I know, I know, I’m getting almost as bad as Oliver Kamm on Chomsky. But I couldn’t help posting this little link to Socialist Worker Online from April of last year: three months before Ken Livingstone’s Qaradawi shindig.
Ken decided not to host a special meeting for Jean Marie Le Pen during his visit to Britain. Neither did he see the Le Pen visit as a valuable opportunity to build bridges with racists, or with the 18% of French people who voted for Le Pen in 2002.
Instead, he issued the following statement:
“We should also learn the lesson of France, that it is possible for fascists to gain a hearing by seeking to appear as legitimate politicians.
“The vast majority of people in Britain abhor fascism and racism and everything Le Pen stands for. That opinion must be mobilised wherever fascism raises its head. Le Pen is a fascist and not welcome here.”
Quite right, Ken.