Ken Livingstone

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Ken Livingstone  link Wikiquote (Maverick, politician)
File:Ken Livingstone WEF.jpg Livingstone at the World Economic Forum in 2008
Born	Kenneth Robert Livingstone 1945-06-17 London, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Alma mater	Tulse Hill School
Children	5
Spouses	Christine Chapman, Emma Beal
Party	Labour
UK politician who attended the WEF 2008 AGM as Mayor of London

Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945) is an English politician who was the Leader of the Greater London Council (GLC) from 1981 until the GLC was abolished in 1986, and as Mayor of London from the creation of the office in 2000 until 2008. He was also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent East from the 1987 General Election to 2001.

On 15 September 2023, former London mayor Ken Livingstone and former Labour councillor Pam Bromley accepted a settlement in their case against the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for its flawed comments to name them, in its report on so-called ‘Labour antisemitism’, as the only two alleged perpetrators of unlawful acts of harassment. In a joint statement, Livingstone and Ms Bromley said:

“We were worried that the purpose and effect of the EHRC report would be to shut down criticism of Israel by giving credence to false accusations of anti-semitism.

“Rather than fighting this case for potentially another year or more, we believe we need to refocus our resources on tackling the Israel lobby’s current efforts to stifle pro-Palestine speech in schools, universities and other sectors.”

On 20 September 2023, Ken Livingstone's family announced that he has Alzheimer's disease:

"Although a previously prominent public figure, Ken is now retired and lives a private life. Ken is being well cared for by his family and friends and we ask you for your understanding and to respect his privacy and that of his family."

Suspension from Labour

In April 2016, Ken Livingstone was suspended from the Labour Party for having made allegedly 'anti-semitic' remarks. In May 2016, a petition to "reinstate Ken Livingstone immediately!" was signed by more than 3,000 people within a week.

"Nazi apologist" and "bigot"

On 28 April 2016, Labour MP John Mann publicly accosted Ken Livingstone over his comments defending a tweet by Muslim MP Naz Shah when he claimed that Hitler "was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews". Mann accused Livingstone of being a "Nazi apologist" and a "fucking disgrace". Following this incident, Mann was reprimanded by Labour's chief whip Rosie Winterton, with party spokesperson saying that she had told Mann that it is "completely inappropriate for Labour members of Parliament to be involved in very public rows on the television". Ken Livingstone was suspended from the Labour party in relation to his earlier comments.

On an unrelated issue, six months earlier, Mann had repeatedly called Livingstone a "bigot" in a radio phone-in, following a controversy over Livingstone remarking that MP Kevan Jones was "obviously very depressed and disturbed".

Following his outburst at Livingstone, an online petition accusing Mann of "appallingly unprofessional and toxic behaviour" and calling for him to be subject to a "disciplinary procedure" gathered over 21,000 signatures in seven days.

NCC tribunal

In March 2017, before the start of a National Constitutional Committee (NCC) hearing into his suspension, Livingstone reiterated the fact that Hitler supported Zionism because the Nazi government signed the Haavara Agreement, which facilitated the relocation of Jews to Palestine in 1933:

“Hitler didn’t just sign the deal. The SS set up training camps so that German Jews who were going to go there could be trained to cope with a very different sort of country when they got there. When the Zionist movement asked, would the Nazi government stop a Jewish rabbi doing their sermons in Yiddish and make them do it in Hebrew, he agreed to that.

“He passed a law saying the Zionist flag and the Swastika were the only flags that could be flown in Germany. An awful lot. Of course, they started selling Mauser pistols to the underground Jewish army. So you had right up until the start of the second world war real collaboration.”

On 31 March 2017, Ken Livingstone tweeted:

My hearing resumes Tuesday 4 April. Thanks to everyone who's been in touch with messages of support.

Jews rally in support

On 30 March 2017, over 30 leading Jewish members of the Labour Party wrote to the NCC:

“We believe it would be a travesty if the Labour Party were to find Ken Livingstone guilty of conduct prejudicial or detrimental to the Party. As Jews, we are appalled that such a serious issue as antisemitism is being used in this cynical and manipulative way. It is harmful to Jewish people that false charges of antisemitism are so casually thrown around. We would urge the Party not to make such a damaging mistake.”

Commenting, Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, a Jewish Labour Party member and witness for Ken Livingstone at the hearing, said:

“Ken Livingstone is being pilloried because he is a prominent figure on the left of the Labour Party who has actively defended it from attacks based on false allegations of antisemitism. As a Jewish person who supports Palestinian human rights, I reject the notion that criticism of Israel and Zionism is necessarily antisemitic. Those who allege antisemitism against Ken Livingstone discredit the term. His track record in public office is a clear testament to his commitment to supporting the Jewish community and fighting racism in all its forms, including antisemitism.”

Ken Livingstone responded:

“I’d like to thank all the Jewish Party members who have signed this letter in my support – the reality is that I am being attacked by the right-wing of the Labour Party because I support Palestinian human rights and strongly back our Leader Jeremy Corbyn.”

Resignation

In May 2018, Ken Livingstone announced he was resigning from the Labour Party, saying the issues around his suspension for alleged antisemitism had become a distraction. In a statement, he said:

“After much consideration, I have decided to resign from the Labour Party. We desperately need a Corbyn-led government to transform Britain and I’ll continue to work to this end.”

“The ongoing issues around my suspension from the Labour party have become a distraction from the key political issue of our time – which is to replace a Tory government overseeing falling living standards and spiralling poverty, while starving our schools and the NHS of the vital resources they need.”

Weaponising Anti-Semitism

On 24 May 2023, Mizanur Rahman posted on Facebook:

File:Livingstone Feltz.jpg

Why did Vanessa Feltz bring up the issue of Hitler?

In 2016, Ken Livingstone hit the mainstream news due to his comments regarding the Haavara Agreement in an interview with Vanessa Feltz. Mainstream media made Livingstone sound like a madman going off the rails and talking about something that wasn't relevant, however as Asa Winstanley argues in his book, it was Vanessa who bought up the issue of Hitler. Asa's findings raise important questions about this whole episode, namely why Vanessa brought up the whole issue of Hitler in the interview?

"The most salient point about Shah's old facebook posting comparing Nazis racist treatment of Jews to Israel's racist treatment of Palestinians is simply this:

"It was Vanessa Feltz who raised the issue of Hitler, not Ken Livingstone.

"This is a vital point, because it was ultimately this radio interview that cost Livingstone his Labour membership. Other charges were added later, but it was Vanessa Feltz who ultimately got Livingstone driven out of the party he had dedicated his entire life to."

Asa Winstanley "Weaponising Anti-Semitism: How the Israel lobby brought down Jeremy Corbyn", page 141