Red Ken: Thatcher could have stopped Brighton horror

THE Brighton bombing could have been prevented if Margaret Thatcher had agreed to negotiate with Martin McGuinness, Labour veteran Ken Livingstone claimed yesterday.

Five people were killed and 34 injured in the IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel, aimed at the then prime minister and her Cabinet during the 1984 Tory Party conference.

Former London mayor Mr Livingstone said Mr McGuinness was ready to end IRA violence when they met at least a year earlier.

He told Radio 5Live: ‘When I went to North- ern Ireland in 1982 or 1983, what struck me was Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness saying, “We can never defeat the British Army, we have to negotiate a peace deal. We are ready to stop fighting”. I told everyone, but Thatcher refused to negotiate.’