Mayor of London makes more Antisemitic comments

[Semsem]

Click on right side of BBC story for Video

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4830878.stm


Mayor in fresh Jewish controversy

Ken Livingstone said the pair should return to Iran
London's mayor has become embroiled in a new row after criticising two Jewish businessmen involved in building a key facility for the 2012 Olympics.
Ken Livingstone attacked David and Simon Reuben for their role in an ongoing dispute about the Stratford City development in east London.

He suggested the brothers "go back (to their own country) and see if they can do better under the ayatollahs".

The mayor made the comments during a speech at City Hall.

'Major problem'

The mayor's office said there was nothing further to add.

The mayor is understood to think the consortium behind the project, of which the Reuben brothers hold a 50% stake, is not progressing quickly enough and could be in danger.

Conservative members of the London Assembly said the brothers were not Iranian, but had been born in India of Iraqi Jewish parents.

Brian Coleman, assembly Member for Barnet and Camden, said: "This is the latest anti-Semitic remark by Livingstone, he clearly has a major problem with the Jewish business community."

The Reuben brothers remain completely committed to the Stratford City project

Reuben brothers statement

The brothers released a statement saying the mayor's comments were "totally inaccurate".

"The Reuben brothers remain completely committed to the Stratford City project in its entirety as well as the Olympic opportunity," the statement added.

"They are working extremely hard to deliver the development for the long-term benefit of London and Londoners. That is what they shall continue to do.

"Mr Livingstone's comments on the Reuben brothers' role in the Paddington and White City developments are also unsubstantiated."

The row follows the mayor's four-week suspension for comparing Evening Standard journalist Oliver Finegold to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

Mr Livingstone, however, won a last-minute attempt to remain London's mayor pending an appeal against the verdict, which was handed down by the Adjudication Panel for England.

[Reffo]

Did he even know they were Jewish? Did he refer to their Jewishness? I am no fan of that guy, far from it, I reject most things that he stands for but from what I read in that article, I don't see anything antisemitic in what he said. Unless of course there is more to it than what is presented in the article?

[Luke90]

It seems like an ill-judged comment but anti-semitic? He seems to think they're Iranian.

[minusthejihad]

Well, I'm with you guys, probably not overtly anti-semitic, but quite par for the course based on his prior "mistakes". No matter what, the guy is a blabbering idiot and a shame for all Londoners.

[genghis_tom]

Did he even know they were Jewish?
Having a last name of Reuben may have tipped him off, but the fact still stands that he is a bozo extraordinaire.

[Muslima]

Did he even know they were Jewish? Did he refer to their Jewishness? I am no fan of that guy, far from it, I reject most things that he stands for but from what I read in that article, I don't see anything antisemitic in what he said. Unless of course there is more to it than what is presented in the article?

The Reubens are prominent property developers, so he did know i'm sure, especially since he is the Mayor of London.

Anyhow, the problem with Red Ken as he is known, is that he is too outspoken for public service. Comments that you can get away with in private enterprise etc. are a no no when you're in public service.
If he wants to excercise his right to loud opinionated statements then he should retire.

Were his remarks anti-semitic? A few weeks ago an adjudication tribunal found him guilty for making racist comments against the Jewish journalist from Evening Standard (Oliver finegold).
He claims that he is sick of Zionist's trying to suppress legitimate criticism of Israel, and that he will loudly speak against it....but his remarks to Oliver Finegold and now the Reuben's have no bearing on the state of Israel. Some say he is anti-semitic, or a jew hater. Others say he is just outspoken.

He is probably a bit of both! what is surprising is that someone like this is allowed to be in public service. Tony Blair did make it clear to him last time that he wasn't happy about his outspokeness!

[Mediocrates]

As always, Red Ken is not the problem. It's the retarded bigots who elected him that's the problem. We have lots of insane crackheads and crackpots in high elected office too - so what. It's the psychopaths who support them that worry me.

[Muslima]

As always, Red Ken is not the problem. It's the retarded bigots who elected him that's the problem. We have lots of insane crackheads and crackpots in high elected office too - so what. It's the psychopaths who support them that worry me.

The irony is that he was originally written off. It was thought that he would be a failure as a Mayor, but he proved himself worthy. It's his presentation skills that need improving.

He was voted in Med, and not just by retarted bigots. He wasn't spefically chosen for his bigoted views, that came out later. He was in the Labour party first.

