England removed him as vicar of a parish in East London because of complaints that he had failed to repay loans from parishioners and had sexually harassed one.

Johnson, a former prison officer, was also involved in an organization working with disadvantaged youth between 2003 and 2008.