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| Livingstone late show sparks row | Livingstone late show sparks row |
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| London mayor Ken Livingstone said he arrived 30 minutes late for a BBC radio debate because he needed to spend some time with his children. | London mayor Ken Livingstone said he arrived 30 minutes late for a BBC radio debate because he needed to spend some time with his children. |
| His aides had suggested Mr Livingstone was late for the Asian Network debate because of hold ups on the Tube. | His aides had suggested Mr Livingstone was late for the Asian Network debate because of hold ups on the Tube. |
| But when he did arrive Tory rival Boris Johnson said the Tube website showed "a good service in the Stratford area". | |
| The mayor then said he left home late as his children "just wanted a little time this morning, sorry about that". | The mayor then said he left home late as his children "just wanted a little time this morning, sorry about that". |
| "Yeah, I'm very sorry. Look, my kids haven't seen me any evening this week and they didn't see me at the weekend and they just wanted a little time this morning, sorry about that," he added. | |
| Presenter Nihal Arthanayake asked: "Oh, so you actually left the house late?" | |
| Mr Livingstone replied: "Yeah I left the house late. The kids were just... they don't understand why daddy spends more time with Boris than with them". | |
| The presenter of the Stratford-based debate added: "Or the Asian Network." | |
| Mr Johnson said later: "This is a mayor who has clearly had his day given he either cannot be bothered to show up to an important debate for London's Asian community or has to make up excuses to cover up for the fact the Tube doesn't run on time." |