Red Ken is Hypocrite, Shocker!
Discussion
Proof that not everyone who is a member of a Union or of the Labour party is an idiot.
Livingstone is given a thorough kicking in this open letter on the labour uncut blog by a former prospective parliamentary candidate.
Livingstone is given a thorough kicking in this open letter on the labour uncut blog by a former prospective parliamentary candidate.
Jonathan Roberts said:
Dear Ken,
I write as a Labour party and trade union member. I have spent many evenings in dusty, cold community centres with left of centre colleagues arguing over the minutes of last month’s branch meetings. I have walked more miles than I care to remember on the Labour doorstep. I have stuffed so many envelopes that I feel as though I’ve single-handedly kept my postman in employment.
I do it because I believe Labour values can help people. But I am not, now, doing any of these things for you.
Your supporters will say I’m disloyal to the Labour Party, but don’t seem to mind you campaigning against our candidate in Tower Hamlets.
Your supporters cheered you when you called tax avoiders “rich b
ds”, but they don’t seem to mind the £50,000 you have allegedly avoided yourself.
Your supporters criticise Boris Johnson as a “part time Mayor” for churning out a weekly article for the Telegraph, but they don’t seem to mind that you were an MP and a writer for the Independent during substantial parts of your own Mayoral tenure.
Your supporters sing about how you speak the truth, but don’t seem to mind how independent fact-checking organisations regularly describe your claims as “fiction”.
Your supporters were delighted when you announced you would reintroduce the EMA for London, giving hope to thousands of kids, but they don’t seem to mind that the Mayor has no power to reintroduce EMA at all. Nor do they seem to mind you making a promise you knew full well you would be unlikely to deliver on.
But do you know what Ken? I mind. I do. Your relentless cynicism and negativity is matched only by your hypocrisy. And I mind all three.
It bothers me that people think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that you think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that because I am a proud member of this party, I am expected to give up countless hours of my life to fight through the rain and cold to campaign for a man who has made so many anti-west comments that Iranian state television gave him his own TV show.
Some in our society are untouchable as a result of their past contributions. I willingly forgive Sir Paul McCartney’s dismal modern-day efforts because in his day he was a genius. Some afford you that same forgiveness because of your hugely positive past contributions in fighting fascism and homophobia. But you are not untouchable Ken. You are a politician seeking election, and the rules still apply to you.
London is one of the greatest cities in the world. And maybe I’m still too young and optimistic, or maybe I’ve just watched too much West Wing, but I want to be inspired. I want to believe. I want to walk into that voting booth and know “this guy is the real deal”. I don’t feel that with you. On May 3rd I will get on a tube and go to the office. I’ll put in a decent day’s work and then go home in the evening. Whatever I do, I won’t be stopping off to vote. I won’t support any other candidate because they do not match my values. But I won’t be supporting you because yours don’t match them either. I love Labour, but more importantly I love London and my country. I do not think you are good for either.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Roberts
I write as a Labour party and trade union member. I have spent many evenings in dusty, cold community centres with left of centre colleagues arguing over the minutes of last month’s branch meetings. I have walked more miles than I care to remember on the Labour doorstep. I have stuffed so many envelopes that I feel as though I’ve single-handedly kept my postman in employment.
I do it because I believe Labour values can help people. But I am not, now, doing any of these things for you.
Your supporters will say I’m disloyal to the Labour Party, but don’t seem to mind you campaigning against our candidate in Tower Hamlets.
Your supporters cheered you when you called tax avoiders “rich b
ds”, but they don’t seem to mind the £50,000 you have allegedly avoided yourself.Your supporters criticise Boris Johnson as a “part time Mayor” for churning out a weekly article for the Telegraph, but they don’t seem to mind that you were an MP and a writer for the Independent during substantial parts of your own Mayoral tenure.
Your supporters sing about how you speak the truth, but don’t seem to mind how independent fact-checking organisations regularly describe your claims as “fiction”.
