JUST when it is becoming possible to feel the tiniest bit well disposed towards the London Olympic bid, something always comes along to replace the warm feeling with a queasy one. Or someone: in this case, Ken Livingstone.

In a week that brings the bid evaluation team from the International Olympic Committee into town, London’s Mayor finds himself in a row over anti-Semitism — on the surface at least. Taken at face value, Livingstone is in trouble because he made insensitive and racially charged comments to a reporter from the Evening Standard, and subsequently has refused to apologise. Is this enough to wish ill of the London Olympic campaign? No.

The subtext of this spat, though, is mayoral vanity and idiocy, traits that can only be accentuated by placing Livingstone ever more at the centre of public life. He is London’s problem now; if his city gets the Games, he will be yours, too.

First, a little context is required. On February 8, Livingstone hosted a party at City Hall to mark the 20-year anniversary of Chris Smith, MP, coming out as gay. Some would have taken Smith to his favourite restaurant or had him round for a drink. Livingstone instead drew £4,000 from the mayoral jolly-up fund and played big-hearted Charlie with that instead. Not that Livingstone is personally strapped for cash. Just that the stuff he failed to declare to Parliament five years ago totalled £158,000. Even so, it was his round and you paid. You can see why he could be such a boon to a project where the swimming and diving facilities alone cost £70 million.

Outside the function was the reporter, Oliver Finegold. The Evening Standard has a long record of antipathy with the Mayor’s office and he was no doubt sent to ask such pertinent questions as: “Ever heard of a whip-round?” Or: “Why not say it with flowers?” He did not get that far. This is their conversation, starting with a lame joke.

Finegold: “Mr Livingstone, Evening Standard — how did tonight go?”

Livingstone: “How awful for you. Have you thought of having treatment?”

Finegold: “Was it a good party? What does it mean for you?”

Livingstone: “What did you do before? Were you a German war criminal?”

Finegold: “No, I’m Jewish. I wasn’t a German war criminal and I’m actually quite offended by that. So, how did tonight go?”

Livingstone: “Right, well you might be — but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard, you are doing it just because you are paid to, aren’t you?”

Finegold: “Great, I have you on record for that. So, how was tonight?”

Livingstone: “It’s nothing to do with you because your paper is a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots.”

Explore Columnists

• Graham Spiers