[Channel 4 News] London's Mayor denies alchoholism claims

By Cathy Newman - 2008.01.22

"The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has gone on the offensive after he was criticised in a Channel 4 documentary.

Mr Livingstone accused the programme makers of a hatchet job after it alleged that he'd been seen drinking alcohol at City Hall.

The mayor said he drank whisky during long meetings because he had bronchitis.

He has described the documentary, Dispatches: The Court of Ken, a hatchet job after it questioned his conduct during his eight years as mayor.

Dispatches made allegations about Mr Livingstone's drinking habits, claiming it witnessed him swigging whisky throughout a two-hour public event at Ilford Town Hall.

The programme also alleged he'd been spotted in a lift with a glass of whisky before noon.

The mayor today decided a dry wit was the best defence against his critics and insisted he used alcohol for medicinal purposes."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Channel4
• News
• Anglais
• Ken
• Livingstone
• Mayor
• London
• whisky
• whiskey
• alcohol
• drink
• problem
• bronchitis
• lee
• jasper

[RalstonRoy]

What is wrong with linctus or cough medicine?

[lewkay2004]

i hope you and your idiot voting buddies are happy.

[ytandyf84]

Rather an alcoholic than a Town trashing Bullingdon boy buffoon. Ken 2012.

[shitfuck53]

A pig now and then RED KEN smart arse...

Fucking Traitor

[imangrynow]

Yer prove it anyone can say "i know" over the net! Its propoganda bollocks if only we could have Ken as Mayor of London Tony Benn as PM and Hilary as deputy with Derek Hatten in some kind of senior role ah how wonderful Britain would be... 2012 VOTE KEN!

[imangrynow]

Here here! Bring on 2012 when people will realise their HUGE mistake!

[imangrynow]

He's a socialist you idiot and a man of the people and he'll be back...

[AnotherStrangeFroot]

I'm sick of The"zionist"Evening Standard hate campaign against Livingstone.

He is a great Londoner, who has, and still is doing a great job as Mayor.

Paddick is an egotistical careerist, and Johnson is a puppet and a buffoon.

The amount of fake hate, by faceless propagandists working for foreign powers, is a wake-call.

[RalstonRoy]

Are you suggesting that the Mayor gets drunk?

I heard that the transport Advisor was recovering. When will the Equalties advisor return to work? he is much needed by his community groups.