Morning:
13°c
Gloves are off as Ken accuses Boris of 7/7 smear on Islam
Pippa Crerar, Political Correspondent10.04.08
Boris Johnson today accused the Mayor of "demeaning" his office by suggesting Mr Johnson had smeared Islam after the London bombings.
The Tory candidate said he took "deep offence" at Ken Livingstone's claim he had said the Koran was "inherently" violent.
However, the Mayor insisted Mr Johnson's remarks - in contrast to his own rousing response to the 7 July attacks - showed his true reaction to the tragedy.
In the first radio hustings on LBC radio between the three main candidates, Mr Johnson insisted he would have issued "exactly the same" kind of remarks after the bombings, which killed 52 people, as Mr Livingstone had if he had been running the city at the time.
"What Londoners want in the event of a tragedy of that kind... is someone who will speak for the city and give a voice to our defiance and our unwillingness to submit to that kind of terror and kind of cowardly attack," he said.
However, the Mayor claimed: "I know what Boris would have said because he wrote it in the Spectator the following week. Very different. I said this is a criminal act by a handful of men. It doesn't define a faith or an ideology.
"What you said, Boris, was Islam was the problem... And the Koran is inherently violent. I actually made certain that we were looking at individuals. You smeared an entire faith."
An audibly furious Mr Johnson responded: "Can I tell you what deep offence I take at that? I think you really traduce what I said.
"My view is that Islam is a religion of peace and indeed I am very proud to say I have Muslim ancestors.
"My great-grandfather knew the Koran off by heart, Ken Livingstone, and I really wish you would leave off these kinds of tactics, which demean this race and demean your office."
In an article for The Spectator magazine the week after the bombings, Mr Johnson wrote: "The Islamicists last week horribly and irrefutably asserted the supreme importance of that faith, overriding all worldly considerations... Islam is the problem.
"To any non-Muslim reader of the Koran, Islamophobia - fear of Islam - seems a natural reaction... "
However, he added: "Last week's bombs were placed neither by martyrs nor by soldiers, but by criminals. It was not war, but terrorism, and to say otherwise is a mistake and a surrender."
Lib-Dem candidate Brian Paddick, who was the Met police spokesman after the attacks, said he would have said: " These people cannot bow Londoners."
The rivals also clashed over Mr Livingstone's tearful apology for slavery, which he made on the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the trade last August.
Backing him, Mr Paddick said: "OK, it's nothing to do with us at the moment but there is a serious concern by some people about what has happened in the past. It is right to apologise for what's happened."
However, Mr Johnson said he would not have apologised, adding: "I wouldn't have gone down that route because I think what you're doing is getting into a culture that entrenches and feeds grievances rather than trying to reconcile people."
Mr Livingstone came under pressure from LBC presenter Nick Ferrari to discuss his five children by three different women but insisted: "I have a very good, happy, extended family and we're happy with that arrangement. I'm not going to talk about my private life."
All three candidates said they would still attend the Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing this summer despite Gordon Brown's decision not to do so.
The radio debate came after Mr Johnson was booed and heckled last night at the biggest hustings of the race so far.
The visibly nervous Tory, faced with a hostile audience of 2,500 Londoners, admitted: "This is the most wonderful and intimidating event I've ever been at."
Mr Livingstone also attracted controversy by agreeing to give failed asylum seekers free travel to attend immigration interviews.
Reader views (21)
"Perhaps when politicians finally view Islam as what it really is we will be able to deal with this new brand of Nazism. Thankfully Boris is not ashamed to speak the truth for once."
Simon, Harrow
Good grief. The whole of Islam? All 1.4 billion Muslims are Nazis? You want a London mayor to declare war on Islam? London is 1/7 Muslim what do you propose to do with them? Concentration camps? Expulsion? Denying them the vote/human rights?
How much good do you think this will do to London to have an extremist Mayor of Olympic London 2012?
- Andrew, London, UK
Ken's playing the race/religion card against Boris.
From this we can tell the following:
- he's now categorically petrified of losing;
- he views Boris as an enormous threat;
- he knows he's running out of time;
- he's run out of alternative tactics;
- he knows his contributions to the political debate are useless, and is therefore resorting to personal attacks;
- he knows he's losing favour with Londoners;
The list is endless...
London, please, wake up - on May 1st, vote Boris.
- Joe, London
After the 7/7 bombings, Boris said this:
"Contrast our treatment of the Union Flag, which is endlessly being cited in racial harassment cases, "
Utter nonsense. Not true. Middle- England myth. Boris made extremely unpleasant, racist remarks and he should apologise rather than deny writing those words.
- Dr Susan Porter, London
Boris wrote:
“When is someone going to get 18th century on Islam's mediaeval ass?”
“The trouble with this disgusting arrogance and condescension is that it is widely supported in Koranic texts”
How can you support such false hateful comments like that ?
Surely you can not hate Muslims that much?
I do not believe vulgar comments help tense situations. Dialogue between people and the exchange of ideas and perspectives does.
- Dr Susan Porter, London
Livingstone is a joke character. What on earth are we doing wasting money and resources on a 'Low Emissions Zone'? The Yorkshire Dales are a low emissions zone; it is utterly fruitless putting up signs in London.
He has turned this city and himself into a ridiculous comedy sketch. It's like the Mikado - the grand high executioner of Titipu issuing edicts about flirting.
