Birth of Kenneth Robert Ken Livingstone
Birth of Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone Biography and Timeline
Follow Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone through 45 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
45Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1945–1983Years on this page
1945
1968
Labour Party
Livingstone joins the Labour Party
1971
Vice Chairman of the Housing Committee
Labour members vote Livingstone Vice Chairman of the Housing Committee on the Lambeth London Borough Council, his first job in local Government
1973
Election
Livingstone wins the Norwood GLC election to the GLC with 11,622 votes, a firm lead over his Conservative rival
GLC
Livingstone wins the Norwood GLC election to the GLC with 11,622 votes, a firm lead over his Conservative rival
1974
GLC
Elected onto the executive of the Greater London Labour Party (GLLP), responsible for drawing up the manifesto for the GLC Labour group and the lists of candidates for council and Parliamentary seats
Greater London Labour Party
Elected onto the executive of the Greater London Labour Party (GLLP), responsible for drawing up the manifesto for the GLC Labour group and the lists of candidates for council and Parliamentary seats
Manifesto
Elected onto the executive of the Greater London Labour Party (GLLP), responsible for drawing up the manifesto for the GLC Labour group and the lists of candidates for council and Parliamentary seats
Housing Management Committee
Appointed Vice Chairman of the GLCs Housing Management Committee
1978
Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory
Unifies small hard left groups suuch as the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory (SCLV) & produces the Socialist Organiser, as a mouthpiece for Livingstones views, criticising Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan as "anti-working class"
Socialist Organiser
Unifies small hard left groups suuch as the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory (SCLV) & produces the Socialist Organiser, as a mouthpiece for Livingstones views, criticising Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan as "anti-working class"
1979
Winter of Discontent
Britain is hit by a series of public sector worker strikes that came to be known as the "Winter of Discontent", in Camden Borough, council employees unionise under the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE).
Winter of Discontent
go on strike, demanding a 35 hour limit to their working week and a weekly wage increase to pounds 60, Livingstone backs the strikers, urging Camden Council to grant their demands, eventually getting his way.
Election
Following the electoral defeat, Livingstone told Socialist Organiser that the blame lay solely with the "Labour Governments policies" and the anti-democratic attitude of Callaghan and the Parliamentary Labour Party, calling for greater party democracy and a turn towards a socialist platform
Election
Standing as Labour candidate for Hampstead, Livingstone is defeated by the incumbent Conservative, Geoffrey Finsberg
Socialist Organiser
Following the electoral defeat, Livingstone told Socialist Organiser that the blame lay solely with the "Labour Governments policies" and the anti-democratic attitude of Callaghan and the Parliamentary Labour Party, calling for greater party democracy and a turn towards a socialist platform
GLC
Calls a meeting of Labour leftists entitled "Taking over the GLC", beginning publication of a monthly newsletter the London Labour Briefing
London Labour Briefing
Calls a meeting of Labour leftists entitled "Taking over the GLC", beginning publication of a monthly newsletter the London Labour Briefing
1980
GLC
When the time came to choose who would lead London Labour in GLC election, Livingstone put his name down, but was challenged by the moderate Andrew McIntosh, McIntosh beat Livingstone by 14 votes to 13
1981
GLC
Livingstone calls a caucus of his supporters; announcing his intent to challenge McIntoshs leadership, he invited those assembled to stand for other GLC posts, the meeting ends having agreed on a full slate of candidates then McIntosh holds a GLC Labour meeting; the attendees called an immediate leadership election, in which Livingstone defeated him by 30 votes to 20 & the entire left caucus slate is then elected
GLC
Deputy leader Illtyd Harrington said the administration was challenging the absurd cosmetic approach to Armageddon.
GLC
The GLC published the names of 3,000 politicians and administrators designated to survive a nuclear attack on London in underground bunkers.
GLC
The Livingstone administration declared London a nuclear-free zone and stopped the GLC's annual £1 million spending on nuclear-war defence plans.
Election
Livingstone turns his attention to achieving a GLC Labour victory, exchanging his safe-seat in Hackney North for the marginal Inner London seat at Paddington; wins the seat by 2,397 votes. A Labour GLC election victory, with McIntosh installed as Head of the GLC; within 24 hours he would be deposed by members of his own party, replaced by Livingstone
GLC
A Labour GLC election victory, with McIntosh installed as Head of the GLC; within 24 hours he would be deposed by members of his own party, replaced by Livingstone
GLC
Cutler and the Conservatives learn of Livingstones plans, proclaiming that a GLC Labour victory would lead to a Marxist takeover of London and then Britain; the rightist press pick up the story, with the Daily Express using the headline of "Why We Must Stop These
GLC
Livingstone turns his attention to achieving a GLC Labour victory, exchanging his safe-seat in Hackney North for the marginal Inner London seat at Paddington; wins the seat by 2,397 votes.
GLC
Red Wreckers".
Fares Fair
"Vandals in Ermine" while Livingstone maintained his belief that the judicial decision was politically motivated.
Fares Fair
Livingstone got on board with a campaign known as "Keep Fares Fair" in order to bring about a change in the law that would make the Fares Fair policy legal; an alternate movement, "Cant Pay, Wont Pay", accused Livingstone of being a sell-out and insisted
Fares Fair
The GLC appeal the "Fares Fair" court verdict, taking the case to the House of Lords but five Law Lords unanimously rule in favour of Bromley Borough Council, putting a permanent end to the Fares Fair policy, GLC transport chairman Dave Wetzel labelled the judges
Fares Fair
that the GLC proceed with its policies regardless of their legality
GLC
"Vandals in Ermine" while Livingstone maintained his belief that the judicial decision was politically motivated.
GLC
Livingstone got on board with a campaign known as "Keep Fares Fair" in order to bring about a change in the law that would make the Fares Fair policy legal; an alternate movement, "Cant Pay, Wont Pay", accused Livingstone of being a sell-out and insisted
GLC
The GLC appeal the "Fares Fair" court verdict, taking the case to the House of Lords but five Law Lords unanimously rule in favour of Bromley Borough Council, putting a permanent end to the Fares Fair policy, GLC transport chairman Dave Wetzel labelled the judges
GLC
that the GLC proceed with its policies regardless of their legality
1982
GLC
During 1982, Livingstone made new appointments to the GLC governance, with John McDonnell appointed key chair of finance and Valerie Wise chair of the new Womens Committee, while Sir Ashley Bramall became GLC chairman and Tony McBrearty was appointed chair of housing
1983
Fares Fair
One aspect of the London Transport reforms was however maintained; the new system of flat fares within ticket zones, and the inter-modal Travelcard ticket continued as the basis of the ticketing system, the GLC puts together new.
Fares Fair
measures to reduce London Transport fares by a more modest amount, 25%, taking them back to roughly the price that they were when Livingstones administration took office; it is ruled legal in January 1983, and subsequently implemented.
GLC
One aspect of the London Transport reforms was however maintained; the new system of flat fares within ticket zones, and the inter-modal Travelcard ticket continued as the basis of the ticketing system, the GLC puts together new.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.