Mayor attacked for Pride support
London Assembly Member Brian Coleman has attacked Mayor Livingstone for caring “more about Estonian Gay Pride than he does about Londoners” after last week’s terror attacks.
The attack came in the wake of the announcement of Mayor Ken’s support for the Tallinn march yesterday following violence at the event, as reported by the Pink News.
Gay AM Coleman’s attack stemmed from what he perceives as a lack of interest by the Mayor in the recent terror arrests last week.
In a statement Coleman, the Chairman of the London Assembly said: “Where was he when the terrorist plot was foiled? Was he dealing with the media and reassuring Londoners through an exertion of his leadership? No. Yet as soon at the Estonian Gay Pride commences, who is the first person to voice their support? The Mayor of London.”
“He seems increasingly intent to keep his head buried in the sand, undoubtedly waiting to reveal himself at the drop of the hat to comment on a Siberian stamp collecting exhibition or some other similarly ‘important’ issue.”
He goes on to say that “this is a perfect example of how trivial the Mayor has become.”
The statement, released late yesterday evening, came as a response to Livingstone’s assertion that the violence in Estonia was “inexcusable” and the result of the “the encouragement given to right wing extremists by religious and political leaders.”
The London Mayor did, however, release a statement in the wake of the police raids last week.
In it he said: “only a united London can help defeat terrorism, which means that all London’s communities have their part to play. We can only defeat terrorism by having the best possible intelligence and the co-operation of all Londoners. No community in London can or should be targeted or blamed because of the actions of people who are pure criminals.”
Mayor Ken is also quoted by the BBC as raising questions about the possibility of political interference in the police raids.
These statements do not suggest that the Mayor was avoiding the issue of the terror raids that brought UK airports to a standstill last week, or that he is trivial.
In a response a spokesperson, speaking on behalf of Mayor Livingstone, said that “it is a new low for the Chair of the Assembly to dismiss standing up for lesbian and gay rights as trivia.”
Apparently the Mayor has spoken out on this issue “because this is a matter of genuine concern to lesbian and gay Londoners. The Mayor is not going to stop supporting lesbian and gay rights.”
