An insult to humanity
Proud ... but Joy Stevens, here showing a photo
of soldier son Ian, was attacked by MPBy DAVID WOODING, Whitehall Editor
and DUNCAN LARCOMBEFURIOUS Sun readers labelled traitor MP George Galloway “an insult to humanity” yesterday for urging Arabs to kill British soldiers.
Our offices were flooded with calls and emails demanding the treacherous Labour MP be stripped of his powers and kicked out of the country.
Some even said Saddam supporter Galloway — dubbed the Member for Baghdad Central — should be prosecuted for treason.
The Sun told yesterday how the Glasgow Kelvin MP called on British soldiers to disobey what he called “illegal orders”, and claimed the Allies attacked Iraq “like wolves.” He also declared: “Iraq is fighting for all Arabs. Where are the Arab armies?”
However last night Galloway pulled out of two Stop The War meetings in Blackpool on police advice after receiving threatening phone calls.
Yet despite the outrage at his remarks — made on Abu Dhabi TV — Galloway remained unrepentant.
Yesterday, in an insult to 45,000 British forces in the Gulf, he claimed troops who obeyed commanders’ orders were war criminals.
And he stunned radio listeners by ATTACKING the family of two British soldiers in a live BBC interview.
Joy Stevens, whose son Ian, 22, and 24-year-old nephew Mark are serving with the Desert Rats, politely questioned the MP on his views on Five Live.
But arrogant Galloway ranted: “I oppose this war, I consider it illegal and disastrously counter-productive. The only people fighting legally are the Iraqis.”
Last night Joy, 55, said: “I could not believe my ears. My son and nephew are risking their lives for £60 a day to free Iraq from Saddam — and an MP back home is branding them war criminals.”
Joy, from Notts, added: “I was shaking my head in disbelief at what Mr Galloway was saying. I hope voters will remember his words at the next election.”
Earlier, Sun reader Ian Taylor summed up the nation’s fury when he emailed us to say: “Tony Blair will be failing the people of this land if he does not remove this insult to humanity from public office.”
Victor Gorringe, 70, from Bury St Edmunds, said: “He is a disgrace — he should be forced to resign.”
Bridget Chalkley, of Brentwood, Essex, said: “May Galloway burn in hell. He’s a traitor to this country.”
And reader Steve Cotton wrote: “Labour should not only withdraw the whip from him, but also use one to teach him a serious lesson.”
In Galloway’s Scottish constituency, where he polled a 7,300 majority, feelings also ran high.
Labour supporter David Brown, 60, said: “I’ve voted for Galloway, but these remarks utterly appalled me.”
Even locals against the Iraq war blasted the MP.
Window cleaner Michael Swift, 29, said: “I don’t support the war, but now we’re there our job is to back the troops.”
Horrified ministers last night disowned Galloway amid the backlash.
Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said: “I’m ashamed he’s a member of the Labour party. We take an oath of loyalty and that must be respected”
Education Secretary Charles Clarke said: “George Galloway has been naive and gullible. The words he used were completely unacceptable.”
Slippery Galloway has made a career out of being unpopular.
At 26 he entered politics in his home town of Dundee, flying the PLO flag over the town hall.
As general secretary of the charity War On Want from 1983 to 1987 he was heavily criticised for his lavish expenses. An inquiry cleared him of alleged fraud.
In 1987 he became an MP and in his first Press conference he reported on a working trip: “I travelled to and spent lots of time with people in Greece, many of whom were women, some of whom were known carnally to me.”
In a 1994 speech in Iraq he addressed Saddam as “Your Excellency, Mr President.”
He appeared to say: “Sir, allow me to salute your courage, your strength and your indefatigability.”
Galloway later said the tribute was aimed at Iraqi people — and that he uttered “so”, not “sir”.
- THE Sun yesterday served a “notice of treason” at a London magistrates court, calling for Galloway’s prosecution under the 1351 Treason Act, which carries a maximum term of life in jail.
Our move came as a YouGov survey for ITV News showed 42 per cent of people think charges should be brought against Galloway.
Additional Reporting: DIANA BLAMIRES
and HARRY MACADAM
