George Galloway discussed return to Labour under Miliband
George Galloway held aborted talks about a return to Labour under Ed Miliband, the controversial former MP has told Politics.co.uk
Galloway said discussions took place when Jim Murphy was still leader of Scottish Labour.
"When Jim Murphy was in charge there was talk," he told Robert McGregor in an interview for Politics.co.uk.
"It never happened as it would have caused too many problems with Ed Miliband."
Galloway spoke proudly of his "long friendship and continuing respect" for Murphy and claimed that "some Blairites like John McTernan and Jim Murphy would [now] encourage Corbyn to go for [my return]".
McTernan, who was Murphy's chief of staff, today declined to discuss whether talks had ever taken place with Galloway about his return to the party.
However, he said it was "odd" that Galloway had not yet been readmitted by Corbyn.
"With all the other leftists who have been let back into the Labour party it seems odd for Jeremy Corbyn to exclude his comrade George Galloway," McTernan told Politics.co.uk
"Is it because George is a powerfully eloquent and persuasive populist public speaker?"
The possibility of Galloway's return has been backed by Corbyn's close ally, the former Labour mayor of London Ken Livingstone, but has already caused outrage among other members of the party.
However, Galloway believes his return to Scottish Labour is still a strong possibility.
"If they had a proposal in Scotland, I would listen. I am after all still a Labour man and I've never been anything else."
He suggested that Labour should be begging for his return.
"If someone proposed a role in Scotland which satisfied me and Labour I would definitely look at it. Given the state of the opinion polls in Scotland and the impact of my 'Just Say Naw' tour in the Scottish Labour heartlands I'm a little surprised they're not walking the 500 miles just to lay down such a proposal at my door."
Read our full interview with George Galloway here.
