The Labour leadership has distanced itself from Ken Livingstone after he provocatively suggested that Tony Blair carried the blame for the 7/7 terrorist attacks in which 52 people died.
London’s former Mayor, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, was denounced as “shameful” and “despicable” by Labour MPs and a party spokeswoman said: “These are Ken’s views and don’t represent the views of the Labour Party.”
Mr Livingstone, who is advising Mr Corbyn on defence, came under fire for arguing that Mr Blair’s decision to ignore security advice that invading Iraq would increase the terrorist threat had “killed 52 Londoners”. He also told BBC1’s Question Time that the suicide bombers who blew up three Tube trains and a bus “gave their lives” to protest against the Iraq war.
