Leader: Welcome back, George Galloway

Published on Monday 8 November 2010 16:27

George Galloway provokes strong feelings. Some people like him, even admire him. It might be putting it a little strongly to say other people hate him, but there are those who are not sympathetic to "gorgeous George". So the news that Mr Galloway, the former Respect MP, is to have a tilt at winning election to Holyrood is unlikely to be greeted with apathy or ambivalence.

Controversy has followed Mr Galloway from the streets of Dundee via the Big Brother house to the US Senate. It is not about to leave him behind as he seeks to become an MSP for Glasgow, where he was once an MP.

Given his past, it is unlikely we will agree with much of Mr Galloway's platform, but there is something intriguing about such a high-profile character bringing his indefatigability to Holyrood benches, where too many elected representatives do not exactly sparkle.

However, those who have most to lose from his candidature could be the parties of the Left, including the Greens, whose Glasgow list MSP Patrick Harvie, referring to a certain politician currently engaged in a court case, remarked that "another tanned ego hell-bent on splitting their vote" was all the socialists needed. The first and, we are sure, not the last cutting comment Mr Galloway is likely to provoke. Welcome back, George.