BBC News
Livingstone implicated in donations scandal
August 3rd 2004
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has today been implicated in a series of improper donation claims made during his successful bid for re-election this year. Most of the accused claims come from the RMT union, a key backer of Livingstone's transport plans led by General Secretary Bob Crow. They exceeded the £50,000 donation limit per donor and were made in bulk between January and June of this year. Livingstone won re-election comfortably despite Labour losing 4 councils and 100 councillors in the rest of the country. The Electoral Commission has announced it will investigate these excessive and non-declared donations and that a result will be founded within the next week.
The Mayor's Office denied the rumours and criticized the decisions of the Electoral Commission as did the RMT. Downing Street however pledged full co-operation from Labour Party treasurers into the matter, with the Prime Minister going so far as to publicly petition Livingstone to do the same with his campaign treasurers. Meanwhile, the Conservative Local Government spokesman Eric Pickles called for a full parliamentary inquiry into Mr Livingstone's finances saying "If his campaign smells dodgy, then he himself must be seen to, if he is dodgy he should be investigated by the authorities and police even". BBC News currently understands that Mr Livingstone will be making a public statement on the matter shortly.
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The Sun
RED KEN'S FREE COMMIE FLIGHTS
August 7th 2004
The Sun has learned today that the embattled Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has also been the recipient of free flights and premium first class service on the hosting of several prominent leaders with Communist links; in addition he also has received perks on train travel courtesy of the RMT. The flights took place between January 2003 and November 2003 as the hospitality of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was extended to the Mayor in light of transport contracts between London and the country. The Sun even asked the office of President Chavez about this, needless to say we were told to "f**k off" by a grumpy aide. The two men were pictured recently in July at a global environment summit, as both men are keen green politicians.
However this label is obviously phoney as Livingstone accumulated many air miles in his travels away from the city. But that is not the end, the donations of the RMT have also extended personally to Mr Livingstone who enjoyed first class travel on trains at their expense in return for favoring them in transport union decisions. We at the Sun find this behaviour to be utterly corrupt and vile and we solemly call upon a parliamentary inquiry like Eric Pickles, the Tory local government spokesman has suggested and in light of these new findings supplied to us by various sources, we also call upon Mr Livingstone to resign his position.
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"Ken, it's the Prime Minister.
Good evening, Prime Minister
Listen, Ken. This whole donations business is looking bad for the whole - party, not just you. You need to submit to an inquiry fast.
Prime Minister, I am not answerable to you, I am answerable to London
Exactly, Ken. Stop fooling around and show the people that you want to resolve this, get some credibility back.
You are not my boss
I am the leader of your party and your Prime Minister, you'll bloody do what I tell you to do. We re-admitted you into this party out of goodness and faith, despite how you screwed us over in 2000.
Simply because you couldn't accept the real change...
Real change? What so you do some dodgy flights and claims, no Ken, that's over. I want you to resign
Resign?
Yes, or else I'll have you ejected from the Labour Party and removed from office by a vote of the GLA
Jump or be pushed, is that what your saying?
Yes
Then you'll bloody have a fight on your hands
- Call ends as Livingstone hangs up
Transcript of a phone conversation recorded by MI5 on August 9th 2004 and released under the Thirty Year Rule in 2034.
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Sky News
Ken Livingstone refuses to resign, Brown calls for GLA vote
August 10th 2004
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BBC News
Ken Livingstone forced to resign after GLA confidence vote
August 17th 2004
Ken Livingstone tendered his resignation as Mayor of London today after the Greater London Assembly voted 16 - 9 to show that it did not have confidence in Livingstone. The Mayor has been embattled since the start of the month when it emerged donations to his re-election campaign had been improperly declared and excessive beyond the limit. Further allegations emerged about his accepting free flights and perks from the Venezuelan President and RMT General Secretary; who both denied rumours. Finally, an alleged bitter phone call between him and Gordon Brown sealed his fate when the PM called for the GLA to vote which was accepted by the Chairman.
For the past week, Livingstone frantically tried to ring around support but in the end he failed as an overwhelming majority voted against him. His resignation speech was brief; he spoke of his achievements and pledged to fight the inquiry and allegations and attacked the Sun, the PM and the Conservatives for "questioning a directly-elected Mayor and threatening to destabilize London". Finally, he paid tribute to Nicky Gavron; the Deputy Mayor signed the official paperwork to make her Mayor after the speech by Mr Livingstone.
Newly installed Mayor Gavron made a touching speech about Livingstone but sternly warned that there would be no room for "shady deals and cosy backroom chats" while she is Mayor. The new Mayor is 63 and is a former Labour councillor in Haringey and an art lecturer. She was originally Labour's 2004 mayoral candidate but dropped out when Livingstone was re-invited into the party; she is a strong environmental campaigner.
