Ken Livingstone’s bid to join the Green Party is rejected
EXCLUSIVE: Former London Mayor who quit Labour after being suspended for comments about Hitler and Zionism is turned down by the party
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Ken Livingstone’s application to join the Green Party has been refused, Jewish News understands.
The former London Mayor – who quit Labour three years ago in a row about his comments on Zionism and the Nazis – confirmed he had applied to join the Greens in an interview last month.
It is understood that Livingstone was interviewed by the party and expressed a wish to join them and become a high-profile figure in the party.
Sources claim that at one stage the 76 year-old even made suggestions he could stand as a candidate for the Mayor of London election again.
But party insiders say Livingstone was grilled about his views on antisemitism – along with his desire to make amends over his spectacular fall-out with the Jewish community.
Speaking to the Guardian last month, Livingtone said “I never met anyone in the Green party I didn’t like. I will apply to join them [the Greens].
He said he had already had earlier talks with several senior party members in which he outlined “how much I wanted to join and what I’d do” but he never received a response.
Livingstone added his suspicion is that the party “thought that if they brought me in they’d be accused of being antisemitic”.
His application to join the Greens had gone before a regional council for an internal consultation process.
Livingstone left Labour in 2018 following a high profile row which led to his suspension in May 2016 for telling a journalist that when Hitler was first elected, “he was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing 6 million Jews”.
Asked to comment on the decision to turn down Livingstone’s request to join the Greens, a party spokesperson told Jewish News:”The Green Party does not comment on individual applications for membership. We reserve the right to exclude people from membership where necessary, in line with the party’s principles and values”
Jewish News has attempted to contact Livingstone for comment.
A Green Party spokesperson said: “The Green Party does not comment on individual applications for membership.
“We reserve the right to exclude people from membership where necessary, in line with the party’s principles and values”
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