Your supporters were delighted when you announced you would reintroduce the EMA for London, giving hope to thousands of kids, but they don’t seem to mind that the Mayor has no power to reintroduce EMA at all. Nor do they seem to mind you making a promise you knew full well you would be unlikely to deliver on.
But do you know what Ken? I mind. I do. Your relentless cynicism and negativity is matched only by your hypocrisy. And I mind all three.
It bothers me that people think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that you think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that because I am a proud member of this party, I am expected to give up countless hours of my life to fight through the rain and cold to campaign for a man who has made so many anti-west comments that Iranian state television gave him his own TV show.
Some in our society are untouchable as a result of their past contributions. I willingly forgive Sir Paul McCartney’s dismal modern-day efforts because in his day he was a genius. Some afford you that same forgiveness because of your hugely positive past contributions in fighting fascism and homophobia. But you are not untouchable Ken. You are a politician seeking election, and the rules still apply to you.
London is one of the greatest cities in the world. And maybe I’m still too young and optimistic, or maybe I’ve just watched too much West Wing, but I want to be inspired. I want to believe. I want to walk into that voting booth and know “this guy is the real deal”. I don’t feel that with you. On May 3rd I will get on a tube and go to the office. I’ll put in a decent day’s work and then go home in the evening. Whatever I do, I won’t be stopping off to vote. I won’t support any other candidate because they do not match my values. But I won’t be supporting you because yours don’t match them either. I love Labour, but more importantly I love London and my country. I do not think you are good for either.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Roberts
MercScot said:
Globs said:
The Blairs house, blood money buys some fine property these days for 'men of the people'.
NuLabour, shafting the working man since 1997, and getting their snouts in the trough before anyone else.
Blood money buys lots of properties.
Socialists, caring for their fellow man, solidarity brother!
Whatever your political persuasion this is a bit of a non story, just an opportunity for a bit of Ken bashing. So he's set up a service company to manage his business affairs, big deal. It's perfectly legitimate and there's absolutely no detail in the article of any wrongdoing. I'm all for highlighting examples of corruption and hypocrisy in public life, but this is a pretty flimsy attempt. OP I'm out.
Blue62 said:
Whatever your political persuasion this is a bit of a non story, just an opportunity for a bit of Ken bashing. So he's set up a service company to manage his business affairs, big deal. It's perfectly legitimate and there's absolutely no detail in the article of any wrongdoing. I'm all for highlighting examples of corruption and hypocrisy in public life, but this is a pretty flimsy attempt. OP I'm out.
Its legitimate and there's no wrongdoing but surely you can see the hypocrisy.Ken has been a supporter of UK Uncut, which campaigns against not just tax evasion but also tax avoidance – “These rich b
ds just don’t get it,” Livingstone wrote in 2009. “No one should be allowed to vote in a British election, let alone sit in our parliament, unless they are paying their full share of tax.” He called for everyone to “pay tax at the same rate on their earnings and all other income”.
Blue62 said:
Whatever your political persuasion this is a bit of a non story, just an opportunity for a bit of Ken bashing. So he's set up a service company to manage his business affairs, big deal. It's perfectly legitimate and there's absolutely no detail in the article of any wrongdoing. I'm all for highlighting examples of corruption and hypocrisy in public life, but this is a pretty flimsy attempt. OP I'm out.
He's set up a service company to limit his tax bill on what is a very health income.That is all well and good, and perfectly legal, but very hypocritcal when you are seeking election, and attacking the "Rich"
I would consider him to be rich, and a tax avoider, so he should STFU.
Blue62 said:
Whatever your political persuasion this is a bit of a non story, just an opportunity for a bit of Ken bashing. So he's set up a service company to manage his business affairs, big deal. It's perfectly legitimate and there's absolutely no detail in the article of any wrongdoing. I'm all for highlighting examples of corruption and hypocrisy in public life, but this is a pretty flimsy attempt. OP I'm out.
