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George Galloway in bitter spat with Ed Miliband George Galloway in bitter spat with Ed Miliband
(about 4 hours later)
George Galloway has launched a furious attack on Ed Miliband, describing him as "an unprincipled coward with the backbone of an amoeba", after the Labour leader criticised the Respect MP. George Galloway has launched a furious attack on Ed Miliband, describing the Labour leader as "an unprincipled coward with the backbone of an amoeba", after the Respect MP was criticised by him.
Galloway, a former Labour MP, spoke out on Friday after Miliband gave his account of a meeting between the pair. Reports of the meeting, which took place several months ago, emerged only last week and prompted rumours that Gallloway could rejoin the party. But the Labour leader said the encounter was part of a bid to garner minority party votes over boundary changes. He also described Galloway's views as "awful" and said he would be fighting to get him ousted in 2015 from the Bradford West seat he spectacularly snatched from his former party in a byelection last year. Galloway, a former Labour MP, spoke out on Friday after Miliband gave his account of a meeting several months ago between the pair.
Miliband's comments prompted a stinging retort from Galloway, who accused the leader of the opposition of lying. He wrote on Twitter: "Miliband's claim that he repeatedly pursued me for a one-hour meeting about 'boundary changes' is, quite simply, a lie. I realise now that I showed poor judgement in finally agreeing to meet Miliband. An unprincipled coward with the backbone of an amoeba." Reports of the meeting emerged only last week and led to rumours that Galloway could rejoin the party.
After news of the meeting emerged, Galloway told the Evening Standard that he wanted the Labour leader to be the next prime minister "the sooner the better", describing him as "quite impressive physically and intellectually". He also said he was encouraging his supporters to vote Labour where there was no Respect candidate. But the Labour leader said the encounter was part of a bid to garner minority party votes over boundary changes. He described Galloway's views as "awful" and said Labour would be fighting to get him ousted in 2015 from the Bradford West seat he spectacularly snatched from his former party in a byelection last year.
Galloway opened the door to rejoining his former party but said there had been no talk of reconciliation with the Labour leader. Asked about the meeting, Miliband told BBC Radio 5 Live on Friday: "I think George Galloway's views are awful. He might want me to be prime minister but I don't want him to be an MP. Miliband's comments prompted a stinging retort from Galloway, who accused him of lying. He wrote on Twitter: "Miliband's claim that he repeatedly pursued me for a one-hour meeting about 'boundary changes' is, quite simply, a lie. I realise now that I showed poor judgment in finally agreeing to meet Miliband. An unprincipled coward with the backbone of an amoeba."
When news of the meeting emerged, Galloway told the Evening Standard that he wanted the Labour leader to be the next prime minister "the sooner the better", describing him as "quite impressive physically and intellectually". He said he was encouraging his supporters to vote Labour where there was no Respect candidate.
Galloway opened the door to rejoining his former party but said there had been no talk of reconciliation when he met the Labour leader.
Asked about the meeting, Miliband told BBC Radio 5 Live on Friday: "I think George Galloway's views are awful. He might want me to be prime minister but I don't want him to be an MP.
"We were having a big vote on boundary changes; I met all the minor parties."We were having a big vote on boundary changes; I met all the minor parties.
"George Galloway is not coming back to the Labour party. We want to defeat him at the next election.""George Galloway is not coming back to the Labour party. We want to defeat him at the next election."
Galloway was elected as Labour MP in 1987 but was expelled from the party in 2003 after being found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute in relation to his opposition to the Iraq war. Among the accusations was that he incited foreign forces to rise up against British troops. He was a co-founder of the anti-war Respect party and in 2004 recorded a stunning victory over the incumbent Labour MP Oona King in Bethnal Green, east London, after a bitter fight. Galloway scored another shock victory over Labour last year in Bradford West, when he won the byelection with a majority of 10,140 after a 36.59% swing from Labour to Respect. Galloway was elected as Labour MP in 1987 but was expelled from the party in 2003 after being found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute in relation to his opposition to the Iraq war. Among the accusations was that he incited foreign forces to rise up against British troops.
He was a co-founder of the anti-war Respect party and in 2004 recorded a stunning victory over the incumbent Labour MP Oona King in Bethnal Green, east London, after a bitter fight. Galloway scored another shock victory over Labour last year in Bradford West, when he won the byelection with a majority of 10,140 after a 36.59% swing from Labour to Respect.