Livingstone criticised over drugs and Hitler
By Robert Shrimsley, Chief Political Correspondent

KEN LIVINGSTONE yesterday found himself under attack from three sides after his latest public pronouncements in his campaign to be mayor of London.

 Keith Hellawell, Britain's drugs tsar, the World Bank and the leaders of the British Jewish community criticised Mr Livingstone over his interview with a music paper. The former GLC leader told NME that ecstasy should be decriminalised and claimed that international capitalists killed more people than Hitler.

 That comparison provoked an angry reaction from the Board of Deputies of British Jews. A spokesman said: "Ken Livingstone damns himself out of his own mouth. Personally, I don't find his sense of humour particularly amusing and it's actually quite offensive."

 A spokesman for the World Bank's London office said it and the IMF played a key role in the Highly Indebted Poor Countries initiative to write off the bulk of the debts of the world's 40 poorest countries. She said: "It's unfair to suggest that the IMF and World Bank are appalling and haven't made changes."

 Mr Hellawell said Mr Livingstone's comments on drugs showed a "lack of in-depth knowledge". He said: "I would be extremely glad to go over with him, and anyone else, how effective they are in terms of education in schools, rehabilitation programmes and help to wean young people off drugs, through to the arrest and conviction of drug dealers and the redeployment of their seized assets in anti-drugs programmes."

 Mr Hellawell said: "It's important that the debate on drugs continues, but it is too important for our children's future to be used by anyone as a soundbite which can indicate that there is an overnight solution." Mr Livingstone defended himself yesterday saying his views on drugs had been widely misrepresented. He said: "My position on drugs has been completely clear throughout my political career. I have never favoured legalising drugs. The priority for the police and the criminal justice system must be to focus on stamping out the drug dealers rather than those who are their victims."

 However, his political rivals seized on his remarks to denounce the independent candidate. Susan Kramer, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said: "For Ken Livingstone to describe capitalists as killers is ridiculous." Frank Dobson, his Labour rival, said: "Parents in London will be very concerned because everyone knows both ecstasy and cannabis are harmful and decriminalising them will encourage their use. Some young people try them as a form of rebellion against their parents and if they are decriminalised more dangerous drugs will take their place."