Steerpike Steerpike

Ken Livingstone’s unity gaffe: ‘we need to reduce our efforts for a Labour government’

To say Labour’s decision not to expel Ken Livingstone from the party — but instead suspend him for a year — over his comments on Hitler and Zionism has gone down like a cup of cold sick with the PLP would be an understatement. Following the move, Luciana Berger branded it ‘a new low’ for her party while Michael Dugher asked: ‘is the party really saying it knows more about anti-Semitism than the Chief Rabbi?’

So, with that in mind, Livingstone was clearly hoping to calm and unite his comrades when he took to social media to say the party must redouble its efforts for a Labour Government.

Only there’s a problem. The original tweet read a bit differently. Livingstone  in fact said: ‘now we need to reduce our efforts for a Labour government’.

Freudian slip?


Listen to Douglas Murray and James Forsyth debating Ken Livingstone’s non-expulsion:

Britain’s best politics newsletters

You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Steerpike
Written by
Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

Topics in this article

Comments

Join the debate, free for a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.

Already a subscriber? Log in