Ken Livingstone has mentioned Hitler while discussing former Cuban president Fidel Castro, who has died at the age of 90.

The former mayor of London defended the controversial socialist revolutionary as he compared the country under Castro's power to Britain in the Second World War.

“I’ve been [to Cuba] many times, it’s a very open and relaxed society," Mr Livingstone told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"I’m sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional West European democracy, but it could have happened a lot earlier if you hadn’t had, the entire time, the blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorised by American presidents.

“We didn’t have an entirely functioning democracy in World War Two, it was shut down. The general election was cancelled, anyone expressing support for Hitler was thrown into prison.

“If you’re living in a wartime situation, it’s not good for democracy.”

Mr Livingstone, who called Castro an "absolute giant of the 20th Century’" and a "beacon of light all over Latin America", also praised the country’s education and healthcare.

Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Mandatory Credit: Photo by Harry Laub/imageBROKER/REX (7454795a) Painted wall with the flag of Cuba and the words Viva Fidel, Santiago of Cuba, Santiago de Cuba Province, Cuba VARIOUS Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban president Fidel Castro looking at a rifle during a visit in North Vietnam during the Vietnam war Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro in Matanzas, Cuba, on the 46th anniversary of the assault on the Moncada Barracks by Castro's rebels. The attack marked the beginning of the Cuban revolution, which eventually propelled Castro to power Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro with his first wife Mirta and his son Fidelito Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro at his 'Guerrilla Man of Time' book launch in Havana, Cuba Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro delivers a speech attacking media organizations and groups opposed to his government in the wake of rumours of his death Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro playing Basketball Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Watched by Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro takes a photograph of Moscow during his first visit to Russia Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban president Fidel Castro attends a protest against the US embargo of Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro and Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado talking to Cuban medical staff who are going to Peru to help with the aftermath of an earthquake Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro relaxing at a sugar plantation near Havana, surrounded by children Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro presides over a massive May Day demonstration at Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion (Revolution Square Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban leader Fidel Castro is presented with an invitation to the New York Press Photographer's Ball, in New York City Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro, Prime Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary government and first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, and Ernesto Guevara known as Che, minister of Industry in Havana, Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro waves to participants of the traditional May Day parade attended by thousands of people in Havana's Plaza of the Revolution Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro with Argentine guerrilla leader Ernesto Che Guevara Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Pope Benedict XVI meets with former Cuban President Fidel Castro at the Vatican embassy in Havana, Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and Soviet politician Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev in Moscow Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Iraqi vice-president Saddam Hussein, stands with Cuban President Fidel Castro and Defense minister General Raul Castro in Havana, during his visit to Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former Cuban leader Fidel Castro Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro listens to Pope John Paul II as they walk on the tarmac of the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro with Chavez in Cuba Getty Images Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro greets Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe in Havana Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro with Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 2000. The two friends first met in 1959 AFP/Getty Images Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Mandela salutes the crowd alongside Fidel Castro in Matanzas Getty

"Of course Fidel did things that were wrong," he added: “Initially he wasn't very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key things that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.”

Castro's death, however, has divided opinion, and has prompted celebrations for Cuban exiles living in Little Havana, Miami.