QUESTIONS were being raised tonight (Friday) about MP George Galloway’s future political career after his bid for election to the London Assembly ended in a crushing defeat. His apparent failure to capture more than five percent of the pan London’ Party List vote without even a particularly strong showing in what he thought would be his East End heartland’ raised doubts about whether he could win a future re-election campaign for Westminster for Poplar & Limehouse.

By Ted Jeory at City Hall tonight

QUESTIONS were being raised tonight (Friday) about MP George Galloway's future political career after his bid for election to the London Assembly ended in a crushing defeat.

His apparent failure to capture more than five percent of the 'pan London' Party List vote without even a particularly strong showing in what he thought would be his East End 'heartland' raised doubts about whether he could mount a future victorious re-election campaign for Westminster in the Poplar & Limehouse constituency.

The Galloway-led Party List vote was pushed into third place in the City & East constituency, behind Labour and Tories, with around 20,000 votes, just above the BNP.

Mutterings among his foes on the Left List suggested his defeat meant the end to the Scot as a 'political animal.'

But Galloway's spokesman, Kevin Ovenden, told the East London Advertiser there was "no chance" he would withdraw his candidacy for Poplar & Limehouse with a General Election due in the next two years.

"We have not seen the concentration of our vote in City & East," he admitted.

"But we have a heavy hunch the concentration of votes will be strong in Tower Hamlets and Newham.

"We fought this election well in difficult circumstances and our strategy for Poplar & Limehouse remains on course."

Ovenden went on to attack the Labour Government.

"Gordon Brown has squandered the political capital," he said.

"Millions of Labour voters will feel gutted.

"We intend to use that and build from our bastion in East London."

His comments came as Galloway, who was not at City Hall for tonight's results, was appearing on TalkSport Radio as a member of their political panel.