galloway targets new labour mp george galloway is to stand against proiraq war labour mp oona king at the next general election mr galloway who on thursday won 150 000 in libel damages from the daily telegraph said he would contest bethnal green in london for respect the glasgow kelvin mp who was expelled from labour over his anti iraq war stance accused ms king of being a new labour stooge ms king said she was delighted at the chance to take on mr galloway mr galloway s current constituency is set to disappear under planned boundary changes in scotland the 50yearold mp launched respect the unity coalition in january along with 1 000 antiwar activists and the muslim association of britain the party s declared aims are an end to the occupation of iraq the repeal of antiunion laws and the end of privatisation speaking from a cafe in brick lane east london mr galloway said he had accepted the party s invitation to stand with great honour and pride he added here in this constituency of bethnal green and bow there is a new labour stooge mp a stooge who will sing any song make any speech do any dance do anything she is told to by tony blair irrespective of how her constituents are adversely affected or how strongly they feel to the contrary ms king has represented the constituency since 1997 she said i m delighted i ve been given the chance to finish him mr galloway off and believe me i will i know many people around the country will be grateful not least his constituents in scotland who he has shamelessly abandoned in june s european parliament elections respect failed to gain enough votes for an mep but did come first in tower hamlets borough most of which is covered by the commons constituency of bethnal green and bow a month later it gained a council seat in a byelection in st dunstan s and stepney green ward tower hamlets mr galloway said that in next year s expected general election and local elections a year later the party would turn the east end of london into a fortress both the conservatives and the liberal democrats have chosen prospective parliamentary candidates for bethnal green and bow from the bangladeshi population which makes up almost half the electorate the telegraph was sued for libel by mr galloway after the newspaper claimed he received money from saddam hussein s regime in iraq the newspaper said it was in the public interest to publish the claims based on documents found in baghdad mr justice eady said he was obliged to compensate mr galloway and to make an award for the purposes of restoring his reputation