The Hindu : Livingstone readmitted to Labour

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 08, 2004

International

International

Livingstone readmitted to Labour

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON JAN. 7. In what has been dubbed "a remarriage of convenience'', Ken Livingstone, the outspoken London Mayor, has been readmitted to the Labour Party less than four years after he was expelled for five years for standing as an independent candidate in the 2000 mayoral elections against the party's official nominee.

The party's decision to waive the ban despite strong opposition from senior figures such as the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, was prompted by fears of losing the next mayoral elections, due in 2005. Mr. Livingstone, who remains a front-runner, will now become the Labour Party candidate replacing the party's original choice Nicky Gavron. She was persuaded to stand down after it emerged that her chances of a victory were nil.

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, directly intervened on behalf of Mr. Livingstone, whom he had called a "disaster'' for London, only four years ago. Mr. Blair admitted that he had been proved wrong and Mr. Livingstone had, in fact, done a good job.

"Those predictions have not turned out to be correct. I think if the facts change you should be big enough to change your mind," Mr Blair said, adding: "To be fair to the guy, he has done the job, he has done it well.''

On his part, Mr. Livingstone, an outspoken critic of Mr. Blair's policies, particularly on Iraq, sounded reconciliatory.

He said there was no point dragging in the past and, forgiving Mr. Blair for calling him a disaster four years ago, he remarked: "People occasionally make estimates and they always don't get right. I occasionally make mistakes myself.'' He said he was "pleased'' to be back in a party which he joined 30 years ago.

Mr. Livingstone's re-entry got a go-ahead after he appeared before a committee of the Labour's National Executive on Tuesday to reaffirm his "loyalty'' to the party.

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