But with Mr Livingstone, the words alone are never enough. They may imply one thing, but his actions usually give them a different meaning. When the Mayor of London condemns indiscriminate slaughter, those actions suggest that it is the word “indiscriminate” that needs to be stressed.
Mr Livingstone has repeatedly defended the views of the Muslim cleric Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi and even invited him to City Hall to share his wisdom. Mr Livingstone has proudly hugged him in public. In doing so, the mayor shows himself to be a keen fellow traveller of a man who can be described with some precision as evil.
Al-Qaradawi is a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood. His fatwas (published on www.IslamOnline.net) influence its millions of followers. In a sermon delivered in March 2003 he instructed his followers thus: “O God, destroy the Zionist, the American, and the British aggressors.” In his weekly al-Jazeera programme he explained that a person engaged in jihad “is not a suicide [bomber]. He kills the enemy while taking self-risk . . . He wants to scare his enemies, and the religious authorities have permitted this.” In an interview last year he said that Islam justifies suicide bombings in Iraq against the US military and in Israel against women and children.
"Over 2,500 Muslim intellectuals from 23 countries have signed a petition..." naming Yusuf Al-Qaradawi as a sheikh of death.
Why?
Last year Qaradawi raised a storm when he issued a fatwa allowing the killing of Israeli pregnant women and their unborn babies on the ground that the babies could grow up to join the Israeli Army.
Red Ken's chickens have come home to roost.
No sooner is Ken done with his snake oil speech to the British public, he comes out with this.
Mr Livingstone, an outspoken critic of Israel and the US-led war in Iraq, has condemned suicide bombing but also claims that some such attacks are natural responses to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.
Last week he said: "If it had happened here in England, we would have produced a lot of suicide bombers ourselves."
To which Mr. Straw responded with:
Mr Straw described Livingstone's remarks as "unacceptable".
"As far as Mr Livingstone is concerned, let me make it absolutely clear that his remarks were as wrong as they were unacceptable."
"There is no, and there can be no moral equivalent between a lawful political party and its supporters operating in a democracy, Israel, and a terrorist organisation whose so-called political method is the slaughter of innocents."
Strong words Mr. Straw, strong words. Then why is he still in your party?
I'm not familiar with the political process as regards the Mayor of London, but isn't there some way to remove this blight from the city of London?
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