- Former London mayor has been branded 'shameful' by victims' relatives
- Labour veteran squirmed on TV but repeatedly refused to apologise
- Mr Livingstone pinned the blame for the 2005 bombings on Tony Blair
- He said: 'We have to realise they didn't do it without a political reason'
This is the moment Ken Livingstone squirmed on live TV today after relatives of 7/7 victims called him a 'stupid man' for claiming murderous terrorists 'gave their lives for what they believed'.
The former mayor of London told two heartbroken families he would not apologise for 'telling the truth' - that the suicide bombers who killed 52 acted 'in protest at our invasion of Iraq'.
Relatives of two of the victims called him a 'stupid man' and unpatriotic, claiming the Labour veteran is intent on 'legitimising terrorism' and 'has no sympathy for victims' families'.
Uncomfortable: Ken Livingston was confronted on live TV today with criticism from the families of those who died on 7/7
Confrontation: Mr Livingstone had to listen as the BBC presenter read out the criticisms - but the Labour veteran refused to apologise
Upset: The families of Michelle Otto, who died at Kings Cross on 7/7 and David Foulkes, who died at Edgware Road, have called Ken Livingstone 'shameful'
Last week Mr Livingstone, a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn, pinned the blame for the 2005 bombings – Britain's worst terrorist attack – on former Labour prime minister Tony Blair.
He told the BBC's Question Time programme on Thursday night: 'When Tony Blair was told by the security services, 'If you go into Iraq, we will be a target for terrorism,' and he ignored that advice and it killed 52 Londoners.'
He also said that the four killers 'gave their lives – they said what they believed' - but critics have accused him of being a 'shameful self-publicist'.
This morning Mr Livingstone appeared on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show and was confronted by emails from those who lost their loved-ones.
Dania Gorodi, 58, whose sister Michelle Otto, 46, was killed in Russell Square, said: 'It's been 10 years and we have dealt with our grief but we live it again when we hear comments like that.
It's not an intelligent comment, it's not sympathetic, It's the comments of a stupid man who wants to upset people. He seems to be ashamed of England'.
Horror: Aftermath of the 7/7 atrocity, which claimed 52 lives 10 years ago - Britain's worst ever terrorist attack
Graham Foulkes, 63, whose son David, 22, died at Edgware Road Tube station, said: 'Not only is he accepting their excuses he is legitimitising terrorism.
He is giving them an identity they don't deserve, As a senior politician in the Labour party i really struggle how he can do that.
He has no sympathy for the victims' families at all - it's shameful self-publicising'.
Mr Livingstone looked flustered as the emails were read to him and told them 'not to believe the press'.
When the presenter said: 'They are listening to what you said' he stumbled over his words and said: 'I said I denounce what they did and I put in thousands more police to make it more difficult to do that.
We did a lot of work with victims families and the survivors but we have to realise they didn't do it without a political reason'.
Families of the dead have queued up to criticise him, especially as Mr Corbyn has been put in joint charge of reviewing Labour's defence police.
Today he said Britain should not bomb ISIS in Syria because it will make terrorists more likely to 'come here and kill us'.
He told the Today programme: 'No-one is going to get safer. We are going to get more at risk. They will be more determined to come here and kill us.'
John Taylor, 66, whose daughter Carrie, 24, died in the Aldgate Tube bombing, said he had discussed the bombings with Mr Blair, adding: 'I don't blame him one bit. Livingstone has once again put his foot in his mouth.
I think comments like these are playing into the hands of Islamic State and Al Qaeda.'
'A new low': Ken Livingstone has been branded 'shameful' by relatives of 7/7 victims after claiming the bombers 'gave their lives' in the terrorist attacks that killed 52
Sean Cassidy, 67, whose son Ciaran died at Russell Square, said: 'I wouldn't like to give these terrorists any political credence. They are just killers.'
Mr Livingstone clashed with other panellists on Question Time over his views. Comedian Matt Forde told him: 'The idea you can absolve the people that killed those innocent Londoners by blaming it on Tony Blair is shameful.'
Mr Livingstone responded: 'Well you can, because go and look at what they put on their websites – they did those killings because of our invasion of Iraq.' Mr Forde hit back, accusing Mr Livingstone of 'accepting the terrorists' propaganda'.
John McTernan, who served as a Number Ten aide under Mr Blair, described Mr Livingstone's comments as 'disgusting', and 'grounds for expulsion' from the Labour Party.
Labour MP Ian Austin said Mr Livingstone's comments were 'a total disgrace', while fellow Labour MP Mike Gapes said: 'Despicable Livingstone has sunk to a new low.'
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