Ken Livingstone has been forced to issue a grovelling apology to his old adversary Andrew Gilligan for smearing him in his biography “You Can’t Say That“:

Ken wrote that I was “shown the door” by my previous employer, the Evening Standard, after writing “lies” about the allocation of grants by his administration and the behaviour of his race adviser, Lee Jasper. Ken also claimed that the Standard had repudiated my stories in editorials which “said there had been no corruption or cronyism at City Hall.” Alas, it wasn’t me who was lying. Being lied about by liars is an occupational hazard of my job. But anyone tempted to follow Livingstone’s example should be in no doubt that I will defend my reputation and journalism.”

The publishers will also be paying damages, but Ken is insisting on a confidentiality clause.