THE first moves in Labour’s attempts to oust George Galloway as one of the party’s MPs are likely to come this week.

Hilary Armstrong, the Chief Whip, is said to be preparing a report on the MP for Glasgow Kelvin which will go to the party’s parliamentary committee in the Commons. The committee of Labour backbenchers will be invited to make a decision on whether Mr Galloway should be suspended from taking the Labour whip. If they agree, a final decision will be made by the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).

The case Ms Armstrong is compiling against Mr Galloway is understood to concentrate on three main charges: comparing Tony Blair to a “wolf” for the decision to invade Iraq; accusing another minister of being a liar; and allegedly swearing at a fellow Glasgow Labour MP.

The file against Mr Galloway may also make mention of taking time away from the Commons without the permission of the whips’ office, and his poor recent record of taking part in Commons votes.

John Reid, the former Labour Party chairman and now the Leader of the House, indicated in a television interview yesterday that the recent allegation that the MP was paid £375,000 a year by Saddam Hussein’s regime would be set aside for the moment, pending the outcome of any libel action by Mr Galloway. David Triesman, the Labour general secretary, is said to be investigating the claims, which have been denied by the MP.

The MP also faces an inquiry into his handling of the Mariam Appeal, which began as an attempt to raise money for the treatment at a Glasgow hospital of an Iraqi girl suffering from leukaemia. The Charity Commission has said it will investigate whether cash raised to pay for Mariam’s medical care was used for non-charitable activity. If Mr Galloway loses the whip, he would remain an MP but he would be barred from attending any meetings of the PLP.

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