Brit_in_Japan

The Boris Johnson affair was different, he said some things which perpetuated lies from the Sun newspaper for which they had publicly apologised. In those circumstances he didn't have a leg to stand on and he had to apologise.

Ken compared the journalist to a "concentration camp guard". He never used the word "****", that's pure media spin. You can check it out here:-http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4256549.stm

He didn't know the guy was Jewish and did not make any anti-Semitic remarks anyway. OK so comparing anyone with a concentration camp guard is not the nicest thing you can say to them, but we all use terms intended to offend if we get riled (b@stard, w@nker, @rsehole etc). To try and attribute some deeper meaning to his remarks, especially anti-semitic remarks, is out of order, especially when you're talking about someone who has a long history of confronting discrimination of all types. For the journalist to take personal offence is one thing, that he and his newspaper have tried to use it as a stick to beat Ken with is quite another.

Like him or loathe him, you've got to respect him for sticking to his position and not caving in to media hype.

douglasb

The link you've given shows that Livingstone did know that the journalist was Jewish when he made the "concentration camp guard" remark.

The first remark about "German war criminal" may have been made in ignorance, but the second "concentration camp guard" one wasn't.

Brit_in_Japan

That's a fair point douglasb, a small but important distinction which I didn't pick up on first time. So it looks like it was designed to offend although I'd still argue it wasn't anti-semitic.

Adam M

I hate Ken Livingstone with a passion, not because of racism, because I don't believe he is racist nor was that comment, but because he is self important and out to look after himself, because he crusades on issues which he hasn't considered from both sides.

I hate his stance on the 4x4 drivers and have heard debates where he is unwilling to consider the reason most people drive them.

I also don't like the fact that he set up the congestion charge and invited peopel to offer alternatives promising to plough the money into public transport.

That hasn't happened. jeremy clarkson came up with decent options to consider to alleviate congestion, and he paid no attention.

He claims the ongestion charge is a massive success, promises not to put up the price, then puts up the price.

Then he sets up a consultancy company to offer his expertise which he gained whilst being paid to do a job to charge other cities looking to incorporate the same measures.

Sounds to me like he is milking london for every penny he can get from it, without thinking of the benfit to london.

as for this racist stuff, I do think it is nonsense. he shouldn't apologise because if he does he will eb admitting that it was a racist comment.

Yes he knew the guy was jewish, which is why he used the example of a concentration camp guard, but that doesn't make it a racist comment. He identified with a paid job that he knew the guy would hate in order that he could explain to the journalist how he feels about reporters.

The concentration guard comment was intended to make the guy understand how strongly he felt.

why is that racist? it was a effectively tool to get the guy to think.

That is just my take on it, and I am jewish.

I hate to say it, but I think the uproar has done public opinion of jews more harm than good, as it does appear that they come across as crying racism at every opportunity.

I know where this comes from, but I think it needs to be thought about some more before public apologies are called for.

gsm1

His remark about a concentration camp guard was just a continuation from his 'german war criminal' remark, which was before he knew the journalist was Jewish. Regardless, it wasn't an anti-semetic remark.
It doesn't matter what you think of Ken Livingstone or what he stands for, his power still remains in the hands of London voters. It's the media moghuls we have to worry about. The people of Liverpool told The Sun where they could stick it, Londoners should do the same with the Evening Standard.

Brendan Hughes

<clutches sides> A-HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA <thunk>