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Labour backlash over Ken
By Ross Lydall and Isabel Oakeshott, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 15.02.05
Senior Labour Party members today distanced themselves from Ken Livingstone after he refused to apologise for his racist insult directed at an Evening Standard reporter.
MPs and other members tried to put "clear water" between themselves and Mr Livingstone in a bid to prevent the row damaging the party.
The Mayor has refused to back down in the face of mounting criticism for likening Standard reporter Oliver Finegold - who is Jewish - to a "German war criminal".
Today a series of Labour MPs said that Mr Livingstone had to apologise and warned that Labour would be damaged in parts of London if he did not.
MP Mike Gapes said: "He should apologise, absolutely. What he said is totally unacceptable.
"Londoners are well aware that Ken Livingstone is Ken Livingstone, so I don't think it will damage Labour as a whole, but unless he apologises, it will damage him."
Among some London backbenchers there was deep concern-at the impact the furore would have on Labour's vote in the north London Jewish communities, where relations have already been strained because of the row over the "Fagin" poster of Michael Howard.
One said: "Poor Andrew Dismore [Labour MP for Hendon] has been deluged with letters on this. He is under real pressure - as he was after the poster mistake.
"This was unfortunately an example of Ken Livingstone's dark side coming out. I wish he would apologise - the sooner the better - for the good of the party."
Len Duvall, Labour group and chair of the London Labour Party, said: "I think it's appropriate an apology should be made and will urge the Mayor to do so."
Labour deputy mayor Nicky Gavron, daughter of a Holocaust survivor, said: "These were very inappropriate words and very offensive to Jews in London.
"I know that the Mayor uses Hitler, the war and the Holocaust as a moral reference point. But I don't think there are any circumstances which justify inappropriate reference to the Holocaust.
"That is why the Labour group is joining with everyone here in asking the Mayor to
apologise." Labour assembly member Jennette Arnold said: "I believe a personal apology is due." She called the incident a "moment of foolishness" and said the Mayor had a proud record of fighting racism.
One Labour source believed the issue could be "too political" for the Standards Board for England, the local government watchdog, and said: "Ken is his own man and he will probably find his own way of saying sorry."
Another Labour source said that Mr Livingstone had proved his critics right when they warned he should not be readmitted to the party.
MP Steve Pound, a supporter of Mr Livingstone's readmission to the party said: "Anyone who has known Ken for 10 minutes will know he is not anti-Semitic. But he should have apologised the moment the Standard reporter said he was Jewish and offended."
A former minister and onetime colleague of Mr Livingstone on the defunct GLC said he was proving himself stubborn rather than sensible. "He should never have said what he said. But I know Ken and he won't apologise."
