Yesterday George Galloway made a unique offer to his Twitter followers: if they all sent him a question, he would choose ‘the best one’ and donate his own time to answering it.
Inevitably, Twitter users chose to ask Galloway about his infamous friendship with Saddam Hussein; in 2002 he coyly told the Guardian how the Iraqi dictator had complimented him on his weight loss.
He has also flirted with other repressive regimes, describing President Assad as ‘a breath of fresh air’ and saying it was ‘not true’ that Iran executed homosexuals.
Most recently he made headlines for refusing to debate with an Israeli student at Oxford, saying that he did not recognise or speak to Israelis. He has publicly declared Bradford an ‘Israel free zone’, but has also received criticism in his constituency for how little he is present there.
Here are some of the highlights of yesterday’s questions:
My mate says that Putin’s the best authoritarian dickwad but I think he hasn’t got a moustache so doesn’t count. Do you agree? #askGalloway
— Boris Watch (@BorisWatch) January 28, 2015
#askGalloway Can you remember which northern town beginning with a B you are the MP for? — Duncan Hothersall (@dhothersall) January 28, 2015
If you were to salute the courage, strength, and indefatigability of any living dictator, who would it be and why? #AskGalloway
— Steven Nash (@nashienet) January 28, 2015
What does it feel like to be on the payroll of a country that regularly hangs homosexuals? #AskGalloway — Alex Barnes (@adbarnes1) January 28, 2015
Are you happy being in a union with Dumfries? #askGalloway
— John B (@johnb78) January 28, 2015
Hi George, you want a blasphemy law in Britain. How would you like to see apostates dealt with? Beheading, or hanging? #askgalloway — Ex-Muslims Forum (@CEMB_forum) January 28, 2015
And finally:
When did you decide to consciously start dressing like Gary Glitter? #AskGallowaypic.twitter.com/1Pl63ohH2v
— Jake Warren (@TheJakeWarren) January 28, 2015
Unsurprisingly, Galloway has ended up with a few less Twitter friends than before:
Why did you block me? #askgalloway
— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) January 28, 2015
