• Ken's city of towers and broken promises
• Poll: race relations

Reader views (50)

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Why does anything race related always centre on the need for more black people to be involved in things? Of course they make up a significant percentage of the community, but following unbounded immigration, London is so much more than simply black and white. Can we have more Chinese, Filipino, Brazilians, Pakistanis and Australians please?

- Headhunter, London

I cannot wait until the 2nd of May to see Kens ugly mug grimace when he is booted out by the voters in London, the man is a Marxist Bully who can insult Jewish reporters by calling them concentration camp guards with impunity whilst pandering to Militant Muslim Extremists and kicking the indigenous white population in the nether regions with his anti white views. Maggie kicked him out from the GLC so Boris now can kick him into touch.

- Andrew Geeves, Feltham, Middlesex

Wow it seems to me like Mr. Livingstone really has no concern for his own people; white English people. Every other word out of his mouth is Black, Asian, ethnic minority or diversity! It won't be too long until the "ethnic minority" will be ruling the English in their own country! London needs to seriously halt immigration at once so this does not happen. This is why the BNP must gain power to make these changes. Other wise you will end up having sharia law in England. Newham is already a third world country. When does it stop?

- Gus, New York,NY

I concur with practically all of the observations made so far, so I can only reiterate what a white-English hating racist Livingstone is. Typical of the social Marxist who are usually white middle classes allied with bitter, twisted, hating minority pressure groups. They are a disgrace and need to be dealt with for fostering divisive grievances amongst the population. Ken and his ilk are going to be shocked and feared when they reap the coming storm that they sowed to seeds to create

- Lawrence Boulton, London

So what Ken actually wants is equality instead of quality. Is that really the best direction for London?

- R. Ugsim, hertfordshire

What a load of rubbish Livingstone. It should be the best man/woman for the job, not "jobs for any particular race or creed". Still not lost your communist roots then Ken ?

People of any race or colour should choose which job they want to do. Not be told by a megalomaniac like Ken which jobs he thinks they should be doing.

- Ray Srilations, Bexley, England

More pc (aka social-Marxist) nonsense from Ken. What we want is more competent people in the public services not silly ethnic quotas which always result in lowered standards as they plumb the depths to find anyone - regardless of ability - who has the right skin colour to fit the quota. It also means, regardless of whether they call it affirmative action or not, that inevitably white people - more often than not white heterosexual men, are treated as second class citizens. If you're white, heterosexual and male you'd be mad to vote for Ken.

- Huw Morgan, London, UK

Livingstone you cant make any ethnic group join a particular trade unless you stop the white people applying in the first place which I believe is his plan or to fast track them, eg reduce standards. This is about trying to woo certain sections of London sounds a bit patronising telling people what jobs to apply for London's a big mix he's alienating Londoners that alone is dangerous for community relations. Vote the madman out.

- Joan Simms, London

Why is Ken to prejudicial? Why doesn't he ever promote other races besides black?

In London we have English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Greek, etc., the list is endless, yet all Ken ever talks about is one race, black!

Not only is this insulting and prejudicial to all the other races, it is also denigrating black people by suggesting they need help with everything they attempt to do.

- Peter Thurgood, London, UK

What London actually needs is a lot less Ken.

- Jimbob, Kensington

It is significant that Ken didn't include 'London Mayor' in his list of jobs that should be open only to the ethnic minority groups. Probably because that would mean that he would have to stand aside because of his colour/creed. It is him that stirs up racial tension and does it because he believes it will keep him in the job that fronts his travel freebies etc. All Londoners, black, Asian and white should vote to throw this bigot out.

- Jean, London

I would put the number of black, ethnic people working as traffic wardens around the 95%. Why do we never hear him call for a ban on recruiting these people and positively discriminating for white people. Truth is this horrible little man is a racist, but as he's racist against white people it doesn't matter. Discrimination is discrimination no matter how you dress it up or call it by another name. Roll on election time. I for one cant wait to see the back of him and his cronies.

- Duncan Walker, London England

Well hopefully most of the voting electorate are reading this crap from old red Ken as he used to be known. Vote this idiot out next month before it's too late. Then next year vote this heinous left wing Labour party out.

Though who is going to try and clear up these last 11 years of complete misrule I am not sure! Just anyone but labour!

- Mike, Londonistan

What a patronising little jerk Livingstone is, and why pick on the taxi trade? Wouldn't be something to do with the number of Jewish cabbies, would it? Livingstone seems to have a bit of a problem with that particular minority.

- Mac Donald, East London

Is there no end to this mans' anti-Britishness?

Why doesn't he just ask all native white folk to leave the country?

