• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

From the list of people who are referred to in this document and are signatories to it, I would like to refer to one or two that I know personally. Would you regard Venilal Vaghela (Chairman, Hindu Council) as Islamophobic?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

You are now making it clear on the record that you did not refuse to meet this group?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Mr Mayor, you are well known for meeting all sorts of people from right across London and you embrace the view that every Londoner has the right to come and meet you and discuss things. Why did you therefore take the view that you would not meet this broad-based coalition of faith groups who were concerned about Dr al-Qaradawi's visit?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Ramesh Kallidai, the General Secretary of the Hindu Council of Britain?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Do you accept that with the benefit of hindsight ' if you ever do have any hindsight ' that it would have been better to respond positively to a letter apparently signed by a wide range of organisations, the NUS, the Metropolitan Police Advisory Group and so on? Would it not have been better to respond to their request to meet with them to air the views you each have and perhaps to clear up whatever misunderstandings there may or may not have been, rather than to wait seven weeks and then send them a four-page diatribe and simply answer...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

I do not speak on behalf of the coalition or the groups that signed the letter in any way, but I think it was rather wider than two communist parties from Iraq and Iran, and you know that very well. I know that from my own conversations with them.

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

In your view. Can I move on to what I think probably led to this question arising now, and that was the exchange of letters between you and the coalition. I cannot recall their exact title. They wrote to you on 9 September what I thought was a fairly brief and reasonable letter with the names of quite a number of wide-ranging organisations and faith groups, lesbian and gay groups and so on. Why did you take nearly seven weeks before you sent them what was, frankly, a rather offensive and rude reply? If we are in favour of a...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

I think you are being deliberately disingenuous. I hope I am not ruled out of order. You said you could have sold tickets, but the key point is that you did not sell tickets or indeed invite the public. We are talking about having a robust exchange of views in public debate, and that is not what happened. The issue we are talking about is a one-off, which was and has become even more high profile.

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Are you delegating? Is this going to be something with which you agree?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

I am trying to make the point that we had no particular problem with the invitation to or the visit of Dr al-Qaradawi; indeed, I remember saying in this Chamber that he was a respected Islamic scholar for many Muslims, and the sort of person we should be talking to, without indicating we agree with his views. Do you accept that it will be easier to explain and defend this invitation if it is actually part of a programme, or at least not out of the ordinary to have people here for debate and for a robust exchange of views...