Above His Station

‘EXCUSE the length of the following quote. It’s just that when Ken Livingstone speaks we like to allow him to keep going, looking on as his toes, then foot then legs disappear down his throat. Take it way, Your Kenness…

“This new ambassador is a car salesman and an ally of President Bush. This is clearly a political decision. When British troops are putting their lives on the line for American foreign policy it would be quite nice if they paid the congestion charge.”

That’s right. Livingstone is at it again, pretending that being mayor of London allows him to publicly comment on world affairs.

To add gravitas to Ken’s whine, the Independent says he was speaking at the unveiling of the new Wembley Park station.

While not the most obvious place to mention the war in Iraq, it nonetheless shows that such weighty issues follow the mayor everywhere he goes, whether he’s inspecting the Tube stop’s new chocolate machine, waiting room or toilets.

And having warmed up his adenoids, Ken goes on: “We will find a way of getting them into court either here or in America. We are not going to have them evade their responsibilities.’

For his part, US ambassador Robert Tuttle is less than bothered. Should he pay the £8 congestion charge to motor his car, new or otherwise, over the London cobbles?

US Embassy spokesman Rick Roberts says not. “We don’t impose tax on British envoys [in America] and we don’t expect to be taxed here,” says he.

But hold on. Ken’s still got some trousers to swallow.

And turning from inspecting the revamped Tube station’s urinals, he says: “It would be quite nice if the American ambassador in Britain could pay the charge that everybody else is paying and not try and [evade] it like some chiseling little crook.”

But not as nice as if the London mayor could remember what his job is and not get ideas above his new modernized station…’

Posted: 28th, March 2006 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink