Livingstone damns Daily Mail as foolish and irresponsible

Morning Star, 12 February 2007

London Mayor Ken Livingstone attacked the Daily Mail newspaper on Sunday after a columnist appeared to endorse letter bombing offices connected with the congestion charge.

Populist ranter Richard Littlejohn wrote in Friday’s edition of the newspaper: “Be honest, until you heard that a woman had been injured, how many of you suppressed a cheer at the news that someone had sent a letter bomb to the company which runs London’s congestion charge?

“Even after we learnt that two men were treated for blast injuries, I’ll bet that there were still plenty of motorists who thought: ‘Serves the bastards right’.”

Police are probing seven mail bomb attacks on businesses since January 18 – three of which took place last week.

Although Mr Littlejohn insisted that protests that harm others can never be justified, Mr Livingstone branded the Daily Mail “foolish and irresponsible” for printing the column.

“He has sought to legitimise the idea that it was normal to cheer the bombing of the offices of a company managing the congestion charge. His whole column is dangerous and stupid,” said the mayor. “The Daily Mail give Richard Littlejohn a big cheque for writing his column, but they shouldn’t give him a blank one.”

Green London Assembly member Jenny Jones added: “If a Muslim publication had printed similar inflammatory remarks about an international issue, there would be a huge outcry. Littlejohn’s hypocrisy is stunning.”