Anyhow you can give Red Ken a piece of your mind here, at his website:)

http://www.london.gov.uk/gla/contact.jsp

[Mediocrates]

I'm sure he's both proud of the outrage he causes and utterly indifferent to any comments anyone sends him.


I'm sure that people who voted for him knew what they were getting - he's a whole package. May they all sizzle in hell together.

[Semsem]

To tell British citizens to return to Iran is "racist." Had they not been Jewish he would not have said this.
He is also an ignoramus confusing Iraq with Iran. The Reubens are Iraqi Jews who hold British citizenship. Many Iraqi Jews had British citizenship as Britain occupied Iraq after 1918. My grandfathers brother had British citizenship though he was from Baghdad.

[Reffo]

Yes, I forgot about the Jewish sounding name. Nevertheless, from what I can see in that article, he didn't say anything antisemitic. Of course what he did say, did seem to be insensitive and thoughtless, but then let's not forget that it was made because of unsatisfactory progress and committments not met. So his frustration in this instance is understendable.

That's as far as I'll go defending him. I still agree with all the other people here who feel that he is a first class ratbag for other reasons and other stupid statements that he made, but not this one in particular!

[tandem]

the fact that he referred to their ethnic background (he thought they were from iran but it turns out they're not) simply because he disagrees with a business matter is just pathetic and this sort of behaviour doesn't befit someone who's the mayor of london. this guy is truly an embarrassment.

[tandem]

more anti-jewish rhetoric from ken livingstone...

this time he calls assembly member brian coleman (is he jewish?) who was critical of his earlier statements "dr. goebbels" and he also makes sure to apologize to the people of iran for putting them in the same class with the jewish reuben brothers.

i personally think it's a waste giving this guy more attention, i really do. it seems he's just looking for opportunities to vent his anti-jewish propaganda and apparently he does it with impunity. even the decision to suspend him for a month has been stayed.

Livingstone renews anti-Jewish slurs (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1139395659565&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)
By GEORGE CONGER
LONDON

Mayor Ken Livingstone has gone on the offensive, attacking his critics and refusing to apologize for his comments Tuesday that two Jewish developers should go back to where they came from.

"I would offer a complete apology to the people of Iran to the suggestion that they may be linked in any way to the Reuben brothers. I wasn't meaning to be offensive to the people of Iran," Livingstone said during the mayor's question period on Wednesday.

Conservative London Assembly member Brian Coleman told The Jerusalem Post that he was shocked by the mayor's response.

Livingstone has "a blind spot when it comes to relations with the Jewish community. He has an antipathy, an antagonism, a personal dislike for the Jewish community," Coleman said, while campaigning in his constituency on Wednesday.

The mayor's office did not respond to queries. On Tuesday, Livingstone said of the Reuben brothers, Jewish members of the syndicate building the 4 billion pound Olympic City in East London for the 2012 Olympic Games, "perhaps if they're not happy they can always go back [to their own country] and see if they can do better under the ayatollahs."

Asked by reporters to clarify his remarks, he said, "If they're not happy here, they can go back to Iran and try their luck with the ayatollahs, if they don't like the planning regime or my approach."

Livingstone also attacked Coleman on Wednesday for calling his Tuesday remarks "anti-Semitic," denouncing him as a "Dr. Goebbels." Coleman was "dancing on the memory of the Holocaust," Livingstone charged.

By way of explanation of his Tuesday remarks, the mayor claimed not to have known the Rueben brothers were Jewish. Coleman doubted his sincerity. "You have to be either very naןve or very ignorant, which is it Mr. Mayor?" he asked.

During the mayor's question period, Livingstone returned to his attack. The Reubens were the "main impediment" to the successful completion of the
Olympic City project, he charged.

Taxpayers may have "to pick up the bill of 600 million to 700m. because of the actions of the Reuben brothers," Livingstone said, and "that's completely and utterly unacceptable."

In a statement given to the Post Tuesday evening, the Reuben brothers said the mayor's charges were "inaccurate" and "unsubstantiated" and that they were "working extremely hard to deliver the development for the long-term benefit of London and Londoners."

[Mediocrates]

http://adloyada.typepad.com/adloyada/

[Luke90]

the fact that he referred to their ethnic background (he thought they were from iran but it turns out they're not) simply because he disagrees with a business matter is just pathetic and this sort of behaviour doesn't befit someone who's the mayor of london. this guy is truly an embarrassment.
I agree.

[Mediocrates]

Red Ken is the soccer hooligan of politics.