You’re so vain
In common, I suspect, with many people, I did not know there was a by-election in Bradford yesterday until I switched on the news this morning to hear George Galloway’s victory speech. Having heard it I had to replay it on my iPad to confirm that it hadn’t been a bad dream.
It’s easy to write Gorgeous George off as a music hall turn, particularly after his embarrassing Big Brother performance, at a time when he was out of the limelight and would have done anything for the publicity that seems to re-oxygenate his lifeblood. It’s too easy to do that and it’s wrong. In fact, he’s a dangerous man, and he’s just proved it. Mr Galloway uses the democratic process, but as a tool. His speech in the early hours of this morning showed quite clearly that he would embrace the one party state, as long as that party was his. He is no more a democrat than were Stalin or Hitler, or his dear old pal Saddam, who finally ran out of rope. Since being booted out of the Labour Party, and emblazoning the word ‘Respect’ (a party he did not found, but uses as a vehicle) across his banner, I have heard nothing from him but hatred; no progressive policies, no plan for regenerating our troubled economy, only bile and invective. His tactic is obvious; he did in it London and now he’s done it again. He goes into an area with a substantial ethnic vote and sets himself up as its champion, encouraging discontent, encouraging division. And they fall for it. His love for himself seems to transfer itself to them. We saw through him in Scotland a while back, as his failed intervention in the 2011 election demonstrated, but clearly where conditions are right, he can still work his black magic, for a while.
This morning, though, he went too far. Given what happened in the Middle East last year, given last summer’s youth unrest in England’s cities, to stand in a largely muslim constituency and announce the ‘Bradford Spring’ then describe it as an uprising among young people, was at the very least inflammatory, and possibly even an incitement. George is hugely articulate, beyond a doubt, but I wonder if he is always aware of the wider implications of his words. If he is invited to discuss them with the DPP, I won’t be too surprised.
Quintin Jardine's blog 
Agree 100%.The man takes hypocrisy to the limit. Read his comments in Scotland’s Daily Comic sorry Daily Record.
He advocates ferociously for self governance and freedom for all countries treated unfairly unless of course that country is Scotland.. So Freedom for All. Unless freedom could affect his bank balance
Be careful though Quintin. For a man who detests the USA, he certainly loves the US style litigation process and is prone to sue all and sundry at the drop of a hat.
Loved the way he shouted to everyone that would listen that he would never settle with the evil Murdoch empire.
Guess ‘never’ has a different meaning in the make believe world of Gorgeous George.
It’s only defamatory if it’s untrue.
Bring back Screaming Lord Sutch…or at least his supporters. Still Gorgeous George has been successful in encouraging the return of QJ to the Blog!!!
I met David Sutch a few times in the 80s. Nice bloke, good laugh. Shame how he went.
I have just read George’s specially composed column in the Daily Record (my wife buys it – honest).
Interesting to read the bookies were giving odds of 200 – 1 when he announced his intention to run.
These odds quickly reduced and reduced until the bookies were forced to stop taking bets.
Wouldn’t it be nice if, instead of George’s claim that this was a victory for democracy, it was just a good old fashioned betting coup organised by the shrewd Yorkshire folk.
I couldn`t agree more. I remember him all too well in Glasgow back in the early 80`s. He was seen then as anti democratic and looking to his own best interests. The man should never be allowed near any power base. As you say, he is dangerous.
Sorry for bringing this clown back to your attention but I thought with your views on Scottish Newspapers you would want to read this.-http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/georgegalloway/2012/05/socialism-would-wither-and-die-in-independent-scotland.html#more ,
I find it very hard to understand why a paper with the readership of the Daily Record allows this borderline lunatic the pedestal from which to spout his madness to impressionable folk but it scares the s**t out of me.
To misquote a famous saying – Look around you George and if all you see are numpies, chances are the only numpty is you.
Borderline? No comment. For a brief period in my life, I was on the staff of the Daily Record, when it was a proper newspaper with a proper editor, and quality people like Ruth Wishart and Stewart ‘The Golden Bear’ MacLachlan carrying its banner. Part of me wishes I still was, so that I could resign, rather than be seen as a colleague of that man.