"Independent" feature

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Gorgeous George could climb celebrity alphabet
By Oliver Duff
Published: 08 January 2007

It seems that the previously indefatigable George Galloway may be tiring of his parliamentary concerns. The MP for Bethnal Green and Bow long ago bored of appearing in the House of Commons and has, Pandora learns, privately discussed terminating his 20-year career as an MP. He will not stand again for his current seat - which he famously won by defeating Labour's Oona King in acrimonious circumstances.

An aide insists that he has not ruled out running in the neighbouring east London constituency of Poplar, home to enemy and Blairite junior minister Jim Fitzpatrick. (Fitzpatrick called Galloway a "C-list politician with an A-list ego" for entering Big Brother's "celebrity graveyard" - a sad decline from the moment in May 1998 when, during a grudge match between Scottish and English MPs, Galloway passed to Fitzpatrick to score a rocket.) But Galloway is said to be so pleased with the public response to his TalkSport radio rant show - he now presents eight hours a week spread across Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights - that he wants to pursue his flowering media career.

A spokesman for Galloway concedes: "George won't stand again in Bethnal Green and Bow. That's the only hard fact. Beyond that, the world is his oyster." Says Bill Ridley, TalkSport's programme director: "We see a good future for George. He has come on in leaps and bounds as a broadcaster. People love his show. Or love to hate it. He could have a very successful media career."

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Not the most flattering report, but hey - this Oliver Duff probably feels inadequate in only getting X amount of readers to his rants!