The Metropolis

Irish, gays, Arabs and penises all offended as Mayoral candidates try to out-offend each other

Mike Pollitt | Friday 10 February, 2012 13:10

Ken Livingstone:

“A gay banker would get his penis cut off in Dubai.”

Chris Doyle, of the Council for Arab British Understanding, which seeks to increase understanding of the Arab world in Britain, called Mr Livingstone’s comments ‘ridiculous’. [Metro]

Boris Johnson:

“I’ll tell you what makes me angry – lefty crap,” he thunders in response. Like? “Well, like spending £20,000 on a dinner at the Dorchester for Sinn Fein!” [New Statesman]

A Ken Livingstone spokesperson said, “To call the annual, self-financing, St Patrick’s Day dinner “lefty crap” is both profoundly ill-informed and also an attack on Irish Londoners and their contribution to this city. Irish Londoners came together to celebrate the part they play in the life of London – and Boris Johnson has slapped them in the face.”

The layers of offence and counter-offence deepen like a coastal shelf. Which is silly, because none of it is offensive unless you’re trying to make it so.

It’s still worth knowing. Some people say this stuff is trivial and we should all focus on the policies. That’s rubbish. We should talk about the policies, but focus on the trivia. That way we learn about character. Make up your own minds. I don’t fancy a pint with either of em.

Mehdi Hasan at the New Statesman – Boris Johnson vs the London Irish
Metro – Ken Livingstone: Gay bankers who go to Dubai ‘could have penis lopped off’

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