Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone Biography

Birth of Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone

Livingstone joins the Labour Party

Labour members vote Livingstone Vice Chairman of the Housing Committee on the Lambeth London Borough Council, his first job in local Government

Livingstone wins the Norwood GLC election to the GLC with 11,622 votes, a firm lead over his Conservative rival

Livingstone wins the Norwood GLC election to the GLC with 11,622 votes, a firm lead over his Conservative rival

Appointed Vice Chairman of the GLCs Housing Management Committee

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

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

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

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"

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"

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).

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.

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

Standing as Labour candidate for Hampstead, Livingstone is defeated by the incumbent Conservative, Geoffrey Finsberg

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

Calls a meeting of Labour leftists entitled "Taking over the GLC", beginning publication of a monthly newsletter the London Labour Briefing

Calls a meeting of Labour leftists entitled "Taking over the GLC", beginning publication of a monthly newsletter the London Labour Briefing

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

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

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

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

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.

Red Wreckers".

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

Deputy leader Illtyd Harrington said the administration was challenging the absurd cosmetic approach to Armageddon.

The GLC published the names of 3,000 politicians and administrators designated to survive a nuclear attack on London in underground bunkers.

The Livingstone administration declared London a nuclear-free zone and stopped the GLC's annual £1 million spending on nuclear-war defence plans.

"Vandals in Ermine" while Livingstone maintained his belief that the judicial decision was politically motivated.

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

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

that the GLC proceed with its policies regardless of their legality

"Vandals in Ermine" while Livingstone maintained his belief that the judicial decision was politically motivated.

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

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

that the GLC proceed with its policies regardless of their legality

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

The satirical journal Private Eye referred to Livingstone as "Ken Leninspart" after Vladimir Lenin, proceeding to wrongly claim that Livingstone received funding from the Libyan Jamahiriya; suing them for libel, in November 1983 the journal apologise, awarding Livingstone pounds 15,000 in damages in an out-of-court settlement

The satirical journal Private Eye referred to Livingstone as "Ken Leninspart" after Vladimir Lenin, proceeding to wrongly claim that Livingstone received funding from the Libyan Jamahiriya; suing them for libel, in November 1983 the journal apologise, awarding Livingstone pounds 15,000 in damages in an out-of-court settlement

The GLC allocated a small percentage of its expenditure on funding minority community groups, including the London Gay Teenage Group, English Collective of Prostitutes, Women Against Rape, Lesbian Line, A Womans Place, and Rights of Women & believing these groups can initiate social change, the GLC increases its annual funding of voluntary organisations from pounds 6 million in 1980 to pounds 50 million in 1984

Traffic levels fall 25% on the 1st day of the congestion charge