Ken faces probe over cleric

Ken Livingstone's links to a controversial Muslim cleric were today set to spark a formal investigation.

The Mayor provoked uproar in the summer when he welcomed Yusuf al-Qaradawi to City Hall, despite claims that the preacher condoned suicide bombers and vilified Jews and homosexuals.

At the time, Mr Livingstone welcomed him as an honoured guest and said he was a leading voice of moderation who was being wrongly vilified by the media.

Now the Mayor faces an investigation by the London Assembly after a dossier of al-Qaradawi's alleged comments and views was compiled by a coalition of Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and gays.

The Assembly can debate whether Mr Livingstone is in breach of his duty to pursue good race relations. It has no power to censor him, but one possibility would be to refer the case to the official watchdog, the Standards Board for England, which can bar elected members from public office if it finds them in breach of their duties.

The dossier draws together speeches, transcripts and website entries attributed to al-Qaradawi.

Some comments are thought to endorse the use of suicide bombers and others criticise homosexuality. The coalition hoped to present the document to Mr Livingstone but he has refused to meet them. He believes the allegations against the Qatar-based cleric are unsubstantiated and unfair.

The Mayor admits he does not share al-Qaradawi's views on gays. In a letter to the coalition rejecting a meeting, he wrote: "The fact that I do not agree with Dr al-Qaradawi or other religious leaders on some issues will not stop me from continuing a dialogue or sharing a platform with them on issues upon which we agree."

A spokesman for the Mayor added: "It would be completely irresponsible and damaging to community relations in London not to maintain a dialogue with representatives of a religion with more than a billion followers around the world."

The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens on the Assembly agree that the Mayor has a case to answer. But the Muslim Council of Britain, which organised al-Qaradawi's visit, said: "The continuing highlighting of falsehoods and misinterpretations attributed to the sheikh is hugely damaging to everyone."