George Galloway calls for expulsion from Labour party to be rescinded

The Respect Party leader was expelled from Labour in 2003

George Galloway wants his expulsion rescinded (Getty)

George Galloway is at Labour’s annual conference in Brighton - and he wants his membership back.

The outspoken leader of the Respect party was expelled from the Labour party in 2003 because of his critical views on the Iraq war, but he is now demanding his expulsion be overturned.

Mr Galloway was thrown out of the party after referring to the Government as “Tony Blair's lie machine” and suggesting British troops fighting in Iraq should disobey "illegal orders".

He then formed the Respect Party and stood as an MP for Bradford West. He lost his seat to Labour in the 2015 elections.

Mr Galloway, who is running for London Mayor in 2016, said Jeremy Corbyn was among a number of MPs to oppose his expulsion.

“The Labour party must rescind my unjust expulsion, which was made during the [Iraq] war and which was opposed by Mr [Michael] Foot, by Mr [Tony] Benn, and by Mr [Jeremy] Corbyn, so they have to rescind my expulsion,” Mr Galloway told Buzzfeed.

Mr Galloway said he would re-join the party “pretty damn quick” in July if Corbyn was elected Labour leader, telling LBC presenter Iain Dale: “And if it wasn't for Mr Blair and the Iraq War, I would never have been out of the Labour party in the first place.”

He described himself as a “Labour man through and through” and claimed having Corbyn as leader of the party would attract one million more members by the general election in 2020.

A Labour spokesperson told The Independent: “George Galloway has not applied to rejoin the Labour Party and he will not be receiving an invitation.”