ANOTHER day, another George Galloway rumpus. The anti-Iraq war MP has signed up to present a fortnightly show for Al Mayadeen, a new Arab television channel said to be linked to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. It comes a week after he belittled alleged victims of rape, and a day after he used terms offensive to disabled people.

Critics claimed that the Beirut-based Al Mayadeen is either funded by Iran, or by Assad’s cousin — though its management denies both charges. But certainly, its head of news is married to Assad’s sometime PR adviser, while the station’s director quit a rival channel (Al Jazeera) because he felt it was too critical of the Syrian government.

“Given that they’re in such a dire situation, it’s unlikely that the Syrian regime has put money into the station,” explains Professor Joe Khalil, an expert in Arab TV at the Qatar branch of Northwestern University, “but they’re definitely getting [the station’s] support.”

This isn’t the first time Galloway has taken a controversial shilling (he also has a show with the Iran-backed Press TV), and nor is he alone among British politicos. Former London mayor and veteran British Labour figure Ken Livingstone had a regular slot with Press TV, as did — amusingly — his arch-critic, journalist Andrew Gilligan; his putative rival for the mayoralty, Nick Ferrari; and disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway. In January 2012, the channel was banned from operating in the UK by the country’s media regulator after it was judged to have broadcast an interview made under duress.

Meanwhile, Julian Assange fronted up for the Kremlin’s Russia Today earlier this year. Assange interviewed controversial figures such as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah — but was criticised for his stilted delivery, and for failing to delve into Russian human rights abuses.

Why do the stations want them? Different channels have different reasons, says Khalil. “Press TV was based in the UK, and directed towards a British audience,” he says, “so it had to fit inside that environment.” Hence their range of politicians from across the political spectrum, all fairly familiar to British audiences.

Al Mayadeen, on the other hand, is Arab-based, and only wants to recruit Westerners who are both well-known in the Middle East, and who support their anti-Western politics.

“Galloway is the perfect fit for Al Mayadeen,” says Khalil. “He was on Arab television during every single uprising, war, and he came out very forcefully against Israel. Al Mayadeen treats him like a superstar.” — The Guardian, London