Iain Dale interviewed Ken Livingstone for Total Politics, you can read it here.It is a fascinating article, if you thought that Gordon found it hard to admit to past mistakes you'll realise he has nothing on Red Ken. More than that, not only does Livingstone not take any responsibility for his defeat, he blames Gordon. There is no love lost between the two of them and I'm sure the smiles in their joint campaign photos were actually grimaces.
Livingstone was very careful not to slate Gordon after the election, he wanted to stay in the Labour good books to get the Mayoral nomination for 2012. Judging by the broadside that he fires at Gordon in the interview he no longer feels that loyalty to Brown is a prerequisite for the Labour nomination. Basically Livingstone is saying that Brown is an irrelevance.
I don't believe for a minute that Labour will have Livingstone as their candidate for 2012, the more interesting question is whether Livingstone will run as an independent again. He gives himself a bit of wriggle room in the interview. I suspect he might.
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4 comments:
Ken is quite obviously not mentally lucid if he thinks that he has a hope of becoming Mayor again in 2012. Things have been so much better since Boris became Mayor - times have changed, things have moved on and the mistakes of our past will never be repeated! See ya, Ken.
I'd like to revisit my previous post, as I must actually be the one who's not quite mentally lucid in dismissing Ken as I did.
I spent a pleasant afternoon in the garden reading the article in TP and have to say that Ken actually comes across rather well. He is obviously an exceptionally clever, astute and perceptive man and I think that I may well have judged him too harshly. I can see him running in 2012 as either the Labour candidate - or, more likely, as an independent - and winning!
Never count out a great politician like Ken Livingstone.
Interesting times!
Excaliber,
Are you related to the merchadising arm of a certain far right party of the same name or is it just an unfortunate coincidence?
An unfortunate coincidence, Rog, seeing as those hate-mongers wouldn't know the truth if it kicked them up the backside!
I have no affiliation to either them, or the Excalibur pre-fab estate in Catford that's been in the news recently, before you ask!
I am surprised that you even had to ask the question though, Rog - if I was related to the merchandising wing of those far right hate-mongers would I really have submitted a post stating my admiration for Ken Livingstone?
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