He's MY mayor so don't fuck with him
Feb. 25th, 2006 07:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fingertroubleGrr, the thing that made me SO angry yesterday is that Ken Livingstone, the elected mayor of London has been suspended for 4 weeks by an unelected body of 3 nobodies (see more about them here http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1717562,00.html- name and shame: David Laverick, a solicitor who is president of the Adjudication Panel and a pensions ombudsman, Darryl Stephenson, former chief executive of East Riding district council, and Peter Norris, a former civil servant -woo! big time! Professional civil servants and PC-police it seems).
Yes he should have apologised but anyone who's read or heard the transcript should know that the journalist was being a complete pest; he works for Evening Standard (sister paper of the Daily Mail - the most homophobic and biased paper in the country with a record for supporting fascism, so although it could have been better put I think it was a valid point).
Journalists can be complete arseholes and looks like this guy was being one. Should he have picked that scab to scratch? No, but I can understand why. And I'd rather he stand for what he believes in; even if it's that journalists are worthy of attack; and face the possible wrath of his electorate, rather than do what most politicians do nowadays which is hypocritically lie and publish a template apology. It seems like everyone is forced to apologise to save public face; I'd rather politicians sometimes stood up and said 'this is what I believe now FUCK OFF'; I'd respect them more for keeping a position rather than caving in to public opinion and spin doctors. That is why Ken won over new Labour Fank Dobbs (even though Mr Dobbs is cuter!) because you know where you stand with Ken (although his backdown over Fare's Fair and totally screwing the transport system with the GLC was not one of his best moves - he of course blamed it elsewhere - and the recent hike in fares - ditto, I wish he'd actually do what he says on transport).
And with his back record and Nicky Gavron his deputy coming from a Jewish background I doubt anyone is saying he is anti-semitic. Even the Jewish groups pushing for something to be done wanted an apology, not this, and were reported as thinking this was harsh for a punishment.
No I think the real issue here is MY mayor - the one elected by the populace of London, has been suspended by an unelected body of civil servant nobodies. That can't be right - whatever you think of Red Ken and his admittedly rather big mouth.
And I found it funny that the comments on the BBC newsboard yesterday http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=1145&&edition=1&ttl=20060225195859 where from places like Northampton and Cambridge.
Hello? He's OUR mayor? What have YOU got to do with it if you don't even live here?
Yes he should have apologised but anyone who's read or heard the transcript should know that the journalist was being a complete pest; he works for Evening Standard (sister paper of the Daily Mail - the most homophobic and biased paper in the country with a record for supporting fascism, so although it could have been better put I think it was a valid point).
Journalists can be complete arseholes and looks like this guy was being one. Should he have picked that scab to scratch? No, but I can understand why. And I'd rather he stand for what he believes in; even if it's that journalists are worthy of attack; and face the possible wrath of his electorate, rather than do what most politicians do nowadays which is hypocritically lie and publish a template apology. It seems like everyone is forced to apologise to save public face; I'd rather politicians sometimes stood up and said 'this is what I believe now FUCK OFF'; I'd respect them more for keeping a position rather than caving in to public opinion and spin doctors. That is why Ken won over new Labour Fank Dobbs (even though Mr Dobbs is cuter!) because you know where you stand with Ken (although his backdown over Fare's Fair and totally screwing the transport system with the GLC was not one of his best moves - he of course blamed it elsewhere - and the recent hike in fares - ditto, I wish he'd actually do what he says on transport).
And with his back record and Nicky Gavron his deputy coming from a Jewish background I doubt anyone is saying he is anti-semitic. Even the Jewish groups pushing for something to be done wanted an apology, not this, and were reported as thinking this was harsh for a punishment.
No I think the real issue here is MY mayor - the one elected by the populace of London, has been suspended by an unelected body of civil servant nobodies. That can't be right - whatever you think of Red Ken and his admittedly rather big mouth.
And I found it funny that the comments on the BBC newsboard yesterday http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=1145&&edition=1&ttl=20060225195859 where from places like Northampton and Cambridge.
Hello? He's OUR mayor? What have YOU got to do with it if you don't even live here?
