Galloway fights closure of three museums

George Galloway has put down a parliamentary motion and written to the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture over the threatened closure of three museums, including the National Media Museum in Bradford.

Along with the media museum, two others in the same group - the National Railway Museum in York and the Museum of Science and Industry - are threatened with cuts or closure in the forthcoming spending review. Galloway points out that the three are integral to Britain's cultural heritage, have outstanding records which would be even better with more adequate funding. The closure of the media museum, he went on, would have a devastating effect on attempts to revive Bradford's city centre.

Muslim Response and Woolwich

The murder in Woolwich has shocked everyone; no one was prepared for such a killing on the streets of the UK.  The response has been of disgust and condemnation.  This incident has raised some questions that politicians and the mainstream media have conveniently dodged.  I am disgusted and appalled by what has taken place, but why should I have to apologise for such a crime, it had nothing to do with me.

Why it is that Muslims and Muslim organisations are expected to distance themselves from the actions of two individuals?  Why is it that Muslim organisations do not even need to be prompted to condemn; they are readily condemning actions that have nothing to do with them.  There has been no attempt by Muslim organisations to discuss the causes of the attack, no attempt to question the mainstream media narrative that imposes labels on Muslims. 

Radicalisation is not a religious problem, it is a problem of society, and specifically, in this case, British society. 

George Galloway on Woolwich murder

Uncomfortable lessons from Woolwich attack

“We have forgotten we are at war. We find it perplexing that a British soldier could be killed in our streets, near to a school, on a busy afternoon.

We have forgotten we are at war.

We are prone to suffering violence because our nation has been at war, explicitly in Iraq and Afghanistan, and covertly in numerous other nations. We are still an Imperialistic nation that believes it has a right to be at the ‘top table’, and that we are entitled to deploy our military wherever we like so that we can protect ‘British interests’.

Galloway condemns Woolwich 'atrocity'

Speaking hours after the brutal killing of an off-duty soldier in a Woolwich street George Galloway condemned it as a 'sickening atrocity'.

He added that there could be no excuse for the attack where the soldier, still to be named, was first knocked-down by the attackers' car before being hacked to death. But he pointed out that what happened in London was exactly what 'we are paying people to do in Syria'.

He will speak further about the barbaric killing later tonight on his Comment show on Press TV, which can be watched online.

British government stance on Bangladesh hardens after Galloway question

In response to a question from George Galloway, the British government has called for 'an impartial, transparent, independent investigation' into the ongoing violence in Bangladesh which has resulted in more than 200 deaths.

The Bradford West MP asked the Foreign Secretary what information he had about the killing of peaceful protestors, particularly those taking place in Shapla Square, Dhaka on May 5/6. Foreign office minister Alistair Burt responded that the British government was very concerned about the upsurge in violence and made his appeal to the Bangladesh government to set up the independent inquiry,

'This is almost unprecedented,' said Galloway, 'one government calling on another to set up an arms' length inquiry. The only conclusion you can take is that our government does not trust or believe the Bangladesh government is capable of investigating these state killings. And no wonder, given the brutal murders this foul and corrupt Bangladesh government has been carrying out. 

'Of course, despite the plea, there's not a chance that the Sheikh Hasina regime will comply.'

Galloway again demands MQM leader's British citizenship is withdrawn

George Galloway, in a series of parliamentary questions and a parliamentary motion, has asked the British Prime Minister and the Home Secretary to remove MQM leader Altaf Hussain's British citizenship.

Hussain is currently living in London after successfully applying for citizenship during the tenure of the last Labour government. He says that he fears for his life were he to return to Pakistan.

Galloway asked the government to examine whether the MQM leader should be thrown out of the country after Hussain made a serious of inflammatory broadcasts. However, following the assassination of the vice-president of Imran Khan's party, the PTI, which is blamed on the MQM, Galloway is once again raising Altaf Hussain's status in the British Parliament. Zara Shahid Hussain was shot dead outside her house as Karachi votes in a partial re-run of the Pakistan general election.

Prisoners of Guantanamo Bay

I lie wide awake in this cold cell at night,

Knowing tomorrow I face a brand new fight.

I console myself - it’s going to be alright,

But I already see the tunnel without any light.

Every morning I just don’t want to wake up,

But I force myself to never ever give up.

The evil I see here makes my psyche erupt,

The system in place is so dark and corrupt.

Taunts, torture, abuse and on-going threats,              

They feel no shame, nor have any regrets.

They watch and laugh as I panic and fret,

Then burn holes in my skin with a lit cigarette.

My battered body is screaming out in agony,

Suffocating in here and I’m desperate to breathe.

Every heartbeat is becoming harder to beat,

Every obstacle is becoming harder to defeat.

I’ve had enough and my dying heart bleeds,

Am crying inside and the world cannot see.

I worry of what will happen to my poor family?

My parents, my wife, my baby they suffer greatly.

I stumble in pain with every step that I take,

Every smile on my face is now really just fake.

But the Imaan in my heart will never shake,

They can try all they want but it will never break.

I pray one day this will all come to an end,

The lonely nights will cease to be my best friend.

But if I don’t live to see another year again,

I believe in God’s justice….I’m a winner in the end

By Iram of MPACUK

Galloway calls for the peaceful overthrow of Bangladesh's 'gangster government'

George Galloway called for the peaceful overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government in Bangladesh. Speaking at a huge protest rally in East London, Galloway denounced the massacre of Islamic scholars earlier in the week.

 “Even on the most conservative estimates of the number of people murdered, it exceeds the loss of life in 9/11,” said Galloway.

“This is a game changer as the Americans would say. Bangladesh will never be the same again. This is the beginning of the end of this corrupt, murderous government.” He went on to deny there was now any possibility of free and fair elections in Bangladesh.

“Either they will be fixed by the government or they will be cancelled. That is why the only way we will get the change Bangladesh needs is through people power, a peaceful revolution that will remove this gangster government. The media is now under the almost total control of the Hasina government and in the West there has been an almost total media blackout about the massacre.”

 Galloway added that the British-based Bangladesh TV had boycotted the rally and called on them to do their duty and tell the truth. “I’m against hanging anyone but it’s a fundamental truth in politics that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. There has to be an end of the politics of revenge.”

George also denounced the factory tragedy which has now taken the lives of over a thousand people and urged support for the campaign he launched a week ago to make Western multinationals fully accountable for the working conditions of those in their supply chain.

Galloway to commemorate the Bradford City disaster

George Galloway will join hundreds of mourners tomorrow (May 11) to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Bradford City fire 27 years ago.

Fifty-six people died and at least 265 people were injured. The memorial will take place at Centenary Square at 11am.

The old Valley Parade stadium, the long-established home of Bradford City Football CLub, had been noted for its antiquate design and facilities, including the wooden roof of the main stand. Warnings had also been given about a major build-up of litter just below the seats. Following the fire the stadium was totally rebuilt.