Another vote for Barnbrook.

- Fred, Our once great city

It's pathetic how he only plays the race-card. We need good teachers, doesn't matter what colour they are. What a kiss-ass, hope no one falls for it.

- Karen, London

Why? Red Ken you are a goner. Brits locals have enough of this failing political correctness!

- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London

Am I missing something, about Kens thoughts for more Black and Asian black cab drivers, the knowledge has always been there for everyone, no matter what colour or creed you are, up to 4 years on a bike and continuous exams and you get your badge, it really is that simple, not.

- Ron Scarratt, uk

A man should be judged on the content of his character not on the colour of his skin.

Ken is just after the black vote.

- James Thomas, Harrow middlesex

Dear Ken,

Maybe I might be wrong here, but aren't all minicab's (including the unlicensed) & licensed night taxi's mostly all driven by Asian /Black & immigrant people. It is very rare that you will find a night taxi that is of white origin or am I being racist

Give a rest Ken and go quietly back from where you came from, I'm fed up of hearing such cr*P Coming out of your gob.

- Phillip Jordan, Chatham Kent

What if the teachers are not good enough? Just give them the job anyway because they've got the right colour of skin? How does that benefit children of any colour?

- Bob, London

And here I thought that what London really needed was . . .

- The best "Fully qualified" teachers to teach our children

- The best "fully qualified" police to uphold the law

- The best "fully qualified, fully taxed & fully insured" taxi drivers to service Londoners & Tourists alike

- A mayor of integrity, who was honest, open & transparent, who was not regularly involved in allegations of sleaze and who disclosed all donations as required by legislation, rules, regulations and/or protocol

Oops, silly me!

- Fraser, Telford Park

Ken constantly decries the BNP for being racist, then makes policies that are based entirely on race.

Ken's a complete hypocrite- but then again, we knew that, didn't we?

- Robert Cunningham, Harrow, London, UK

So what is stopping black and asians from becoming cab drivers besides doing the 'knowledge' itself?

- Gary, London

I see Livingstone has high hopes for the black and asian communities...

- Theo Scheiner, London

How glad all the black (I didn't know you could say that anymore?) people must be to have a middle class white liberal telling them what to do and speaking on their behalf!

- Richard, London, UK

How is Ken going to *achieve* his "tough new targets?

Is he going to increase the numbers of staff they pay (and if so, where will the money come from) or will he sack "white" employees to for the others to replace (and if so, how much redundancy will he pay)

- Cynosarges, London, UK

Ken you are a odious little Stalin, stop trying to tell people what they can and can't do, this is a free country after all.

- Ally, Fulham

Vile little man, for being allowed to be so openly racist behind current laws and guideline. He is the opposite of the BNP.

- Lady You, Luton

How patronising to black people telling them to choose these careers. He's stirring up trouble to split the votes up but no idiot is going vote for BNP so Ken you are out, May the 1st we need unity as Londoners not this division Ken creates, vote Boris.

- Oona Spires, London

What a mess.

- Georgie, Islington, London

Maybe ethnic minorities do not want to be teachers or policemen. What is stopping them?

As for cabbies: about 70% of mini-cabs in the city are from BMEs. Does this mean Ken will be campaigning to get more whites in these jobs?

- Richard, London, England

Good old Ken, when he wants more votes, he decides after so long what London needs.. Pity you don't speak for many people or only want them when you need votes.

Sorry you won't be getting my vote.

- Adrian Johnson, London, UK

I was just scanning the London news and came across this story.
I cant help feeling if the BNP or some other party called for more white teachers and cabbies, that their would be uproar, but I suppose its OK to be racist if your only doing it against white people?

I m glad Livingstones 200 miles away from me.

- Oh Dear, Grimsby, ne.Lincs

Taxi drivers! What about steel erectors, electricians, pilots, doctors etc. Far too many blacks go off to hide in he soft option jobs in the local town halls. How many drivers and bouncers do we need? Livingston is being as ignorant as he is insulting.. The doomed Olympics at 25billion will only provide low skill, low training temporary work, then its back to the claim queues.

- Mark Armstrong, London, UK

And us white people need to have more jobs as traffic wardens, nurses, doctors, DJs, builders, curry chefs, taxi drivers in Luton etc. Not.

Quotas only annoy and upset people, even the minorities we are trying to "protect" are not helped because they are not seen to have obtained their job on merit. And why shouldn't different races have different skills and preferences?

You can legislate on this issue as much as you like, all is does in the end is make criminals of more of us and raise the antagonism between the races.

I trust this comment will not be labelled as racist.

