George Galloway: I may quit tedium of the Commons to run for London Mayor

 

Firebrand MP George Galloway today said he may quit the “tedium” of Parliament in a bid to become London Mayor in 2016.

Outspoken Mr Galloway says he would “relish” the chance to run for City Hall and reveals he has discussed his ambitions with Labour Leader Ed Miliband.

In a magazine interview Mr Galloway also says he admires Ukip leader Nigel Farage but attacks David Cameron’s government for whipping up “racism and Islamophobia”.

The Respect MP goes on to say Mr Cameron’s Notting Hill set is full of Tories who pride themselves on inviting “people of colour” to dinner parties.

In this month’s issue of Total Politics, Mr Galloway reveals he is considering standing down as an MP because the Commons is “98 per cent tedium”.

He adds: “I’m interested in running for the Mayor of London in 2016 but I haven’t decided...I like elections more than I like serving.

“I relish them in the way most politicians don’t and this is the only mass popular election that there is here.”

He adds: “I relish running for the office and the opportunity finally to be in power over substantial sets of important tasks in a city as great as London is obviously attractive.”

Mr Galloway says he discussed his potential run for Mayor with Mr Miliband at a meeting earlier this year.

Reports of the meeting prompted rumours he could rejoin Labour, but Mr Miliband denied it saying the pair only got together to discuss boundary changes.

Mr Galloway later said that was a lie and called Mr Miliband “an unprincipled coward with the backbone of an amoeba”.

In today’s interview he lashes out at controversial Home Office vans which towed posters round London telling illegal immigrants to “go home”.

Mr Galloway says vans should instead be sent around the City calling on people to “shop a tax dodger”.

He says: “The right-wing wish to create a fear and loathing of immigrants, of the other, of the different, and they hope to gain votes from it. It’s the most despicable tactic, but familiar.”

He adds: “The Notting Hill set that runs the Conservative Party would never dream of thinking they were racists.

“[They] would pride themselves on the people of colour that they have around their table at dinner parties, which just makes it all the more sick.”

Mr Galloway says the Tories missed out by not making backbench MP David Davis their leader in 2005 but goes on to praise Ukip Leader Nigel Farage.

He says: “I quite admire his ability. I understand why he’s popular, as he’s widely perceived to be telling the truth as he sees it – not as some focus group told him to see it – and in that sense he is instinctive.

“I don’t like his instincts, but he is instinctive.”

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