Robert Halfon MP: The progressive left's appeasement of Gaddafi

by Robert Halfon

The progressive left's appeasement - and in some cases support - for Gadaffi is akin to those British Aristocrats who actively sympathised with Fascism in the 1930s.

The latest relevations in the Times (£) today make shocking reading.  Not only was the London School of Economics accepting blood money from the Gadaffi Regime, but it now emerges that the University had agreed to bring to Britain 400 so called "Future Leaders" from the Libyan Elite for "training".

But what is worse than just the financial links to Gadaffi is the involvement of the so-called progressive left.

Just who are the guilty men - and women? Antony Giddens, author of the Third Way, who wrote a paean of praise to Gadaffi in the Guardian. Professor David Held, who went out of his way to compliment the Gadaffi family. Lord Desai, who is alleged to have supervised Said Gadaffi's PHD.  Most astonishing and disappointing of all is Shami Chakrabarti - who was on the LSE Council which agreed to the Gadaffi blood money. No doubt more of this will emerge in the coming days.

Why is it that the Progressive Left, who are so anxious to talk about human rights at home, who are so ready to criticise Israel for any wrongdoing - and call for academic boycotts and the like - are yet so willing to give succour to Middle Eastern Despots, and take their people's money in the process? The LSE scandal follows a long line of leftist figures supporting anti-democratic, anti progressive regimes in the Middle East. Time to re-read Nick Cohen's excellent book, "What's Left".

P.S. Before anyone blogs a comment - yes, I also think BP's involvement in Libya should never have ocurred.