Red Ken

Melanie Philips on Ken Livingstone:

The Labour Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has issued a remarkable dossier defending himself against savage criticism for (literally) embracing the prominent and important Islamic jurist Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi in London last summer. Because of Qaradawi’s noxious views on gays and women, not to mention his hatred of Israel and the Jews, his support for terrorism against Israel and his Muslim Brotherhood-style approach to other faiths (destroy or subjugate them), Livingstone’s gesture managed to unite against himself an extraordinary coalition of protest -- including some constituencies who would otherwise regard him as the dear leader of political correctness -- including Jews, gays, Hindus, bi-and trans-sexuals, Sikhs, women’s rights organisations, progressively-minded Muslims and the National Union of Students. More

More on support for a Muslim extremist:

Ken Livingstone’s refusal to acknowledge that he was wrong to welcome the extremist Muslim cleric Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi in July 2004 is a demonstration of his disregard to the concerns some of London’s diverse communities. More

In a demonstration against Israel:

Ken Livingstone, the popular Mayor of London, spoke of Sharon: "Sharons hands are covered in blood - the blood goes up to his arm pits! He has had fifty years of slaughtering Palestinians." More

Red Ken would like Qaradawi to be his brother-in-law. Or perhaps his husband:

In July, Livingstone apologized for Qaradawi on behalf of the British people, inviting him back to the United Kingdom.

“On behalf of the people of London, I want to apologize to the Sheikh for the outbreak of xenophobia and hysteria in some sections of the tabloid press which demonstrated an underlying ignorance of Islam,” Livingstone had said.

Here's Qaradawi for you. Straight from the horse's mouth:

Controvesial cleric Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, in an exclusive interview for Newsnight (BBC TWO, Wednesday 7 July at 10.30pm), claims that Islam justifies suicide bombings.

Speaking in an interview on whether the Koran justified suicide bombings conducted just weeks prior to his arrival in Britain Al-Qaradawi tells Newsnight: "Israeli women are not like women in our society because Israeli women are militarised.

Nice guy. How would you like that screaming from the minnarets 5x a day?

Anyway. You get the idea on Red Ken Livingstone by now.