Livingstone backs UK Uncut's attack on Fortnums

Labour's candidate for Mayor of London has confirmed his support for UK Uncut despite their occupation of Fortnum & Mason on Saturday.

He tells the Ilford Recorder that "UK Uncut isn't violent" and that "direct action" is justified as "we should be getting big business to pay."

Yet UK Uncut have refused to condemn violence and in any case it would have been disingenuous of them to organise a hostile occupation of shops and then deny responsibility when protesters taking part engage in theft, vandalism and attacks on customers and staff.

UK Uncut decided to disrupt Fortnum & Mason on the grounds it is owned by Whittington Investments "which runs a devious tax avoidance scheme, stuffing money in Luxembourg and avoiding £10m a year in tax." What they failed to add was that 79.2% of Whittington Investment is owned by the Garfield Weston Foundation which gives all its income to charity, some £40 million last year.

Livingstone has already held a rally with a speaker from UK Uncut as part of building the "widest possible alliance."