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Ken: I don't feel responsible for violence
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor28.03.08
Ken Livingstone today insisted he did not "feel responsible" for teenage murders - fuelling a row in which he was accused of "crass insensitivity".
The Mayor compounded comments made within hours of the two teenage deaths yesterday when he said "if it bleeds, it leads" the news.
As he launched his crime manifesto in Kilburn this morning, less than a mile from the scene of 14-year-old Amro Elbadawi's death, the Mayor was asked if he felt responsible in relation to the deaths.
He replied: "I do not feel responsible." The Mayor was accused of "crass insensitivity" by rival Boris Johnson over his dismissal of teenage violence in an interview with BBC London last night.
Mr Johnson lambasted the Mayor and said it was a damning indictment that he was not even aware of two murders on London streets. "This is a Mayor who is clearly out of touch. He either has no idea what is going on in his own city or he is lying," Mr Johnson said. Liberal Democrat-Brian Paddick said: "Livingstone has said there is nothing he or any commissioner of the police can do about it.
"If that's the case it's time for Livingstone to make way for a man that can."
Despite the storm, Mr Livingstone said he would continue to use the phrase - which stems from US TV stations - but said that he had not intended any offence to the families of those killed. "I will continue to use the phrase until I start seeing on TV and in the papers a celebration of whenever crime is coming down," he said. "If anyone is offended in any of the families of the bereaved then of course I feel for them."
Mr Livingstone said on BBC London: "You have a base pattern on TV, radio and newspapers that 'if it bleeds, it leads'. Sometimes I switch on and watch your programme and its crime, crime, crime. I never switch on and see a headline saying 'murder rate cut 28 per cent, rape down 25 per cent, crime falling five years in a row'. You don't report the good news. A lot of people out there are worried (about crime) because they don't get a balance."
The row over his remarks came as the Mayor unveiled his 15-point crime manifesto for London, pledging to cut it by 24 per cent over the next four years and tackle gang violence and rape.
Among Mr Livingstone's crime policies are: 1,000 extra police next year to boost counter-terrorism work and local Safer Neighbourhood Team; extra cash for specialist police teams investigating rape in every borough; 11 new Safer Transport Teams focusing on stopping crime and anti-social behaviour on buses, more resources for targeted police operations against gangs and £79 million to fund facilities and activities for young people.
HOW THE OTHER CANDIDATES PLAN TO TACKLE CRIME
BORIS JOHNSON: The Tory candidate says tackling knife and gun crime would be a priority as Mayor. He would use all his powers to prevent it through funding community groups and sports schemes. Mr Johnson believes tackling small-scale anti-social behaviour stops young people going on to more serious crimes. He would employ 50 extra transport police and 440 more community support officers to patrol buses and Tube trains. He would give the public access to electronic crime maps, showing hotspots for each area, and police would get mobile scanners to help detect weapons without having to search suspects.
BRIAN PADDICK: The former police officer has pledged to cut crime in London by five per cent every year in his first term. The Lib-Dem candidate says it is important to meet young people and listen to their views on knife crime. He wants professional keyboard operators to input crime reports, freeing up police to radio in crimes. Mr Paddick would introduce intelligence-led stop-andsearch operations to intercept guns and knives. He has also backed Merseyside Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe's plea for judges not to overlook mandatory five-year sentences for firearms possession.
SIAN BERRY: The Green candidate has pledged extra officers for community policing so Safer Neighbourhood Teams can work around the clock. A pilot in Fulham showed this halved burglaries and that the teams are ideally placed to prevent violent crime. To help free up officers for community duties, she would reduce the policing of demonstrations and make commercial events pay for their policing. As much of the knife and gun crime prevention work is done in the voluntary sector, she plans to award grants for a minimum of three years to give more security to vital projects.
Reader views (23)
Brain, its up to the parents to stop the little monsters running with knives. We can do something, send the monsters home, along with their parents. You might have noticed that most of the monsters are not at all English. Its time to send them home.
- Chris, X Harrow, England
Oh Livingstone you poor deluded little man. Of course you are to blame, it is you who keeps telling us what great things you are doing for this city and that it is you who is in charge. Well the buck stops with that person who is in charge and that dear boy is you so stop blaming everyone but yourself, it's a big man who can accept responsibility for the good things and it's an even bigger man who can own up to the bad things, get a grip.
- Frank,, Chelsea.
Ken Livingston is only repeating a saying I must have heard a thousand times during my years as a reporter: If it bleeds, it leads; if it's on fire, run it higher. I'm not suggesting this excuses his performance as mayor, but the media are being disingenuous if they criticize Livingston for using the kind of language they bandy about daily.
