Livingstone suggests Lutfur Rahman and Labour might be brought “back together”

Following last night’s Panorama investigation into Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman, Ken Livingstone (not only the former Mayor of London but also an elected member of Labour’s NEC) appeared on the Daily Politics today. Livingstone, who has defended Rahman before – campaigned alongside him during the last Mayoral election in 2010.

Since being elected to Labour’s National Executive Committee, Livingstone is believed to have attempted to secure Rahman’s readmittance into the Party, although was reportedly the only NEC member to support such a move. He seemed to suggest today that another attempt at this may occur in the coming months, saying:

“He was forced out of the Labour Party quite unfairly. The reality is, I hope, that once this election’s out the way things will calm down and we might be able to bring people back together again.”

Livingstone’s comments could open some old wounds in the “poisonous” (Livingstone’s phrase) world of Tower Hamlets politics – and the mayoral election is now just over a month away. You can watch the entire debate, which also featured Conservative MP Bob Neill, here: