Well, perhaps it will be a new Davos this year. The Guardian reports that London Mayor Ken Livingstone, “the politician formerly known as Red Ken,” will attending, speaking, and feteing. The Guardian has learned that Mr Livingstone, twice elected mayor of London and a columnist with the Morning Star, has accepted an invitation to join the high priests of global business, politics and academia at the controversial annual event in Switzerland. . . .
But it is also a landmark for anti-globalisation protesters and the far left, who would once have regarded Mr Livingstone as an anti establishment figure to be relied upon. In 2000 police used water cannon to confront hundreds of demonstrators. One source said: “The invitation is an acknowledgement of London’s position. For the first time, there are more people in urban areas of the world than in the rural areas and London right now is the world’s most successful city. On that basis there is a belief that Ken will have interesting things to say.”