He's set up a service company to limit his tax bill on what is a very health income.That is all well and good, and perfectly legal, but very hypocritcal when you are seeking election, and attacking the "Rich"
I would consider him to be rich, and a tax avoider, so he should STFU.
98elise said:
Blue62 said:
Whatever your political persuasion this is a bit of a non story, just an opportunity for a bit of Ken bashing. So he's set up a service company to manage his business affairs, big deal. It's perfectly legitimate and there's absolutely no detail in the article of any wrongdoing. I'm all for highlighting examples of corruption and hypocrisy in public life, but this is a pretty flimsy attempt. OP I'm out.
He's set up a service company to limit his tax bill on what is a very health income.That is all well and good, and perfectly legal, but very hypocritcal when you are seeking election, and attacking the "Rich"
I would consider him to be rich, and a tax avoider, so he should STFU.
t about the worker, he's just an 'all right Jack' champagne socialist with as much social conscience as a cancer.chris watton said:
I wonder how many of ken's votes are genuine, though. Who normally votes for him - people who supposedly live with 16 others in a one-bed flat? I suspect vote rigging is rife.
It's why Boris killed off the payments to the 'charities' and 'community services' run by the tribal leaders who tell their people who to vote for. Ken is a brilliant politician and will always have the support of the downtrodden of London who are kept down by the evil workers and who are so deserved of free money.
I regularly see him in the fine wines section of Waitrose on the Hampstead borders and there are allways women fawning all over him.
He is a hero to the envious, lazy, thick and the easily led.
As these groups comprise the majority of modern British society he is a very powerful man. And very wealthy.
ralphrj said:
Proof that not everyone who is a member of a Union or of the Labour party is an idiot.
Livingstone is given a thorough kicking in this open letter on the labour uncut blog by a former prospective parliamentary candidate.
A good letter. However, he's a bit naive, both in his surprise at the hypocrisy of a leftie and in his belief that Labour values can help people. Still, at least he's attacking a closet communist. Livingstone is given a thorough kicking in this open letter on the labour uncut blog by a former prospective parliamentary candidate.
Jonathan Roberts said:
Dear Ken,
I write as a Labour party and trade union member. I have spent many evenings in dusty, cold community centres with left of centre colleagues arguing over the minutes of last month’s branch meetings. I have walked more miles than I care to remember on the Labour doorstep. I have stuffed so many envelopes that I feel as though I’ve single-handedly kept my postman in employment.
I do it because I believe Labour values can help people. But I am not, now, doing any of these things for you.
Your supporters will say I’m disloyal to the Labour Party, but don’t seem to mind you campaigning against our candidate in Tower Hamlets.
Your supporters cheered you when you called tax avoiders “rich bds”, but they don’t seem to mind the £50,000 you have allegedly avoided yourself.
Your supporters criticise Boris Johnson as a “part time Mayor” for churning out a weekly article for the Telegraph, but they don’t seem to mind that you were an MP and a writer for the Independent during substantial parts of your own Mayoral tenure.
Your supporters sing about how you speak the truth, but don’t seem to mind how independent fact-checking organisations regularly describe your claims as “fiction”.
Your supporters were delighted when you announced you would reintroduce the EMA for London, giving hope to thousands of kids, but they don’t seem to mind that the Mayor has no power to reintroduce EMA at all. Nor do they seem to mind you making a promise you knew full well you would be unlikely to deliver on.
But do you know what Ken? I mind. I do. Your relentless cynicism and negativity is matched only by your hypocrisy. And I mind all three.
It bothers me that people think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that you think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that because I am a proud member of this party, I am expected to give up countless hours of my life to fight through the rain and cold to campaign for a man who has made so many anti-west comments that Iranian state television gave him his own TV show.
Some in our society are untouchable as a result of their past contributions. I willingly forgive Sir Paul McCartney’s dismal modern-day efforts because in his day he was a genius. Some afford you that same forgiveness because of your hugely positive past contributions in fighting fascism and homophobia. But you are not untouchable Ken. You are a politician seeking election, and the rules still apply to you.
