Laugh Or Cry?

LONDON (Reuters) - Mayor Ken Livingstone flew back to Britain on Wednesday after an aborted trip to see left-wing Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez which has been branded by his opponents as a "monumental disaster."

His critics say the trip, which only got as far as Cuba before Chavez said he was "too busy" to see the mayor, was a huge waste of public money.

Livingstone had gone to Havana anyway but had been intending to go on to Caracas to work out the details of an oil deal which was announced during a trip to London by Chavez in May.

Venezuela would supply oil to fuel London's buses in return for technical advice on running public services.

But the trip coincided with an election campaign in Venezuela where the populist Chavez has been under fire for the plan to give cheap fuel to one of the world's richest cities.

Whether he was too tied up with campaigning or reluctant to face the possibility of losing votes, Chavez declined to meet Livingstone.

Livingstone cited "the time constraints of the Venezuelan presidential election."

The snub fuelled the mayor's critics back in London who had already been incensed by comments he made in Cuba.

London Assembly Conservative leader Angie Bray said the trip was a "monumental disaster".

"Paramount in the minds of Londoners will be not only how much this junket has actually cost the taxpayers -- and I suspect there won't be much change in the public purse from 25,000 pounds -- but also what damage it has done London's reputation following the outrageous comments made by Livingstone whilst in Cuba," she said.

The Conservatives called for a report on the travel costs for the mayor and at least seven advisors believed to have accompanied him on the trip.

During a cricket match in Havana, Livingstone had praised ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro and blasted U.S. policy towards the communist Caribbean island.

He also called George W. Bush's win in the 2000 U.S. election a "judicial coup d'etat" and the war in Iraq "evil".

Livingstone defended his plans to visit Venezuela and said he was confident the oil deal would be signed in the near future.

London Assembly Liberal Democrat opposition leader Mike Tuffrey said: "This is a screw-up of colossal proportions.

"The Mayor has just flown half way around the world, amounting to the best part of a week away from his duties in London and now we learn that the entire trip comes down to a Caribbean junket to see a cricket match."

I do not know whether to laugh at Chavez's snub to Red Ken or cry at how Livingstone has wasted taypayers' money for what was literally an ego trip! One thing is certain though, Red Ken is not fit to hold public office and should be removed from power at next year's election.