Left-wing cynics blame the Tory cuts for orgy of violence: MPs and activists line up to make excuses for thugs
By Tim Shipman
Last updated at 9:36 AM on 9th August 2011
Left-wing politicians have cynically sought to make political capital out of the riots, blaming government cuts for the orgy of violence.
Labour MPs and activists lined up to make excuses for the thugs, spouting claims that disadvantaged youth had no option but to smash up high streets.
Chris Williamson, Labour MP for Derby North, suggested the Government’s austerity drive was to blame.
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.Labour MPs and activists have claimed the people involved in riots were pushed into this violent actionOn Twitter, he said: ‘The Tories are back alright. Why is it the Tories never take responsibility for the consequences of their party’s disastrous policies. #tottenham’
Minutes earlier he had endorsed the comment of another Twitter user who said: ‘Riots. Protests. Cuts. Unemployment. Disaffected Youth. Strikes. Recession. Police Brutality.’
Swift to jump on the bandwagon was Lee Jasper, a former adviser on policing to Ken Livingstone when he was Mayor of London.

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He blamed the ‘economic violence’ of the government for the riots and expressed no sympathy for businesses that were smashed up.
He claimed some were attacked because they do not help create projects for under-privileged youths and was quoted as asking: ‘When did Curry’s build a school?’
In another interview, Mr Jasper appeared to blame the police for the violence, saying the authorities had failed to take account of the level of suspicion among people in Tottenham when it responded to the death of alleged drug dealer Mark Duggan.
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.Mr Jasper was following the example of his former boss. Mr Livingstone said that the austerity drive had created a ‘social division’ which was forcing the police into conflict with communities.
He said: ‘The economic stagnation and cuts being imposed by the Tory government inevitably create social division.
‘As when Margaret Thatcher imposed such policies during her recessions this creates the threat of people losing control, acting in completely unacceptable ways that threaten everyone, and culminating in events of the type we saw in Tottenham.’
..Mr Livingstone and his acolytes came under fire from furious Tories, who pointed out that he of all people should know that vast investment has been piled into Tottenham, Hackney and Lewisham over the last three decades.
Mike Freer, Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green, said: ‘It’s complete nonsense. These riots are about vandalism. If Labour politicians want to ride on the back of the rioters in order to obtain some spurious political advantage they should be ashamed of themselves. To the best of my knowledge, we talked about cuts but most of them have not bitten yet. If Labour politicians really believe that, let’s have a list of cuts that they think justified people turning to violence. Even the local MP David Lammy has rejected that approach.’
Mark Field, MP for the City and Westminster, added: ‘Of all people, Ken Livingstone should know how much Hackney and Lewisham have changed beyond all recognition over the last 30 years.
‘This is opportunistic criminality. The events in Tottenham need investigating but these copycat riots in Lewisham and Brixton are nothing to do with the cuts.
‘It is reprehensible to make any such parallel.’
Black London Labour MPs including Mr Lammy, Diane Abbott and Chuka Umunna distanced themselves from attempts to blame the cuts.
Miss Abbott said: ‘Cuts don’t turn you into a thief. What we saw was people thieving for hours. Mr Umunna said the violence in London was ‘totally opportunistic and utterly unacceptable’.
He added: ‘I think we have got to be very careful about seeking to draw general conclusions from a series of events around London to make some kind of historical judgment about what is going on.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023902/London-riots-Left-wing-cynics-blame-Tory-cuts-mayhem.html#ixzz1UWhXDZMU
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