Open letter from George Galloway to Labour's Jim Fitzpatrick: I WRITE to ask you to support my call for an immediate General Election. Parliament is facing the greatest constitutional crisis in living memory. Only an election can begin the process of restoring Parliament’s reputation

Open letter from Respect MP George Galloway to Labour’s Jim Fitzpatrick:

I WRITE to ask you to support my call for an immediate General Election.

Parliament is facing the greatest constitutional crisis in living memory, with anger among the electorate towards MPs being unprecedented. Only a General election can begin the process of restoring Parliament’s reputation.

I will be standing against you in the new constituency of Poplar & Limehouse. The voters will have a clear choice on the issues of the day.

You voted against making MPs’ allowances and expenses transparent and disgracefully supported legal attempts by the Commons Speaker to keep allowances secret, whereas I voted for full transparency and dissociated myself from any attempt to continue to conceal the truth.

You oppose any attempt to bring in voting reform, whereas I have always supported a fully-elected parliament and the abolition of the House of Lords, in which I must say your New Labour colleague Baroness Uddin has made this demand all the more irresistible.

I want fixed terms for Parliament, a reduction in the size of the Commons and the introduction of a fair voting proportional representation’ system.

You supported the closure of post offices and support Royal Mail privatisation. I opposed the post office closures and privatising Royal Mail. You have been a minister in the government that presided over the deregulation of the banks and the privatisation of public services which have brought the economy to the worst crisis since the Great Depression.

I, on the other hand, have always opposed deregulation and privatisation and supported public service for need rather than profit.

You must know most voters now want a General election. Gordon Brown is only denying them because he knows he will lose. I hope you will break ranks and agree to support an immediate election.

This parliament, in which your party clings to power by its bitten fingernails is finished. Let’s give the voters a clear choice here in Tower Hamlets and across Britain.

George Galloway, MP

Respect Party Constituency Office

Club Row, Bethnal Green.

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EDITOR: George Galloway quits Bethnal Green & Bow at the next General Election to fight Labour’s Jim Fitzpatrick in neighbouring Poplar & Limehouse constituency.