London is one of the greatest cities in the world. And maybe I’m still too young and optimistic, or maybe I’ve just watched too much West Wing, but I want to be inspired. I want to believe. I want to walk into that voting booth and know “this guy is the real deal”. I don’t feel that with you. On May 3rd I will get on a tube and go to the office. I’ll put in a decent day’s work and then go home in the evening. Whatever I do, I won’t be stopping off to vote. I won’t support any other candidate because they do not match my values. But I won’t be supporting you because yours don’t match them either. I love Labour, but more importantly I love London and my country. I do not think you are good for either.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Roberts
I write as a Labour party and trade union member. I have spent many evenings in dusty, cold community centres with left of centre colleagues arguing over the minutes of last month’s branch meetings. I have walked more miles than I care to remember on the Labour doorstep. I have stuffed so many envelopes that I feel as though I’ve single-handedly kept my postman in employment.
I do it because I believe Labour values can help people. But I am not, now, doing any of these things for you.
Your supporters will say I’m disloyal to the Labour Party, but don’t seem to mind you campaigning against our candidate in Tower Hamlets.
Your supporters cheered you when you called tax avoiders “rich b
ds”, but they don’t seem to mind the £50,000 you have allegedly avoided yourself.Your supporters criticise Boris Johnson as a “part time Mayor” for churning out a weekly article for the Telegraph, but they don’t seem to mind that you were an MP and a writer for the Independent during substantial parts of your own Mayoral tenure.
Your supporters sing about how you speak the truth, but don’t seem to mind how independent fact-checking organisations regularly describe your claims as “fiction”.
Your supporters were delighted when you announced you would reintroduce the EMA for London, giving hope to thousands of kids, but they don’t seem to mind that the Mayor has no power to reintroduce EMA at all. Nor do they seem to mind you making a promise you knew full well you would be unlikely to deliver on.
But do you know what Ken? I mind. I do. Your relentless cynicism and negativity is matched only by your hypocrisy. And I mind all three.
It bothers me that people think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that you think you are the last bastion of Labourness. It bothers me that because I am a proud member of this party, I am expected to give up countless hours of my life to fight through the rain and cold to campaign for a man who has made so many anti-west comments that Iranian state television gave him his own TV show.
Some in our society are untouchable as a result of their past contributions. I willingly forgive Sir Paul McCartney’s dismal modern-day efforts because in his day he was a genius. Some afford you that same forgiveness because of your hugely positive past contributions in fighting fascism and homophobia. But you are not untouchable Ken. You are a politician seeking election, and the rules still apply to you.
London is one of the greatest cities in the world. And maybe I’m still too young and optimistic, or maybe I’ve just watched too much West Wing, but I want to be inspired. I want to believe. I want to walk into that voting booth and know “this guy is the real deal”. I don’t feel that with you. On May 3rd I will get on a tube and go to the office. I’ll put in a decent day’s work and then go home in the evening. Whatever I do, I won’t be stopping off to vote. I won’t support any other candidate because they do not match my values. But I won’t be supporting you because yours don’t match them either. I love Labour, but more importantly I love London and my country. I do not think you are good for either.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Roberts
98elise said:
He's set up a service company to limit his tax bill on what is a very health income.
That is all well and good, and perfectly legal, but very hypocritcal when you are seeking election, and attacking the "Rich"
I would consider him to be rich, and a tax avoider, so he should STFU.
I don't see where it states he's avoiding tax, the existence of a service company enables him to mitigate, but we're not talking about some fancy avoidance scheme dreamt up by clever accountants. There are a number of good reasons to set up a service company for someone in his position, tax mitigation being one of them, but I really can't see that there's any issue here and if there was I think this would 'all over' the papers. He's paying his due tax according the law of the land, there's absolutely nothing contentious in the story at all, stand down with the pitchforks guys. That is all well and good, and perfectly legal, but very hypocritcal when you are seeking election, and attacking the "Rich"
I would consider him to be rich, and a tax avoider, so he should STFU.
