Analysis: Ken hopes to ride out news of 'private' family life
Friday, 4 April 2008 12:00 AM
Ken Livingstone has said he does not expect the revelation he has fathered five children to derail his campaign to be re-elected London mayor.
News of Mr Livingstone's three further children broke last night ahead of a new autobiography on the mayor, set to be published last night.
Mr Livingstone swiftly confirmed he had two daughters from one previous relationship and a son from another, as well as the two children he is bringing up with present partner Emma Beale.
In commenting immediately on the revelations, the mayor will have hoped to discredit the suggestion of shame or scandal and argue instead he has been keeping his private life private, not secret.
Importantly, Mr Livingstone has not been accused of having an affair and his family arrangements appear unconventional rather than irresponsible.
The distinction will be crucial in establishing the mayoral candidate as either a man who wished to protect his family or another politician with something to hide.
Speaking to BBC London, Mr Livingstone said: "There is a difference between private and secret. There is nothing in my private life that is not known to my partner, family or close friends. I don't talk about my private life."
He continued: "It seems like only yesterday the press was trying to imply I was gay. I have never discussed my private life because it is not a relevant factor. My private life isn't my sole property. It's been shared with other people and they expect it to stay private and it's going to stay private."
Mr Livingstone will hope that his private life will not impact on voters' decision-making on May 1st.
Because of the allegations of corruption and cronyism surrounding his tenure at City Hall, Mr Livingstone is more vulnerable than he may have hoped to any further whiff of scandal.
But he will hope Londoners will instead remain focused on the policies, not private lives, of the candidates.
"I don't think anybody in this city will be shocked by what two consenting adults do, as long as you don't include children, animals and vegetables. No one has ever found anything in my private life that was illegal or immoral," he said last night.
So far, the media appears reluctant to discuss Mr Livingstone's private life. Although the news has been extensively covered, there has been a pointed lack of comment.
Whether this remains the case will depend on whether Mr Livingstone's opponents seek to capitalise on the revelation.
To do so would probably backfire, marking them out not as the anti-sleaze candidate but one prepared to exploit a man's private life, particularly as it is understand all of the children are under 18.
Moreover, Boris Johnson is in no position to attack the mayor, having been sacked by Michael Howard for lying about an affair with the journalist Petronella Wyatt.
Mr Johnson has previously said the private lives of the candidates should have no bearing on the campaign and the Livingstone camp last night confirmed the mayor would not discuss his own private life, or that of his opponents.
Nevertheless, the news broke as the mayor warned Labour campaigners the campaign could be set to turn nasty. While no candidate may make explicit references to Mr Livingstone's family arrangement, the air of innuendo could be used against the Labour mayor.
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