Something to hide, George?

The Mariam Charity Appeal inquiry has reported today and I have to say it is a damning verdict on the conduct of George Galloway. He has been found to have breached Parliamentary rules on a number of accounts. Ever since the infamous "indefatigability" speech he gave to Saddam there has always been a stink following him round. The report made the following observations on his conduct during the inquiry:

• Repeated denial of facts
• Constant attack without justification on the motives and conduct of anyone who has in any way offered evidence which might be considered damaging to him
• Repeated attention to issues which in some senses are peripheral
• The making of wholly incorrect allegations without any factual basis
• Readiness to argue one way and then argue the opposite when it suits him

Hardly actions of a man with nothing to hide, are they?

In summary, Sir Philip Mawar who led the inquiry stated:

“As to the nature of my inquiry in this case, I have pursued it in the same manner as I would a complaint against any other Member, but its duration and scale have been quite unlike any other.”

Even more damning, Mawar claimed "powerful", if circumstantial, evidence that "a substantial part" of donations to the Mariam Appeal from its chairman, Jordanian businessman Fawaz Zureikat, "came from monies derived, via the Oil for Food programme, from the former Iraqi regime". He went on

"Mr Galloway at best turned a blind eye to what was happening and, on balance, was likely to have known and been complicit in what was going on."

It was also claimed that Galloway considered the inquiry part of an "attempted political assassination". Sounds like a guilty conscience George.

The end result is that Galloway will get a suspension from Parliament for 18 days. However, Gorgeous George isn't going without a fight (how very out of character). He claimed that Parliament should be giving him a medal, not a suspension, for his efforts to stop the Iraq war!

There is plenty more left to run on this story. He has got away with being fingered for making money from Saddam or out of the food for oil programme, but something isn't right about it all and there are enough people who have had their feathers ruffled by Galloway that there is a strong possibility it will come out sooner or later that he is not whiter than white.

If you have nothing to hide George, why are you acting like such an arse over all this?