Posted on 05/06/2003 11:12:58 AM PDT by Cinnamon Girl
suspended leading anti-war politician George Galloway on Tuesday over an outspoken attack on Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bush during the war on Iraq.
The left-wing firebrand called the two leaders "wolves" for attacking Iraq, in an appearance on a Gulf television station during the military campaign.
"He is suspended from holding office or representing the party pending the outcome of internal party investigations," a Labour Party statement said, adding that party General-Secretary David Triesman had written to inform him.
"This suspension is effective forthwith," it said.
Galloway said the action made a mockery of the assertion from London and Washington that the war was fought in the name of freedom and democracy and said he stood by his words.
He has been dubbed "MP for Baghdad Central" in the British press for his long-term opposition to military action and sanctions against Iraq.
Galloway has also threatened to sue the Daily Telegraph for libel over a report that claimed he had received $604,000 a year in payoffs from the Iraqi government.
Parliament's Standards Commissioner is to hold a separate inquiry into allegations against him.
Labour said it had received a complaint that Galloway had acted in a way that was "prejudicial or grossly detrimental to the party."
"In particular, complaints have been received about an interview Mr. Galloway did on March 28, 2003, on Abu Dhabi TV," it said.
Galloway responded swiftly, saying the probe was designed to prejudice his libel legal action.
"It has really come to something when you can be effectively silenced in the British parliament for words that you've spoken for ideas that you have," he told BBC Radio.
"It makes a bit of a mockery of the idea that we went to war in Iraq for free speech and democracy," he said. "I stand by every word I said on the Abu Dhabi Television interview. I believe that the war was illegal and immoral."
Tax evasion is the "low hanging fruit". If they can prove that he received this money and didn't report it, that's a slam dunk. As to the propriety of actually accepting the money, he should be tried and convicted of that in addition to tax evasion, with the sentences running consecutively. Give him 50 years to think about how he gained by helping Saddam. Then execute him for treason.
At least we should wait until it's been investigated and proved.
See #35. Though William Joyce, WWII Nazi radio broadcaster and propagandist "Lord Haw-Haw" was a US citizen and had never been a British or Commonwealth citizen, he was tried and hanged for treason to the Crown. That establishes precedent, if in reverse.
Turn about is fair play.
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