Galloway comments on Leveson report

The Bradford West MP George Galloway, who had his phone hacked by the News of the World, welcomed most of the key proposals enshrined in the Leveson Report but criticised the noble lord's recommendation that Ofcom should oversee a new self-regulatory body.

'It's a very clever report, trying to bridge the two demands of freedom for the press and some regulatory backup to rule on its excesses,' Galloway said. 'He is suggesting an independent, self regulatory body which would be overseen by Ofcom. And that's where I part company with him. Ofcom is entirely the wrong body for this job, it's proscriptive, narrow and conservative. I've had first-hand experience of it. It is not a body which welcomes thrusting, inquiring, investigative journalism. Ofcom would be the deadening hand on the press.'

Galloway supports parliamentary motion on Rotherham foster family

George Galloway this afternoon gave his full backing to a motion condemning the decision to take children away from a foster family in Rotherham because they were supporters of UKIP. "I deplore the actions of Rotherham council", said George Galloway on behalf of the Respect Party.

"This family were perfectly acceptable as a foster family with seven years good record. And suddenly they were besmirched bacuase of their legitimate political affiliation. I am giving my full support to a motion in the House of Commons demanding that the family be reinstated as a foster family and declaring that support for UKIP should not be a barrier to being a foster family."

The motion is Early Day Motion 778.

Eubank a knock out for Respect

Chris Eubank, the former boxing world champion, has come out fighting for Lee Jasper, the Respect parliamentary candidate in the Croydon North by-election.

Eubank, who won world titles at middleweight and super middleweight, tweeted, 'I know who I will be supporting. Lee Jasper, the knockout candidate.' He added, 'Respect!'

Lee Jasper responded: 'I am really honoured that Chris has declared for me. The gloves have come off in this campaign and to have the former world champion in my corner is a substantial boost, and hugely intimidating for my opponents. I am supremely confident - as he was! - that I will get the verdict on November 29.'

An indication of how well Lee Jasper is doing in the campaign is that the bookmakers Ladbrokes have suspended betting on him, as they did immediately prior to George Galloway's successful Bradford West election in March.

Galloway calls for emergency house building programme

Bradford West MP George Galloway has called for a immediate new house building to deal with the 'horrendous' rise in homelessness in Bradford and West Yorkshire.

'I am stunned by research from the National Housing Federation that homelessness has risen by 47% in the last year. And it is set to spiral when housing benefit is cut for under-25s. There's also a dearth of affordable, new housing being built, only around a fifth of what we need,' Galloway said. 'I'm calling for an emergency house-building programme in Bradford and West Yorkshire to deal with this horrendous situation which, as well as filling the vacuum, will stimulate employment in what is a desperate jobs crisis. Unemployment in Bradford West, unlike in much of the rest of the country, continues to rise, apparently inexorably, and this coalition government's austerity programme is worsening the situation.'

The Coming Currency Collapse?

THE COMING CURRENCY COLLAPSE?

A talk presented by Max Keiser
hosted by George Galloway MP
Grand Committee Room Westminster Hall, Houses of Parliament
Tuesday 20th November 7.30pm

Are western economies about to be plunged into further financial meltdown through the collapse of key currencies? Will we be facing trade wars and hyper-inflation in the foreseeable future? And what must be done to avert this potential economic and political catastrophe?

Max Keiser is a renowned commentator on the bizarre shape of the world economy and particularly its financial structure and about the politicians who preside over this chaos.

Described as “America’s most outrageous political pundit”…whose broadcasts, according to the Independent newspaper “no channel in the United States will carry, which go well beyond the benign impudence of The Daily Show”.

Come and hear his challenging views at this meeting
hosted by the MP for Bradford West, George Galloway

George Galloway and Yvonne Ridley on Gaza massacre

Bradford West in unemployment blackspot

The number of long-term unemployed in Bradford West has doubled in a year and is set to go even higher.

The Bradford West MP George Galloway was commenting on the latest unemployment figures. The area has the seventh-highest unemployment rate - at 13.4% - of Britain's 650 constituencies. 'And what is even more shocking, if that is possible, is that the number of long-term unemployed - that's more than a year out of work - has doubled year-on-year. And with winter coming in and no new jobs to spot on the horizon it will get worse. Bradford West is an unemployment blackspot. This is a national emergency which needs national solutions.'

Will Labour now sack suspended councillor Imdad Hussain?

Bradford West MP George Galloway today called on Labour to ban suspended councillor Imdad Hussain after it emerged that he was standing in the Middlesbrough by-election for another party.

Hussain is standing for the Peace party on November 29. He is presently suspended for two years by Labour. 'Hussain standing for another party is incompatible with membership of Labour,' Galloway said. 'The party now has to chuck this embarrassing presence out and ensure he never returns.'

Yvonne Ridley is Respect candidate for Rotherham

The Q&A:

Respecting the George and Jasper rap!

GEORGE Galloway and Respect candidate Lee Jasper have kicked off the party's Croydon North by-election campaign with a rap. The duo recorded a message on top of backing music where they urge voters to: "Respect yourself. Respect North Croydon."

Sounding like a DJ on a smooth jazz radio station, the MP for Bradford West begins: "My name is George Galloway. I believe in peace, justice and equality." Galloway has said Respect will target black and Muslim voters and has supposed discrimination in Croydon one of the party's main issues.

Hence his message: "Talk about stop and search. It's the MPs they should be stopping and searching, even some of the police. This is George Galloway backing Lee Jasper for Croydon North."

HCA won't budge on Odeon offer

'The council must now step in to pay the pound and take over the Odeon,' Bradford West MP George Galloway said today. He was speaking after receiving word from the building's present owners, the Homes and Communities Agency, that it would not increase its purchase offer to Bradford council of £1 plus £100,000 to cover ongoing costs and maintenance.

'The letter from the chairman of the HCA, Robert Napier, to me is clear me that there is no further negotiation. That it's take it or leave it. He says that the £100,000 that it has offered is "the full amount of the remaining funding that the HCA has available for this site". And if the deal isn't acceptable to the council then the HCA will put the Odeon on the market, although the chairman does throw in that offers from community groups would be considered,' Galloway said.

Launch Rally in Croydon North

Lee Jasper Campaign Video

'He can be Croydon People's Champion'

An amazing gathering took place last night planning the launch of Lee Jasper's election campaign for Croydon North.

Activists from all over London and the South East, black and white men and women, Muslims Christians Sikhs Hindus, young and old, pledged themselves to four weeks hard work to change politics in Croydon for good.

"I had the privilege of serving in Parliament for many years with the late Bernie Grant MP - known to all as the People's Champion" said George Galloway MP the campaign organiser.

"I believe Lee Jasper is the true heir to that accolade. He can be Croydon People's Champion" said Galloway.

"Lee stands for Justice, Peace and Equality. He stands for Respect".

Respect Yourself. Respect Croydon. Vote Lee Jasper. That was the message from the meeting. The battle for Croydon North has begun.

Galloway and Green link up on Odeon

Bradford West MP and council leader David Green have joined forces to persuade the Homes and Communities Agency to commit more rehabilitation cash to preserving the iconic Odeon building.

Galloway wrote to Green yesterday (October 30) urging him to 'pay the pound' to buy the building from the HCA. Green instantly responded, saying the council was presently assessing the cost of taking on the building and urged the MP to lobby the HCA into providing a 'dowry' sufficient for all of the necessary works - not just the promised £100,000.

'I've now written to the chair of the HCA urging just that,' said Galloway. 'On this matter at least David and I seem to be on the same page.'