He is a joke and deserves to go down in flames.
- Robin, London
Time for a change.
8 years would corrupt all of us.
Salutes to Ken for establishing the mayoralty but London isn't voting for him again.
This doesn't concern the rest of the country.
We want Boris.
- John Ellis, London UK
I think that the post 7/7 comments & behaviour are very relevant to the ideal candidate for multicultural London. Ken was inclusive as seen on the day before & since. Boris "Picaninnies" Johnson is an unrestrained bigoted buffoon who has no idea of diversity, except to play to the jingoistic populism of a resurrected Moseleyism. Even his part-Turkish roots have not relaxed the simplistic Brit-Con Islamophobia right-wing rants. Just like the Nazis with the rootless cosmopolitanism, Boris is not at home with multiculturalism, which are effectively the same thing. Can one imagine the emotive Mr Johnson if he had been mayor on 7/7? I cannot think of anyone more unsuitable for Mayor, than Boris "watermelon smiles & pangas" Johnson, imagine that in Brixton?
- An Ordinary London Muslim, London, United Kingdom
Looks to me like Boris Johnson was very clear in that article that he was mainly blaming Islam ("...the problem is Islam. Islam is the problem.") and the Koran and the absence of "enlightened Islamic teachers and priests" to begin reform. So it seems a shame that now on the radio he's just taking offence and blustering about his great-grandfather, instead of making his case.
- Ad, London
Every time Red Ken starts to worry about the opposition he plays the race-card.
- Sarsfields Ghost, London,England
I for one agree with what Ken Livingstone said. Of course we should know whether the mayor can represent everyone in London. London is a very multicultural city - 1 in 3 is of an ethnic background and 1 in 7 is a Muslim. If someone says Islam is the problem and Islamophobia is a natural reaction than how do you think people who practice that faith will take it? Will it endear them to Boris or Londoners or push them further away and alienate them. To tackle terrorism, we need those people, pushing them away will make our lives more dangerous. Comments like these from Boris - he has got form on this whether it be blacks/Muslims/Liverpudlians- will balkanise London and make it more dangerous and precarious.
- J.Bro, London
These comments just show how low Liverstone really is. It will peddle any prejudice to try to hold on to the Mayoralty. He shows his unsuitability for the post. London deserves better - get rid of Livingstone
- Mike Dark, London
Livingstone was completely wrong in his assumption that the 7/7 bombs were "criminal act by a handful of men".
It was a criminal act by four terrorists who used their (and others) interpretation of Islam to justify the attack because they believed that Allah wants non-Muslims to die. As did the 9/11 terrorists, the Bali terrorists, the Madrid terrorists. As do the Sunni and Shia terrorists who are murdering each other on a daily basis in Iraq. As do terrorists of HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH and Islamic Jihad.
Perhaps when politicians finally view Islam as what it really is we will be able to deal with this new brand of Nazism. Thankfully Boris is not ashamed to speak the truth for once.
- Simon, Harrow, UK
Boris said what he said.
What's wrong with quoting what he actually said?
- Tom, London
Just how dirty can Ken get? This is about giving Londoners a better City it's not about trying to rubbish your opponents
- Dave, Croydon
Poor Ken-- unfair criticism of him as he was only responding to the presenters questions on the radio.
Boris did mention that Islam is a 'problem' so it is only right that Ken made us aware of the views expressed in the mouthpiece that is the Spectator.
The most telling comment came from Brian Paddick (as a floating voter I am warming to him greatly)-- it comes as no surprise to learn that Andrew Gilligan is a 'good friend of Boris Johnson'.
- Sham, Streatham
It just goes to show how desperate Livingstone is. He will say anything, or do anything if he thinks it will get him votes. Vote for Boris, you know it makes sense.
- A.D. Redrup, Ruslip, Middlesx
Some of use still recall Ken was an apologist for the IRA in the early 1980s when they were blowing Londoners to bits and used the GLC as a platform to promote all sorts of lunatic schemes along with his own self promotion, with our money! Perhaps Boris should play Zanu Ken's game and drag out his murky past...
- Zanu Ken, London
I heard this on LBC today, really its disgusting how Ken Livingstone seems only able to run a campaign based on bashing Boris. He must be held to account for these horrific slurs he makes against others and Londoners must see him for what he is and vote for Boris on 1st MAY. A decent man who I believe will be equal in his representation of all Londoners, which the current mayor does not despite what he may say.
- Ah, Hammersmith, London
If I may just add my thoughts on this; I think it is wholly disgusting that Livingstone could use the deaths and fears of so many people on that fateful day in July, for political points-scoring. Absolutely abhorrent, Mayor Livingstone. Shame on you.
- St, London
Livingstone lies through his teeth and this is just another example of the desperate little scumbag grasping at straws.
Where is all the missing money Livingstone. It sounds like a nice little scam to me give away our money to your cronies in return for votes and then charge people £8- £25 a day trying to get to work to earn their living.
Not everyone can get to work by public transport and anyway it is obscenely expensive.
No wonder Livingstone spends so much money trying to sell London but he is rowing against the tide it does not take people long to sus' out that London is a rip off and a rather sordid city.
- Kenherts, Enfield
'The mayor can't make this city great, but the mayor can screw it up'
Ken Livingstone
That's exactly what Ken Livingston has done.
For once, there is some truth in his own words his has
screwed up.
- Asw, Hong Kong
