Merry Belated Christmas Hitch

Galloway loses respect with cat charade
By Richard Alleyne and Lucy Shaw
(Filed: 14/01/2006)
George Galloway plumbed new depths when he pretended to be a cat as part of a task set for him during his appearance on the television show Celebrity Big Brother.

The Repect Party MP, who last year lambasted the United States Senate over the war in Iraq, crouched on all fours, purring and licking imaginary milk from the hands of the actress Rula Lenska.


George Galloway pretends to be a cat while Rula Lenska strokes him
She then rubbed the "cream" from his "whiskers" and stroked his head and behind his ears before he put his head on her lap.

Mr Galloway, 51, faced an immediate backlash from residents of his Bethnal Green and Bow constituency, east London, who voted for him last May.

He further angered conservative Muslims, who make up the bulk of his support, when he told his housemates, including glamour models, entertainers and minor pop stars, that his favourite pursuits were sex and sunbathing.

James Sibthorp, 47, who runs a cab company in the constituency, said: "It is an insult to local people that we've got our MP acting like a fool pretending to be a cat. I hope he stays in there even longer so that people realise who they have voted for - a self-publicist with a big ego."

Monir Ali, 50, a tailor, said: "I think a lot of people are regretting voting for him. A man of his importance should not be on a programme like that."

Hilary Armstrong, the Labour Party's chief whip, who visited the area yesterday, said the cat incident had made her "cringe".
She said that Mr Galloway had missed vital votes and debates, particularly on the Crossrail scheme and renovation of a hospital, which would affect his constituents.

John Biggs, a member of the Greater London Authority Assembly, said: "Big Brother is full of media people with failing careers making one desperate throw to get back on the stage. Does that apply to George? I'll leave that up to viewers."

Ron McKay, Mr Galloway's spokesman, said he wished the cat episode "had not happened" and claimed that the MP had been misled by the programme makers. Rob Hoveman, the MP's parliamentary assistant, said: "It is outrageous that they have censored his views. He is going to have to work hard to win back credibility."

The show's producer Peter Bazalgette denied that Mr Galloway was being censored.

He said that broadcasting rules on political balance meant that Mr Galloway's thoughts on the Iraq war and poverty in his constituency could be aired only on the daily highlights programme if "countervailing views" were screened as well.

A spokesman said: "He was aware prior to the show that as a broadcaster we are regulated by strict guidelines. He was aware that this was not an opportunity for him to get on his soapbox."