Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Ken at large
Now that he has announced that he will not seek election again, Ken Livingstone seems to be concentrating on reshaping the Labour Party. The Telegraph reports that he has criticised Labour leader Ed Milliband for "carrying the discredited old Blairite wing with him".
In an intervention that may not entirely be welcomed by the Labour leader, Ken said: "For 30 years, Britain has taken a wrong turning. Inequality of wealth has doubled. We were told if we deregulated, if we liberated the banks, the whole economy would rise and there would be a trickle-down effect.
"Sadly, Tony Blair bought into that, New Labour bought into that. I think we are at a turning point in politics now. We have to make something that somebody wants to buy, we won't just be able to rip off a bit of commission on all the financial transactions.
"I think a lot of the disillusion amongst working-class people, whatever their colour, is that the last Labour government didn't create good jobs for working-class people."
Mr Livingstone added: "If I have one criticism of Ed Miliband - and as well as being a friend, I think he is genuinely a Labour leader who will transform Britain in a way that we haven't seen for a very long time - (it) is that I think he is far too concerned about carrying the discredited old Blairite wing with him."
Could this be the start of a new crusade by the former London Mayor?
In an intervention that may not entirely be welcomed by the Labour leader, Ken said: "For 30 years, Britain has taken a wrong turning. Inequality of wealth has doubled. We were told if we deregulated, if we liberated the banks, the whole economy would rise and there would be a trickle-down effect.
"Sadly, Tony Blair bought into that, New Labour bought into that. I think we are at a turning point in politics now. We have to make something that somebody wants to buy, we won't just be able to rip off a bit of commission on all the financial transactions.
"I think a lot of the disillusion amongst working-class people, whatever their colour, is that the last Labour government didn't create good jobs for working-class people."
Mr Livingstone added: "If I have one criticism of Ed Miliband - and as well as being a friend, I think he is genuinely a Labour leader who will transform Britain in a way that we haven't seen for a very long time - (it) is that I think he is far too concerned about carrying the discredited old Blairite wing with him."
Could this be the start of a new crusade by the former London Mayor?
