Fascinating, then, to learn that King, far right, has backed out of a return to front-line politics that would have involved a rematch with the MP who booted her out of office.
The former "Blair babe" was asked to relaunch her political career by standing as a Labour Party councillor at May's elections in Tower Hamlets.
However, I gather that she turned down the offer. It's a shame, because Galloway was also likely to stand for election on behalf of his Respect Party in the Shadwell ward of the borough.
Although Galloway is yet to make a final decision on the proposed move, he is delighted at King's withdrawal .
"I can't say I'm surprised," he tells me. "It's a fair compliment to Respect, and demonstrates that the tide that swept her way in May this year is still rising."
King can be forgiven for wanting to avoid any repeat of a battle that (among other things) saw her pelted with rotten eggs during a visit to a Jewish cemetery.
"I was asked to stand as a councillor, but I didn't think it was the right time for me to go back into frontline politics," she says.
* The actress Lisa Bilton - Lisa B, to you or me - is involved in a cinematic collaboration with two of the biggest "mouths" in public life.
Sir Richard Branson and Germaine Greer have agreed to make cameo appearances in her next film, a documentary on the sex industry.
Bilton informs me that the flick, to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, is a "Michael Moore-style" investigation into a device known as the "Rampant Rabbit".
"We've got great cameos," she said at the launch of the Pakistan Earthquake Appeal concert. "Richard Branson does a hilarious one where a passenger is caught using a Rabbit on a Virgin flight.
"Germaine Greer rants about women's liberation, and how every self-respecting woman ought to own a Rabbit."
Both stars are rolling back the years. Greer last graced the silver screen in her 1970s heyday; Branson's best film role saw him "goose" Geri Halliwell in the 1990s spoof, Spiceworld.
* Zara Phillips is the beneficiary of an orchestrated PR campaign to promote her cause in this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
The green welly brigade - perhaps the most formidable lobby group of recent years - is attempting to pull off the biggest coup since Princess Anne won in the 1970s by getting supporters to vote for Phillips to carry off the gong.
Readers of Horse & Hound are advised to text the BBC directly with their votes.
"Of course, Zara's going to be an outsider, but this year she became European [eventing] champion, which is a genuine sporting achievement," says acting editor Kate Green.
Some might consider this a manipulation of the democratic process, but the Beeb informs me that it's entirely above board. "All part of the fun," I'm told.
* Jack Straw delivered a magisterial speech extolling the virtues of democracy and a free press at the Foreign Press Association's media awards on Tuesday.
Apart from former professional heckler Betty Boothroyd, who told him to "get a move on", most guests listened remarkably politely.
But the Foreign Secretary didn't escape every banana skin. For it turns out the evening's festivities were sponsored by the Kingdom of Bahrain, an absolute monarchy that has an iffy record on free speech.
Amnesty International has "concerns" about Bahrain. "Newspapers have been closed down and journalists arrested for criticising the government," I'm told. "There have also been incidents where human rights activists were arrested."
I'm sure both Mr Straw, and the crusading journalists who picked up gongs, enjoyed a convivial evening, nonetheless.
* Sir Christopher Meyer - whose diaries have so terribly upset John Prescott - is now getting up the noses of some big beasts in the Conservative Party.
Yesterday, MPs were sent an update from Meyer's Press Complaints Commission. It reveals that John Redwood has just suffered the indignity of having a complaint against the Daily Mirror rejected.
The "Vulcan", as he is widely known, had taken issue with an article published in April under the headline: "He's not human... Don't vote for him".
It contained lurid allegations by Redwood's ex-wife Gail concerning his affair with the blonde former game-show hostess, Nikki Page.
The MP is said by friends to be "less than impressed" at the PCC's decision. How fortunate that the comely Ms Page is still there to comfort him.
pandora@independent.co.uk
Comments