Dirty tricks Ken starts throwing the mud

One of the reasons we made our mudthrower video was that we expected Ken Livingstone to start smearing as election day neared.

We haven't been disappointed:

The Evening Standard has a copy of a Labour leaflet warning that the Freedom Pass is under threat if Boris wins.  It isn't.  Boris has repeatedly says that he will protect the Pass and does so again in his final broadcast.

Also in the Evening Standard we learn that a Bengali language leaflet is being circulated that says that Boris Johnson "hates Muslims" and will ban the Koran.

We also have Livingstone-backed London newspapers winning extra advertising from Transport for London.  There should be a ban on such things happening during election times.

We must hope that today's YouGov poll and its 11% lead for Boris Johnson is accurate.  The sooner London is rid of the low-low politics of Livingstone the better.

Comments

[Jack Stone]

I don`t know why anyone should be surprised at Ken`s antics. He as been a low life all his political life. From speaking up for members of the IRA to insulting jewish journalists he hasn`t just been in the gutter he as burrowed down into the sewer itself.
I don`t often agree with the editor of this site but I do when he says that the sooner London is rid of this man the better.

[bloggingharry]

This is disgraceful! I had no time for the man in the first place, but if this is true, Ken and Labour have sunk to a new low.

They appear to now have resorted to just making stuff up to keep a handle on power!

Let's send Ken and Labour a message on May 1st that they can not and will not make fools out the British public anymore.

Vote Boris Johnson on May 1st.

[MartinW]

Disgraceful, though hardly a surprise.
Let us hope that Boris's campaign team have already produced a leaflet, in Bengali, strongly refuting Livingstone's scurrilous comments, and are already distributing it door-to-door in appropriate areas of the city. If they are not, they damn well should be.

[coward]

dirty tricks? have you seen the you tube videos put out about Ken? clearly dirty tricks from the lynton crosby school of politics.

pots and kettles anyone?

[LondonLX]

@coward... I've seen many that misrepresent boris to try and discount him... but none that lie about ken - possibly the child throwing one might have been exagerated, although was still a serious issue.

But also.. that is youtube. It's not real life and is usually personal vids not a direct lie by religious groups/leaders said to their followers with inference of eternal damnation should they not do as they are told. - Remember that religion is very important to many people and they will do anything their leaders say, and they can't just put something different on the ballot as God is watching them

[michael.mcgough]

Forget the mud, its the fraudulent votes that count in this apology for democracy.

[michael.mcgough]

Forget the mud, its the fraudulent votes that count in this apology for democracy.

[Patsy Sergeant]

Surely Livingstone can be prosecuted for telling outright, provable lies in that leaflet? I realise it doesn't undermine the effect of the leaflet, but it might take the smirk of KL's face.

As Michael McGough says above its fraudulent votes that will count, I hope that someone or some body somewhere will be keeping an alert eye on Livingstone's heavies etc:

[Martin from MayorWatch]

OTOH it wasn't too clever to issue a statement from Brian Cooke endorsing Boris which slammed the idea of extending the Freedom Pass to 24 hours given that Boris also plans this:

"Many people over 60 still work why should they be subsidised by all other fare payers and at the same time make transport system even more crowded and more uncomfortable for those that will be paying to subsidise the others. I think that plain daft. "

"If current patronage on Tube, Rail and Tram in particular carries on growing at the current rate the planned expansion won't cope anyway and to subsidise more people at the most crowded time seems totally crazy. This was another of Mr Livingstone's proposals that he says he will introduce but has failed to have any consultation with those that matter the most, or their representatives - those who put money in the fare box!"

"I also do not believe any research has been undertaken to get passengers views on this. Currently the boroughs fund the freedom pass through local rates. Have they been consulted on this mad idea - not one jot! In fact frankly I doubt that Mr Livingstone can actually deliver this as it will require agreement from the privatised train companies which in my view is unlikely to be forthcoming - why would they want their trains to have even more sardines in the can"

http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/Boris-Backer-Calls-Extended-Freedom-Pass-Scheme-Mad-article_id-1583.html

[Mr Angry]

Legally it is only an election offence to tell lies about another candidate, not about their purported policies. Of course the only person to have actually been convicted of, and lost their appeal against being convicted of, telling lies about another candidate was a member of the Labour party.

When Labour get desperate they lie.

[Roger Evans]

The lying Freedom Pass leaflet was circulated in parts of my constituency recently but all through the campaign we have been fielding calls from people who were worried Boris would scrap the pass.

At two hustings my Labour opponent has tried to smear us, and the Lib Dems, in this way, and I have explained to her that she was mistaken. So Labour have no excuse - they have chosen to lie to and frighten vulnerable people.

My opponent has shown contempt for the people she seeks to represent. Let's work to ensure Labour get the contempt they deserve on Thursday.

[LondonLX]

If they can make stuff up, then so can I

http://www.LondonLX.com/dontriskpuppies.jpg

[P Fernandes]

I do not believe the Bengali leaflet ever existed. Can someone point me to where I can find it? The link given to the ES article does not work.