Posted 9:41 AM by Paul
Gorgeous George and the Nicaraguans

George Galloway, a fire brand left wing MP has just been suspended from the Labour Party pending allegations (possible true, probably untrue) that he was taking back handers from Saddam Hussein. George also made some ill advised comments on Arabic TV comparing Bush and Blair with wolves and calling on British troops to disobey orders.

Now these comments may be true and are a consistent position for a revolutionary leader (which George imagines he is) but not from a Member of Parliament, particularly the call for British troops to mutiny. After all, this is treason and I until recently was a capital offence.

The thing about Georgeous George ( he picked up his nickname because he managed to wear a suit that fitted him and a nice tie, something which eluded most Labour MPs for the 1980s) is that he is mad as a baloon but events have proved him right. The Bush administration had no intention of bringing back the UN weapons inspectors and are in fact in the process of taking control of all of Iraq's oil. So - the barmy conspiracy theorists were right all along. Bush bombed a country and then nicked its oil to pay for the damage which was caused by US missiles manufactured by his pals and which will be re-instated by US firms with connections to his adminstration. Or as a dodgy market trader in the East End would say OI BUSH MY SON ! RESULT!!

I met Galloway once at the Labour Party International reception ( old comrades were puzzled as how I had got hold of an International Delegate VIP Pass). Geoge was...how shall I say very cheery and his faced was flushed. It was about 6.00 p.m. I introduced him to two guys (one senior) from the Frente Sandinista. The Sandinistas had split a year earlier into two factions with the majority like my guests staying with Daniel Ortega in the Frente Sandinista. Other mainly intellectual types had gone with Sergio Ramirez in the MRS. I met Ramirez on an earlier trip to Managua when I was acting as a translator. When asked what was the main issue of the elections he replied, "Me.". . Humility was not his strong suit. This is in a country with grinding poverty, endemic cholera and the routine assasination of left wing candidates by Contras who had not given up their arms. Sergio was a berk.

But a few months later in Brighton George Galloway was in full flow, glass in hand and there followed a conversation lasting some minutes in which Galloway kept repeating:

"Aye but which Sandinistas are you? Are you with Daniel or Sergio? "

My senior guest kept repeating politely that they were with Daniel and still members of the Frente Sandinista. Galloway persevered with his line of questioning for several minutes before moving off in the direction of the free bar.

" Que pasaba con aquel senor?" asked Victor Hugo Tinoco, the senior guy of the group who had been a guerilla leader at 19 and Nicaraguan ambassador to the UN when he was 28.

" Es un borracho", I replied

Having said all of that none of this means that Galloway is wrong about Eye-rack even if he is shown to be a thief as well as bon viveur.