Ken's friend Qaradawi is no moderate
James Forsyth 10:27pm
One of the many good things about Ken Livingstone’s defeat in the London mayoral election is that Islamic extremists will no longer be feted at City Hall. One person who should never have been invited and praised by the Mayor was Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who was not—as Livingstone claimed—someone “who preaches moderation and tolerance to all faiths throughout the world" but a preacher with vile views. Stephen links to a review, which I’d thoroughly recommend, of Qaradawi’s book which shows just how wrong Livingstone was about him.
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Disraeli's Ghost
May 28th, 2008 7:20am Report this commentJames, Ken lost. No more need to worry.
kinglear
May 28th, 2008 9:33am Report this comment.. and wrong about so much else as well.
C Powell
May 28th, 2008 11:37am Report this commentWell done, James, for catching up with the rest of us. This was one of the reasons Ken lost: his embrace of Islamo-fascists appalled many who might have once thought of him as "progressive". And, Disraeli's ghost, there is still reason to worry because there are too many others within the British state who are all too willing to accommodate or excuse those like Qaradawi and others. So we have to be ever-vigilant to ensure that those who think like him do not get a toehold within British institutions and society. See, for instance, the problems within prisons - as recently reported, the failure to insist that the CPS prosecute those filmed by "Undercover Mosque", the failure to investigate who was really behind the complaints to the police and Ofcom (given that some of the mosques filmed were financed with Saudi money), the weak-kneed response of some in the CoE when one of its bishops states that it is the duty of Christians to evangelise etc.,.
john
May 28th, 2008 8:29pm Report this commentAlex Salmond has made the same kind of mistake in his time. Of course the 'I am not British' mantra does not seem to be likely to die very soon in Scotland, or the implications of that position become less wrong-headed, and potentislly for the same reasons. Interesting times still beckon.
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