UK Anti-war MP Suspended from Labor Party

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, May 07, 2003

UK Anti-war MP Suspended from Labor Party

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Britain's leading anti-war politician George Galloway has been suspended from the ruling Labor Party over his remarks at the height of the Iraq war when he described Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush as "wolves".

A spokesman for the Labor Party said Tuesday that Galloway, the Glasgow Kelvin MP, had acted contrary to the party's rule by "bringing the Labor Party into disrepute by behavior that is prejudicial or grossly detrimental to the party."

"He is suspended from holding office or representing the party pending the outcome of internal party investigations," the spokesman said, adding the suspension followed complaints about comments made by Galloway, which was broadcast on Abu Dhabi TV on march 28, as British and US troops were fighting in Iraq.

During the interview Galloway made to the Arab television station, he also said that British troops should refuse to follow what he said were illegal orders. It "seemingly invited other Arabnations to fight against the UK Army", the party said.

Galloway immediately hit back at the suspension and described it as "completely unjust".

"Have we really come to a stage where a member of Parliament issilenced and politically destroyed because they spoke out against the majority of the party? Is that what free speech and parliamentary democracy is going to be in the new Blair era?" he asked.

The suspension came as the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner begins inquiries into allegations made by the Daily Telegraph that Galloway received money from Saddam Hussein's regime, which Galloway denied and said he will contest in a libel action against the newspaper.

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