Blue62 said:
I don't see where it states he's avoiding tax, the existence of a service company enables him to mitigate, but we're not talking about some fancy avoidance scheme dreamt up by clever accountants. There are a number of good reasons to set up a service company for someone in his position, tax mitigation being one of them, but I really can't see that there's any issue here and if there was I think this would 'all over' the papers. He's paying his due tax according the law of the land, there's absolutely nothing contentious in the story at all, stand down with the pitchforks guys.
Read this then decide if he is a hypocrite or not.http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/andrewgilligan/1...
Ken Livingstone is a ruthless determined self serving individual.
He is in politics for one thing. What he can get out of it.
In common with all socialists he ensures his snout is further into the trough than anyone else's.
Sadly this is the prime reason individuals like Len Livingstone go into politics.
They serve themselves. Very successfully.
God help the electorate. Ken Livingstone will not.
He is in politics for one thing. What he can get out of it.
In common with all socialists he ensures his snout is further into the trough than anyone else's.
Sadly this is the prime reason individuals like Len Livingstone go into politics.
They serve themselves. Very successfully.
God help the electorate. Ken Livingstone will not.
Blue62 said:
there's absolutely nothing contentious in the story at all, stand down with the pitchforks guys.
Try reading the story.He is doing exactly what he accused 'Rich b
ds' of doing.If he believed in what he was saying he'd be self employed or take any company money out as PAYE.
He's just another greedy socialist screwing the workers while telling them he is their friend.
Globs said:
Blue62 said:
there's absolutely nothing contentious in the story at all, stand down with the pitchforks guys.
Try reading the story.He is doing exactly what he accused 'Rich b
ds' of doing.If he believed in what he was saying he'd be self employed or take any company money out as PAYE.
He's just another greedy socialist screwing the workers while telling them he is their friend.
Blue62 said:
I don't see where it states he's avoiding tax, the existence of a service company enables him to mitigate, but we're not talking about some fancy avoidance scheme dreamt up by clever accountants. There are a number of good reasons to set up a service company for someone in his position, tax mitigation being one of them, but I really can't see that there's any issue here and if there was I think this would 'all over' the papers. He's paying his due tax according the law of the land, there's absolutely nothing contentious in the story at all, stand down with the pitchforks guys.
Apologies but did you read the whole thread?And do you know the difference between 'AVOIDING' and 'EVADING' tax?
Just want to know so I understand where you are coming from in this context.
Globs said:
Try reading the story.
He is doing exactly what he accused 'Rich bds' of doing.
If he believed in what he was saying he'd be self employed or take any company money out as PAYE.
He's just another greedy socialist screwing the workers while telling them he is their friend.
that's the problem with this country, too many greedy socialists.He is doing exactly what he accused 'Rich b
ds' of doing.If he believed in what he was saying he'd be self employed or take any company money out as PAYE.
He's just another greedy socialist screwing the workers while telling them he is their friend.
Blue62 said:
I don't see where it states he's avoiding tax, the existence of a service company enables him to mitigate, but we're not talking about some fancy avoidance scheme dreamt up by clever accountants. There are a number of good reasons to set up a service company for someone in his position, tax mitigation being one of them, but I really can't see that there's any issue here and if there was I think this would 'all over' the papers. He's paying his due tax according the law of the land, there's absolutely nothing contentious in the story at all, stand down with the pitchforks guys.
Trying to invent unnecessary new phraseology to support your view doesn't work."Tax mitigation" is "Tax Avoidance". It's perfectly legal no matter what you call it, or who sets the "scheme" up for you!
No one on here has an issue with Ken avoiding tax (the vast majority of the people in the country avoid tax one way or another). But to do so whilst calling others who do it "rich b
ds" and to support the views of an organisation who wants it outlawed IS hypocritical (the title of the thread).Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff