What is it about the left and Middle East dictators?

Following  my post yesterday, about the disgraceful decision of the London School of Economics to accept blood money from the Gadaffi regime, it now emerges that Anthony Giddens, former Director of the LSE, Adviser to Tony Blair, and author of 'The Third Way', wrote a paean of praise to Colonel Gadaffi in 2007.

In the Guardian in 2007, Giddens wrote:

 "As one-party states go, Libya is not especially repressive. Gadafy seems genuinely popular. Our discussion of human rights centred mostly upon freedom of the press. Would he allow greater diversity of expression in the country? There isn't any such thing at the moment. Well, he appeared to confirm that he would......"

If this were not bad enough, he then went on to add:

 "Will real progress be possible only when Gadafy leaves the scene? I tend to think the opposite. If he is sincere in wanting change, as I think he is, he could play a role in muting conflict that might otherwise arise as modernisation takes hold"

Lord Gidden's remarks about Gadaffi, were both craven and quite disgusting. One wonders whether this article, subsequently led to the £1.5 million the Libyan Dictatorship subsequently gave to the University. The LSE have their hands deep in the blood of the Libyan people.  They must hand back the money immediately to the victims of the recent uprising.

P.S.  Above is a demonstration by Students at the University - against the LSE Libyan money. The excellent Student Rights Group, of which I am on the Advisory Council, have today sent out this press release:

Press Release: Robert Halfon MP, Student Rights and over 130 signatories call for further LSE action on Libya ties

Since the story about the LSE’s ties to Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, the university has rightly distanced itself and ended programs reliant upon the £1.5m promised by Saif Gaddafi.  In order to restore the moral integrity of the institution, Robert Halfon MP, Student Rights and over 130 signatories at the time of this press release call on the LSE management to donate the £300,000 received from Muammar Gaddafi’s son, an alumnus of the university, to a charity focused on providing relief and assistance in the region.

Raheem Kassam, Director of Student Rights has stated, “While the LSE took swift steps to distance itself from Gaddafi’s regime, questions remain over who approved this relationship in the first instance.  It’s shocking and disgusting that such a great institution should be affiliated with a murderous, oppressive regime.  The LSE must donate any money received from Gaddafi’s family to a charity helping the victims of his  despicable violence.”

P.P.S.  You can read more HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com