George Galloway ‘held for nine hours’ at airport by counter terror police

George Galloway has said he was held by counter terror police for nine hours at Gatwick Airport and had his phone and laptop confiscated before being released without charge.

The former MP, 71, said officers stopped him for “no reason at all” other than to “gain access to our communications”.

Mr Galloway and his wife, Putri Gayatri Pertiwi, were allowed on their way after being stopped on Saturday under the terrorism Act, the Metropolitan Police said.

Reports said the couple had returned to the UK from Moscow via Abu Dhabi.

In a ranting introduction to his Mother Of All Talk Shows broadcast, Mr Galloway said officers had questioned him about his views on Russia and China.

Speaking on Sunday’s edition of his internet show, he said: “Not a single effort was made to show cause for having detained me and her with armed officers in public in an English airport.”

Addressing his viewers, he said: “If they can arrest me under the terrorism Act at an English airport, what hope have you got?”

Police questions ranged “far and wide, right down to Gayatri’s famous fingernail painted in the Palestinian colours”, he said.

“They’re too stupid to be anti-terrorism police, they’re too stupid to be in MI5 if they think they can intimidate me, not even death will intimidate me.

“There is only one reason why they detained us there, under that legislation – it was to gain access to our communications, to confiscate phones, to confiscate laptops, and to enter and burgle and see what they can do with our private communications.

“It’s come to something when a man like me, a man with the profile that I have, can be stopped by armed policemen at an English airport.”

Mr Galloway said he had travelled to the UK to give a speech in London at an event due to be attended by the Chinese ambassador.

“Held together with my wife for nine hours,” he said.

“Missing the engagement that I had come to London to perform, and having to make that weary journey back on the train with no phones, with no laptop, incommunicado, unable to speak with any of our family, any of our comrades, any of our friends, or any of our legal representatives.”

The Met said in a statement on Saturday: “We can confirm that on Saturday September 27, counter terrorism officers at Gatwick Airport stopped a man in his 70s and a woman in her 40s under Schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019.

“Neither of them were arrested and they were allowed on their way.”

The Act gives police, immigration and customs officers the power to stop people to find out if they are “engaged in hostile activities that threaten national security or the economic well-being of the UK”.

The Workers Party of Britain leader lost his Rochdale seat at last year’s general election just months after winning the constituency in a shock by-election.

He has criticised British and US foreign policies during his career, including their support for Ukraine.