Media regulators Ofcom have finally come to a conclusion about one of George Galloway's inappropriate outbursts on radio station TalkSport.
As a sitting MP and representative of Bethnal Green and Bow, it was not acceptable for him to have hijacked the morning show for promoting himself as a better candidate for Poplar and Limehouse. Called to stand-in for regular hosts on the morning of 10 August, Galloway proceeded to outline his plan to pitch battle for Poplar and Limehouse. And not with any subtle, 'ooh, you might want to think about choosing someone different at the next general election' bit of suggestion.
He did it in his uniquely forceful and spiteful way, hogging the airwaves with attacks on incumbent Poplar and Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick that included blaming him for Heathrow, closing post offices, holding him up as the hate figure of firefighters and the fire brigade union and listing every vote he made on issues such as fox hunting, gay rights and the Iraq War. We never heard the outburst but it might be possible Galloway is a fan of the Evening Standard Headline Generator and its terror-inducing syntax.
The extent of this breach of Galloway's impartiality was enough to make Ofcom consider a sanction on the radio station which would involve a fine, a broadcast of the ruling and some serious re-thinking about who is a good stand-in when a presenter is needed. However, this is the first breach of impartiality on this scale that TalkSport have incurred so it's simply a rap on the knuckles and a warning not to play with that naughty George again. It's back to that milk crate in Speakers' Corner for our favourite Lycra-clad feline tub-thumper.
Image courtesy of Simon Scott from the Londonist Flickr pool.
