From firebrand to pussycat: Galloway's TV transformation

Respect MP's stunt draws jeers from opponents and alarms supporters

He purred and mewed, his greying whiskers giving his face the appearance of a Cheshire cat. Next, George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, and scourge of Capitol Hill, got on all fours and pretended to lick milk from the cupped hands of the once-famous television actor Rula Lenska. She rubbed the "cream" from his "whiskers" and stroked his head and behind his ears.

When he steps out into the real world, Mr Galloway may regret his decision to accept the producer's challenge to mimic a pet on live television last night. He may feel his flirtation with a reality TV youth audience was not worth the loss of credibility that many of his critics claimed yesterday was an inevitable consequence.

The firebrand parliamentarian earned the grudging respect of even his political enemies through his performance before the US Congress last year. But yesterday viewers only saw rolling footage of the cat performance. Commentators called it excruciating and his own supporters said it was an indignity.

As the cat scenes continued to play out, the Labour party moved into the absent MP's constituency, in the form of Westminster chief whip Hilary Armstrong armed with a petition - as well as her own television cameras - demanding that the missing MP return to work. She urged Mr Galloway to "respect his constituents, not his ego".

And as supporters argued that Channel 4 was censoring Mr Galloway's political message, the Big Brother website was laden with innuendo after the cat incident, saying: "The task may be over, but George, it seems, just can't keep his inner beast caged. George seemed to be feline frisky. First he starts a restless circling of the kitchen, looking every bit like a caged tiger marking his territory. Next he purrs something quietly in fellow feline Rula's ear that makes her bottom jump and tighten excitedly. Sadly we don't know what George said, but whatever it was got this reaction from our Polish thoroughbred: 'Well I'm glad it can still do that for you.' "

Those working for the MP said he had been prepared to suffer such indignities in the belief that his political message was getting across to millions of viewers. But, they claim, when he discovers his political message has been muted, he will be furious.


Ron McKay, Mr Galloway's spokesman and friend, said: "I would hope people will realise it's just a bit of silliness and even MPs can indulge in that. I rather wish he hadn't been given that particularly silly task.

"They have these indignities thrust upon them by Big Brother. It was a calculated risk to do the show but it was predicated on not being censored and him being able to get his message out but when he says anything political they bleep him or tweety-bird it.

"The producer admitted George has talked a lot about politics and they censored it out. It's the height of cynicism when you accept a controversial MP, with the expectation that the audience will find him controversial, and then silence him, citing the Broadcasting Act. It's political censorship. The idea was to reach a mass audience, including some of the third of 18- to 24-year-olds who didn't vote in the last election."

The show's producer, Peter Bazalgette, denied the claims, arguing that broadcasting rules on political balance meant the MP's thoughts on the Iraq war and poverty in Tower Hamlets could only be aired on the daily highlights programme if "countervailing views" were also screened. He was considering whether there should be a political debate within the house.

Arcane rules

"There are these arcane broadcasting regulations. George has been talking about Iraq and the poll tax, but you have to show countervailing views," he said on BBC1's This Week programme.

On Brick Lane, Ms Armstrong was surrounded by placard-wielding local people demanding their MP set foot in the constituency's streets. The petition said: "We believe this egotistical action shows a shameful lack of respect for the people of this constituency. We call on him to represent and respect his constituents, not further his own ego, as he is by remaining totally out of touch in the Big Brother house."

Mr McKay called the protest a stunt. "The wicked witch of Westminster goes to Brick Lane," he said. "He is not just a constituency MP. He is party leader, it's his duty to propagandise for the party and get in as many members as possible, and that's what he wanted to do on Big Brother." He added: "If the people on Big Brother had all been terribly nice, bright, funny people, George would have come out of this a lot better."

Anas al-Tikriti, of the Muslim Association of Britain, said: "I think George has proved he is a man that connects with the common people and that's important. Being a cat wasn't something he just brought upon himself. It was a task he had to do and he acted diligently, otherwise he would have been seen as a hypocrite. You can't have it both ways.

"I think he brings a side to Big Brother that we haven't seen before. Galloway is exposing this is the kind of generation we have to deal with - where a 23-year-old woman doesn't know what a gynaecologist is. He has made a lot of people from political circles aware of what this generation is like."

Cat's whiskers: George and Rula at play

Rula is with George in the living area. He is on the sofa and she is on the rug. Big Brother has suggested they try some animal role play exercises to warm up for the tasks ahead.

George: "Would you like me to be the cat?"

Rula: "Yes please."

[George proceeds to clamber down on to the rug beside Rula, and purrs throughout the exchange.]

Rula: "Here pussy, pussy, pussy, yes ... more tickles it's OK ... Oooh little pussy cat, there there pussy cat ..."

[George slowly licks his lips.]

Rula: "You stay there, I'll get you some milk, you like that don't you ..."

[Rula pretends to get some milk. George is now on all fours, lapping pretend cream from Rula's cupped hands.]

Rula: "Yes, good pussy cat ... that's right, delicious! Good girl, good girl ..."

[George licks his lips and moustache.]

Rula: "You've got cream all over your whiskers."

[She rubs his sideburns and says: "Good pussy cat." George nuzzles into her lap and starts purring. Rula strokes his head and behind his ears.]

Rula: "Oooh yes, has it been a trying day with all those people coming into the house, has it? You just like being alone with your mummy, don't you?"

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