The Evening Standard reports:
Ken Livingstone was today accused of showing “a lack of judgment” after it emerged he has been paid thousands of pounds to front a programme on Iranian state television.
He has presented seven shows on the English-language Press TV channel, three of which have been broadcast since he became Labour’s London mayoral candidate in September.
The government-funded international news network was launched by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2007 and is run by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
The accusation comes from Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham, Greg Hands. I would say he understates the case.
Mr Livingstone first appeared on Press TV in March 2009, standing in for former Respect MP George Galloway. Previous presenters on the channel have been paid about £500 per show. Books reviewed on his Epilogue programme include “Zionist Israel And Apartheid South Africa,” “The Invention Of The Jewish People,” and “Israel And The Clash Of Civilizations: Iraq, Iran And The Plan To Remake The Middle East.”
Would I be wrong in guessing that he gave all of them rave reviews?
There are countless reasons why anyone with an ounce of human decency should be ashamed to lend legitimacy to this arm of Iranian state propaganda, let alone be on its payroll. But here’s one from last year that stands out for pure evil:
In a report on Channel 4 News, an Iranian journalist– arrested in Tehran last year for filming anti-regime protests– tells how he was tortured and threatened with execution to coerce him into making a false confession on the Iranian government’s English-language Press TV.
(Hat tip: amie)
