Gotta love Red Ken, the next mayor of London. He committed a classic political gaffe - telling a truth that offends the powerful - but it not backing off on his criticism of the murderous policies of international financial institutions.
Here's the article:
>From This is London
Ken defiant over Hitler jibe
By Nigel Rosser and Hugh Muir A defiant Ken Livingstone today refused to back down on his claim that international financial institutions killed more people each year than Hitler. After saying in an interview published today that global capitalism was responsible for millions of deaths by maintaining the Third World debt burden, the front-running independent candidate for London Mayor defended his views.
Within Westminster and the City, however, there was little doubt his comments had undermined his credibility to be Mayor of one of the world's leading financial centres
A contemptuous International Monetary Fund dismissed the claim as "baffling", while Tory leader William Hague said: "On every issue of importance facing our capital city, Livingstone would be lethal for London."
As the political storm broke, Mr Livingstone insisted his views were based on common sense and shared by economists and senior politicians. Claiming he was trying to highlight the scale of the havoc caused in the Third World by international debt, he said: "I have been saying this for years. If you go back to my book, Livingstone's London, it's word for word what I said then. Nothing I have said is not true."
In his question and answer interview with today's New Musical Express, Mr Livingstone was asked whether he still believed that International Monetary Fund leaders should "die peacefully in bed" - a comment he had made previously. He said: "The IMF and the World Bank are still appalling and now the World Trade Organisation too. All over the world people die unnecessarily from the debt burden because Third World governments have to cut back on clean water and health problems.
"Every year, the international financial system kills more people than World War Two. But at least Hitler was mad you know."
Mr Livingstone said his argument was based on calculations drawn up by economist Susan George. "She said 15 to 20 million people were dying because of the debt crisis, so over three years that means as many people as died in World War Two. Those are the figures. People are upset because it brings home exactly what we are doing."
{1}In a lunchtime speech in the City, Tory candidate for Mayor Steve Norris warned business leaders: "This is your wake-up call. The dangers for the City, for London and Londoners of a Livingstone mayoralty are too severe to risk voting for him. To inward investors reading what he has to say across the world, they will only see a dangerous extremist, who is offensive, irresponsible and anti-business."
Many in the City today believed Mr Livingstone had severely dented his standing among the financial community - a community he has been wooing in recent months.
Labour mayoral candidate Frank Dobson said: "Ken's very casual in his comparisons with Hitler as he once compared the Camden council with him which was a fatuous comparison.
"I think it's totally irresponsible and I know that people were concerned when he was going on about the World Trade Organisation and suggesting that they be subject to physical violence if they came to this country."
Reaction in the City was mixed, with the Corporation of London saying it believed Mr Livingstone understood how the City worked, and the Bank of England remaining non-committal. However, leading business organisation London First and other City workers said the comments would not endear Mr Livingstone to the City.
A spokesman for London First, courted by all mayoral candidates, said: "This language of conflict ought to be consigned to the dustbin. There needs to be a relationship of mutual respect and trust between business and the Mayor."