Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstoneis an English politician who served as the Leader of the Greater London Councilfrom 1981 until the council was abolished in 1986, and as Mayor of London from the creation of the office in 2000 until 2008. He also served as the Member of Parliamentfor Brent East from 1987 to 2001. A suspended member of the Labour Party, he was on the party's hard left, ideologically identifying as a democratic socialist...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth17 June 1945
community essential jewish stand
Working with the Jewish community is essential to me and what I stand for.
build links london strong
We want to try and build very strong links between London and Beijing.
choices life
We are responsible for our own choices in this life I always have been and so have reporters.
camp concentration paid
Actually you are just like a concentration camp guard. You're just doing it because you're paid to, aren't you?
biggest
The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' But if I had made a big mistake, they'd all be writing about it, wouldn't they?
amazed people shocked
Most people are not shocked that I am occasionally rude to journalists. They are probably amazed I don't punch one in the face.
My political beliefs are my moral, quasi-religious framework.
allow civil difficult energy life ministers pressure public sources talked
I actually think the civil service, who are the malignancy at the heart of public life, have consciously prevented, talked ministers out of, made it difficult regulatory-wise, to allow more pressure on alternative energy sources to grow.
accept against allies attacks blair brush carrying concern dealing directed foreign planning policy rather seen serious start supporting terrorist
It is important now for Blair to accept that foreign policy is a serious concern and to start to do something about it rather than being seen to brush it aside. ... must be directed against those carrying out, planning or supporting such terrorist attacks and not against those who are our allies in dealing with the terrorists.
achieve across create london parties position reach speaks
I want to try and create an administration which will be all-encompassing, reach across parties and try to achieve a position where the new (Greater London Assembly) speaks with one voice,
loss pay reduction week wondering
Londoners will be wondering what the RMT actually want. They are getting a 35-hour week with no loss of pay and no reduction in staffing.
announce bid depart france grand host july london proud tour
I am proud to announce that London has successfully bid to host the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in July 2007.
mistake done should
Well, on lots of small things we could have done better, but on all the big things we called it right. You should make less mistakes as you get older, and I became a councillor back in 1971, so if by this stage in politics I'm making lots of big mistakes, then I shouldn't be here.
mean giving pay
I mean I get loads of money, all from different sources. You give it to your accountant. They manage it. But you pay corporation tax. If you're then taking it out and spending it on yourself, you have to pay more.