IT is very difficult to be indifferent about George Galloway.
There are those who love him, there are those who loathe him. He is the Marmite politician whose career was thought to be toast.
He is certainly no shrinking violet, as his barnstorming performance before the US Senate in 2005 attested. Now the ego has landed on the stomp. He has declared, on Twitter, his determination to stand for election as Mayor of London in 2016.
It is tempting to opine that his candidacy will bring colour to the contest, but it has to be said that the previous occupants of the Mansion House have been far from dull. After "Red Ken" Livingstone and his passion for newts, the metropolis elected Boris Johnson, a true blue with a penchant for news.
Among Mr Galloway's possible opponents will be Labour's former culture secretary Tessa Jowell, with the one-time England footballer Sol Campbell among those to have declared an interest in standing for the Conservatives. It remains to be seen whether any of the candidates will be able to match his indefatigability.
Following his cringeworthy appearance in the Big Brother House in 2006, Mr Galloway may become the first cat to be elected Mayor of London. One wonders what Dick Whittington would have made of that.
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