Board of Deputies of British Jews President Jonathan Arkush has responded to the latest statements by former mayor Ken Livingstone, including the claim that the creation of Israel was a great catastrophe and that Israel was responsible for the expulsion of Jews from Arab countries. He said: “It is beyond comprehension that Ken Livingstone should disgrace himself with his crank history, littered with revisionism and distortion to justify his bigotry – particularly on the eve of crucial elections. Before he does any more damage to his reputation or that of the Labour Party, he should leave politics, for good.”