- John, Enfield, UK

Mr Livingstone, Blacks, Asians, Chinese, Japanese and sky blue pink people are all perfectly able to apply to be a Police Officer, Taxi Driver or Teacher. We don't want or need you to create more quangos to set more targets producing more diversive monitoring to tell everybody else how to run their businesses. Just leave it alone will you and stop interfering. It's so time for a change.

- Dean Page, Londonistan

This proves that Ken Livingstone's policies are as racist as the BNP's. Would the media run a story about a politician calling for more white health workers, white bus drivers? Of course not. As a white Londoner, I find this story, and Ken's approach highly offensive and now see him for the racist hyena he really is.

- Joan, London, England

If a cabbie has been vetted and is a competent driver who knows where he's going, then what the hell has his colour got to do with anything? This is just racist social engineering. Livingstone is a dangerous lunatic.

- The Gene Genie, Croydon

"He wants more cabbies from ethnic backgrounds, saying: "It is still the case today that little more that five per cent of Black Cab drivers are Black or Asian."
Well, I'm glad Ken brought up the subject of taxi drivers - just in case the electorate had forgotten the Green Badge Taxi School in Lambeth. It's run by Mr. Jasper's friends using our money, and is one of the crooked businesses now under investigation by the police.

Ken's losing the plot.

- Sally R, London, UK

The truth is that Blacks do not want to be Police officers, so what's the point of stating that there is just 8% of them in the met.

Ken, you could relax the exams for both Taxi drivers and Teachers, sack the Whites within both profession and take on these newly qualified people, good for race relations, bad for education and getting from A to B!

- Pete, Bexleyheath

"multiculturalism has fostered unity in London". Well that's news to me and to a lot of other people as well I suspect.

- Squiz, Islington

If Blacks and Asians want to be cabbies they can be! Just invest the time and money that the existing cabbies have done - and the job is yours. Lets face it - there's no interview, no discrimination, just a bit of hard work. Why should it be handed on a plate to anyone because of their skin colour?
Put in the effort and you will get what you deserve.
Why should anyone jump to the front of the queue?
If young boys choose to follow 'the wrong' role models and hang in gangs - they shouldn't be prioritised for good jobs over other people of any type, as they have displayed both weakness of character, judgement and poor morals.

- Liz Bennett, Rainham, Essex

This is ridiculous. Ken will cause more riots like the 80's if he carries on in this way...
What ever happened to equality? A job should be given because of skill not skin colour.
All Londoners have to pay for the Olympics and white or black we should all qualify for jobs there. If black and Asians will be given preference then let them pay for the whole thing! Every day Ken makes me more determined to vote for Boris, and to influence everyone I know to do the same.

- Liz Bennett, Rainham, London

I'm not from one of Livingstone's pre-defined, ethnic minorities, I am a white, married male, so perhaps I am not best placed to say this, but it seems horrendously condescending to treat as charity cases those who he thinks he is helping. Leaving aside the fact that this means someone better qualified might miss out because he doesn't fit one of Livingstone's racial profiles (surely this is definitive racism?), what about the pride of those people he thinks he is helping? Would they feel as satisfied with their achievements if they knew they were only down to their skin colour? I know I wouldn't.

How about we, as Londoners, just treat everyone else the same way and give everyone a fair go?

- St, London

Sorry Ken I don't want to join the police force or be a teacher. I know you know what's best for me but its my life. I want a job at city hall how do I apply? He's a control freak, stop categorising us you will lose votes come may the first.

- Dave Angel, London

What has happened to this country when we have the Mayor saying that he intends to use his powers to ensure that black and Asian teenagers get more jobs, particularly on the Olympics site. If he wants to improve racial harmony he should be ensuring that the best people get the jobs no matter what their background. He is making white people second class citizens and provoking racial tension.

- Madeleine Tyler, Rainham, Essex

No London does not Ken, it needs more good teachers, police officers and cab drivers. It does not matter what colour they are as long as they have the right qualifications. If this is part of your campaign you deserve to lose. Why don't you give up your place to a black candidate you have had your turn and have learned nothing.

- J0hnp, Newcastle,UK

Oh here we go again the voice of the ethnic minorities how patronising telling us what job we should do. Londoners will choose any job they like why does he think he has the God given right to tell us what profession to take. He bases me on my skin, not what job I would like to do

- Diane Benjamin, London

Ken proves again he's still stuck in the 70's. There are no longer any barriers to ethnic candidates taking any of these jobs. What London needs is the best people for the jobs whatever their race, religion, sex or newt fancying tendencies. Social Engineering does not work and is unfair to everybody.

- Mark Curtis, London

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