Livingstone implicated in donations scandal
August 3rd 2004
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has today been implicated in a series of improper donation claims made during his successful bid for re-election this year. Most of the accused claims come from the RMT union, a key backer of Livingstone's transport plans led by General Secretary Bob Crow. They exceeded the £50,000 donation limit per donor and were made in bulk between January and June of this year. Livingstone won re-election comfortably despite Labour losing 4 councils and 100 councillors in the rest of the country. The Electoral Commission has announced it will investigate these excessive and non-declared donations and that a result will be founded within the next week.
The Mayor's Office denied the rumours and criticized the decisions of the Electoral Commission as did the RMT. Downing Street however pledged full co-operation from Labour Party treasurers into the matter, with the Prime Minister going so far as to publicly petition Livingstone to do the same with his campaign treasurers. Meanwhile, the Conservative Local Government spokesman Eric Pickles called for a full parliamentary inquiry into Mr Livingstone's finances saying "If his campaign smells dodgy, then he himself must be seen to, if he is dodgy he should be investigated by the authorities and police even". BBC News currently understands that Mr Livingstone will be making a public statement on the matter shortly.
___________________________________________________________
The Sun
RED KEN'S FREE COMMIE FLIGHTS
August 7th 2004
The Sun has learned today that the embattled Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has also been the recipient of free flights and premium first class service on the hosting of several prominent leaders with Communist links; in addition he also has received perks on train travel courtesy of the RMT. The flights took place between January 2003 and November 2003 as the hospitality of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was extended to the Mayor in light of transport contracts between London and the country. The Sun even asked the office of President Chavez about this, needless to say we were told to "f**k off" by a grumpy aide. The two men were pictured recently in July at a global environment summit, as both men are keen green politicians.
However this label is obviously phoney as Livingstone accumulated many air miles in his travels away from the city. But that is not the end, the donations of the RMT have also extended personally to Mr Livingstone who enjoyed first class travel on trains at their expense in return for favoring them in transport union decisions. We at the Sun find this behaviour to be utterly corrupt and vile and we solemly call upon a parliamentary inquiry like Eric Pickles, the Tory local government spokesman has suggested and in light of these new findings supplied to us by various sources, we also call upon Mr Livingstone to resign his position.
_________________________________________________
"Ken, it's the Prime Minister.
Good evening, Prime Minister
Listen, Ken. This whole donations business is looking bad for the whole - party, not just you. You need to submit to an inquiry fast.
Prime Minister, I am not answerable to you, I am answerable to London
Exactly, Ken. Stop fooling around and show the people that you want to resolve this, get some credibility back.
You are not my boss
I am the leader of your party and your Prime Minister, you'll bloody do what I tell you to do. We re-admitted you into this party out of goodness and faith, despite how you screwed us over in 2000.
Simply because you couldn't accept the real change...
Real change? What so you do some dodgy flights and claims, no Ken, that's over. I want you to resign
Resign?
Yes, or else I'll have you ejected from the Labour Party and removed from office by a vote of the GLA
Jump or be pushed, is that what your saying?
Yes
Then you'll bloody have a fight on your hands
- Call ends as Livingstone hangs up
Transcript of a phone conversation recorded by MI5 on August 9th 2004 and released under the Thirty Year Rule in 2034.
____________________________________________________________
Sky News
Ken Livingstone refuses to resign, Brown calls for GLA vote
August 10th 2004
___________________________________________________________
BBC News
Ken Livingstone forced to resign after GLA confidence vote
August 17th 2004
Ken Livingstone tendered his resignation as Mayor of London today after the Greater London Assembly voted 16 - 9 to show that it did not have confidence in Livingstone. The Mayor has been embattled since the start of the month when it emerged donations to his re-election campaign had been improperly declared and excessive beyond the limit. Further allegations emerged about his accepting free flights and perks from the Venezuelan President and RMT General Secretary; who both denied rumours. Finally, an alleged bitter phone call between him and Gordon Brown sealed his fate when the PM called for the GLA to vote which was accepted by the Chairman.
For the past week, Livingstone frantically tried to ring around support but in the end he failed as an overwhelming majority voted against him. His resignation speech was brief; he spoke of his achievements and pledged to fight the inquiry and allegations and attacked the Sun, the PM and the Conservatives for "questioning a directly-elected Mayor and threatening to destabilize London". Finally, he paid tribute to Nicky Gavron; the Deputy Mayor signed the official paperwork to make her Mayor after the speech by Mr Livingstone.
Newly installed Mayor Gavron made a touching speech about Livingstone but sternly warned that there would be no room for "shady deals and cosy backroom chats" while she is Mayor. The new Mayor is 63 and is a former Labour councillor in Haringey and an art lecturer. She was originally Labour's 2004 mayoral candidate but dropped out when Livingstone was re-invited into the party; she is a strong environmental campaigner.