- Judy, Toronto, Canada
What can Ken or Boris really do, surely its up to parents to stop there little monsters running around with knives, perhaps a bit of tough love at home might be the answer, what we really need is the police and courts to have the powers to lock these thugs away for a good while maybe some hard labour as well.
- Brian, wiltshire
Red Ken, get the message, shut up about Green issues, they are not as important as young people losing their lives to drugs and crime, get real and get crime down!
In fact, better still, get lost, come on Boris!
- George, Hempstead
Ken doesn't know what happens to the money he spends and if the Assembly members that we elect ask him about it, he abuses and rubbishes them.
- Peter, Chiswick
So the far-left Greens would employ more CSOs? Given the left hostility to the police - what a sell-out.
- S Keita, Croydon
London isn't Gotham City for goodness sake. The Mayor doesn't go dashing around in a bat-mobile to tackle crime personally. Whether you like it or not, whether it's the mayor, local council or any tier of government, political decisions are made so that policing is carried out on a day to day basis by those most fit to do so. Crime has by all accounts fallen and if anyone is irresponsible, it is the Standard for not reporting this so people can feel just a little less afraid.
Rather than come up with 'Boris Johnson lambasted the mayor', perhaps you could suggest the policies that are needed instead - or ask your candidate Johnson which policies he would offer. I guess we'd only get gimmicks, rather than strategy as ever.
- Victor, London, England
His comments just go to show how far out that politicians and most of Government are relating to crime and Police. Sadly the majority of the public do not live in cosseted glass houses away from the problem areas or are so protected they never will see anything of that type except on paper with made up figures.
- Kw, Wirral Merseyside
Oh dear, crime is down, crime is down,crime is down, there's no place like home, there's no place like home, oh look Toto were back in never never land, wake up Livingstone.
- Mrs Frank,, Chelsea.
This guy has got to be a friend of George Bush. This idiot isn't responsible either.
- Rich, San Angelo USA
The hypocrisy of some of these comments is beyond funny. Regardless if Ken would've screamed anywhere down or not, his statement still stands true. The media has a lot to answer for in it's promotion of gangster life, fast-living, "soft" porn, incest, adultery, greed etc... and that's just the soap operas on tv... When we get to the news, that's takes us to a whole new level.
- Mama Love, East London
Maybe the parents of London's murdered teenagers should go around drumming up support for Ken. Then they would get the red-carpet treatment that Stephen Lawrence's mother gets.
- Sarah N., London
Perhaps you could answer Ken's questions: when did the Standard bother to mention any good news about crime? Were they headlines or a paragraph on page 8?
Londoners need to know which crimes have gone down in London that have gone up elsewhere. You've ignored mentioning the effect of the licensed cab scheme - it's amazing how many vehicles there now are licensed to carry passengers for hire. I assume it's been successful as you haven't reported it and none of Gilligan's mob have commented.
- Harold, London, England
Red Ken is a crime disaster. It is good he is about to be pushed out.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Once again this shows how insensitive Ken Livingstone is and how unfit he is to be Mayor of London. He is so rooted in socialism - which is itself a form of legalised theft- that he has no idea how to deal with the violent crime in London.
- David Giles, London England
You're wrong Ken, it's not only murder that makes headlines in London. Many days it's scandals and misbehaviour in your administration that tops the news. But, thank God, not for much longer.
- R M, London, UK
Red Ken and his Nu Lab pals are doing to the UK what Mugabe did to Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Opened-borders and uncontrolled immigration have destroyed the UK.
- Franc, West Palm Beach, FL USA
Don't worry Ken, we all know you're not responsible, in fact we're so sure of your irresponsibility that on the 1st of May we will be relieving you of any responsibility.
- E Jit, Clapham
Has Livingstone been to any funerals of children who have been killed by other children?..Oh yeah,unless its Stephen Lawrence type of attention, he wont be there, another day, and the current failing mayor is losing his grip on what Londoners want. How cute for him to cozy up to the green party,they were seventh in the last election, move forward London, not backwards..
- Jonnie Of Brixton, london,uk
It is clear that crime remains a problem in the capital like every capital in the world. However since Ken Livingstone has entered the mayoral position crime in London appears to be down and his new manifesto represents a further positive step. It is a bit disappointing to see this article almost entirely ignoring the ideas of the current mayor to highlight what is in effect a true statement.
Newspapers are all guilty of highlighting the negative news because it sells.
- Andrew Robertson, London
If Boris had used that expression, Ken would have screamed the house down, and thrown in "racist" for good measure.
- The Gene Genie, Croydon
Livingstone you are a disgrace - every time that you open your mouth another toxic remark escapes.
- Nick, London
