George Galloway shows disrespect to his old party

[T_i_B]

Just as an update on what "gorgeous George" has been doing since his visit to the US Senate.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/galloway-shows-disrespect-to-his-party-773869.html

George Galloway is to stand on an "Old Labour" ticket for the London Assembly in another attempt to form a new political force after splitting from Respect, the left-wing coalition that he helped to found.

The maverick MP, who fell out with the anti-war coalition after forming the breakaway group "Respect Renewal" and holding an "alternative conference" last November, is to stand for the elections in May as part of an as-yet-unnamed "progressive list".

The MP for Bethnal Green and Bow has been at the centre of a series of internal splits within Respect, which formed in 2004. He has been opposed by sections of the Socialist Worker Party who – along with critics on the right – accuse him of alliances with "radical Islamists".

The divisions go back to the 2005 general election, when Mr Galloway managed against the odds to defeat the Labour MP Oona King, overturning her 10,000-strong majority to win by 823 votes. The campaign was dogged by claims of dirty tricks. Supporters of Ms King – who backed the Iraq invasion – accused Mr Galloway's supporters of anti-Semitism after some groups highlighted the fact that his opponent was part-Jewish.