I have to be honest here and say that I have always had quite a high regard for London Mayor Ken Livingstone. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t necessarily support his politics or his beliefs – although it would be true to say we would share some views – but since he first burst onto the public political stage as leader of the old Greater London Council, he has kept me both entertained and astounded me with his blunt honesty and willingness to state his views and opinions, without, usually, the benefit of too much ’spin’. Like him or loathe him, you have to admit that he has a certain ’style’ and an openness sadly lacking in political circles these days.

Sadly, some of those views and opinions are just too much to accept and today’s story regarding the son of jailed Islamic cleric Abu Hamza, himself a man who has been jailed for plotting terrorist attacks in Yemen, is one of them. Mohammed Kamel Mostafa, 25, who was jailed for three years in 1999 for allegedly plotting a bombing campaign, worked for a subcontractor of the London Underground network’s maintenance company Tube Lines.

Checks were carried out before he took up the post and it is thought he met the employment requirements as he had no criminal convictions in the UK. Understandably, news of this has enraged many people. But not our Ken who said:

The son of Abu Hamza has been working for a contractor of London Underground. No one can be blamed for what their parents do. All we ask is to respect the laws of Britain and do not hurt anyone.

Has he broken any law here in Britain? The answer is no and we are happy to have him working for us.

I very much doubt this is a view held by many people in Britain today. I seriously doubt it’s a view held by the majority of Ken’s London constituents or the thousands that travel in to London daily on the tube.