He's a very naughty boy
Discussion
ananova said:
Mayor suspended over 'Nazi' jibe
London Mayor Ken Livingstone has been found guilty of bringing his office into disrepute by comparing a Jewish reporter to a Nazi concentration camp guard.
Mr Livingstone was suspended from duty for four weeks from March 1 after being found guilty of bringing his office into disrepute.
The three-man Adjudication Panel for England unanimously ruled that Mr Livingstone had been "unnecessarily insensitive and offensive" to Evening Standard reporter Oliver Finegold in February last year.
David Laverick, chairman of the disciplinary panel sitting in central London, said: "His treatment of the journalist was unnecessarily insensitive and offensive.
"He persisted with a line of comment likening the journalist's job to a concentration camp guard, despite being told that the journalist was Jewish and found it offensive to be asked if he was a German war criminal."
Mr Livingstone was not present at the hearing.
Mr Laverick said: "The reasonable onlooker would regard Mr Livingstone's reputation as being damaged as a result of the exchange. The case tribunal has also concluded that the remarks have also had the effect of damaging the reputation of his office of mayor."
Since Mr Livingstone lost the case he must pay his own costs - estimated at more than £80,000. He can appeal the decision at the High Court.
Sir Anthony Holland, chair of the Standards Board for England, said: "The public expects all elected members to conduct themselves in a manner that is beyond reproach. It is right that the facts of this case have been aired and considered in public in this way."
Commenting on the ruling Evening Standard editor Veronica Wadley said: "The Evening Standard has always believed that Mr Livingstone should apologise for his remarks. There is no question that he caused offence to many Londoners by his comments, and his stubborn refusal to say sorry aggravated the position."
Mr Livingstone has said he was expressing his honestly-held political view of Associated Newspapers, but he had not meant to offend the Jewish community.
An interesting take on free-speech, particularly in light of the recent David Irving case in Austria where he essentially claimed the same defence against his charges.
Livingstone said: "he did not intend to offend the Jewish community, but was exercising his freedom of speech and has been rude to journalists for years."
It's his sanctimonious authoritarianism and pious nature that itches the most with me. They drive his thinking and his policies. Ordinarily it wouldn't bother me, but because of the power he wields, the feeling is inescapable.
An interesting take on free-speech, particularly in light of the recent David Irving case in Austria where he essentially claimed the same defence against his charges.
Livingstone said: "he did not intend to offend the Jewish community, but was exercising his freedom of speech and has been rude to journalists for years."
It's his sanctimonious authoritarianism and pious nature that itches the most with me. They drive his thinking and his policies. Ordinarily it wouldn't bother me, but because of the power he wields, the feeling is inescapable.
BBC News said:
But Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron said the incident had been "blown out fo all proportion" and described the decision as absurd.
Now, why don't they apply that type of thinking to other areas, like Kengestion charge late payment fines? See DeR's post yesterday for contrast.
BBC News also said:
She went on: "An elected Mayor should only be removed by the law or by the electorate. Not by an unelected body."
Funny how opinions suddenly change when they fall victim to the whims of unelected, unaccountable bodies... Live by the quango, die by the quango.
As much as i dislike this guy, i fail to see what the problem is, his observation was maybe a little tasteless but i can't see how anyone would find it that offensive.
On the other hand..
On the other hand..
judas said:
Funny how opinions suddenly change when they fall victim to the whims of unelected, unaccountable bodies... Live by the quango, die by the quango.
Not funny at all, whether you like him or not.
Who, exactly, are the "Standards Board for England" ?
Who elected them ? Who are they accountable to ?
Why do their (over) sensitivities not apply to Blair et al ?
Journalists are seldom saints, and a justification of
"Just doing my job" can be used by anyone. We don't
accept it from soldiers who committed atrocities, even
if they did it on pain of death...
Worrying judgement.
>> Ed 'cos I can't splle, innit
>> Edited by grumbledoak on Friday 24th February 14:16
Who, exactly, are the "Standards Board for England" ?
Who elected them ? Who are they accountable to ?
Why do their (over) sensitivities not apply to Blair et al ?
Journalists are seldom saints, and a justification of
"Just doing my job" can be used by anyone. We don't
accept it from soldiers who committed atrocities, even
if they did it on pain of death...
Worrying judgement.
>> Ed 'cos I can't splle, innit
>> Edited by grumbledoak on Friday 24th February 14:16
He's appealing (as in he is appealing this decision ... he's certainly unappealing in every other way). And good luck to him. The comment was in poor taste. So what?
The allegation is that he has brough the office of Mayor of London into disrepute. That is patent bollox. Does this board of imbeciles really think that people believe Livingstone was speaking in his capacity as mayor when he compared this bloke to a nazi prison guard? Obviously not. So how is it bringing the office of mayor into disrepute. If he brings himself into disrepute, that is his own problem. It is entirely different from degrading the position of Mayor.
The allegation is that he has brough the office of Mayor of London into disrepute. That is patent bollox. Does this board of imbeciles really think that people believe Livingstone was speaking in his capacity as mayor when he compared this bloke to a nazi prison guard? Obviously not. So how is it bringing the office of mayor into disrepute. If he brings himself into disrepute, that is his own problem. It is entirely different from degrading the position of Mayor.
I dont understand why he called him a concentration camp guard anyway, I wasn't aware that they were know for following people around and asking irritating questions, more for pointing guns and shouting at people.
Is that really the best insult he could come up with on the spare of the moment?
Is that really the best insult he could come up with on the spare of the moment?
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