Livingstone bans Scientology rally in Trafalgar Square

The mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has banned Scientology, the religious movement supported by some of the world's biggest celebrities, from campaigning in Trafalgar Square.

Announcing his decision on Friday, the mayor launched a scathing attack on the organisation's controversial anti-drugs programme, and said he could not support a promotion for something so "spurious".

Music from a swing band and testimonies from people who claim to have been cured of their drug addictions were planned at Trafalgar Square on Friday. Among the group's most high-profile devotees are actors Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Lisa Marie Presley.

Mr Livingstone said: "I have refused permission for the Church of Scientology to use Trafalgar Square to promote their so-called 'anti-drugs' campaign, because it is a medically unproven policy which I am advised could be dangerous.

"The square will be used for many purposes while I am mayor, including many political demonstrations and rallies which I will disagree with.

"However, it would not be responsible for me to allow it to be used to advertise a spurious medical programme which many drugs professionals are concerned about.

"Nothing about the activities of this group leads me to believe that this is anything other than a cynical method of promoting the Scientology creed."

A Scientology spokesman defended the movement and said the mayor had been given misleading information about the group. He said: "If he spoke to some of the people who have done the programme, and if he saw the change in them, he would think differently."

The American L Ron Hubbard, a former science fiction writer, founded Scientology in 1953. It has been refused charitable status as a religion in Britain by the Charity Commissioners.