George Galloway

Quick post on the George Galloway ban -

He was barred for 18 days, yet has only voted 10 times this year. What was the point of the ban when he is hardly ever there.

the report of the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner into Galloway's behaviour is summarised (at para 315) thus:

I sum up my conclusions on the basis of the evidence available to me as follows:

a) There is clear evidence that the Telegraph documents are authentic and, taking the evidence as a whole, credible.

b) The Mariam Appeal was primarily a political campaign. It was, effectively, directed by Mr Galloway and Mr Fawaz Zureikat was the second highest donor to it.

c) A substantial part of the donations made to the Appeal by Mr Zureikat came from moneys derived, via the Oil for Food Programme, from the former Iraqi regime.

d) Mr Galloway was not directly and personally in the pay of that regime but his political activities conducted through the Mariam Appeal were, in part, funded by the regime via Mr Zureikat.

e) Mr Galloway at best turned a blind eye to what was happening. On balance, it is likely, however, that he knew, and was complicit in, what was going on.

The conclusion that Mr Galloway knew what was happening is one to which I find myself driven not only by the weight and consistency of the evidence taken as a whole but by my understanding of Mr Galloway's character. To have been ignorant of what was going on would have required a remarkable degree either of complacency or of naivete. Mr Galloway can in no way be accused of possessing either of these faults.

In short all this ban has done is give the vocal supporter of dictators and part time cat impersonator and MP George a reason not to come into work, not that he is there much anyway. He has been told that he is a bad boy and rewarded with 18 days holiday.
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