Former MP George Galloway has made a rare public apology as he withdrew his allegations that his former parliamentary aide used his home to have sexual activity with a former counter terrorism officer. The Respect party leader has paid the legal costs and damages for Ms Aisha Ali-Khan, though not disclosed has reportedly run into five figures. The former MP has been feuding with his former assistant following his by-election victory in Bedford West in 2012.
It is claimed that Ms Ali-Khan’s ex-husband, who at the time was in the police counter terrorism unit had been feeding disinformation aimed at damaging him and the officer was being aided by a member of the then MP’s staff. A year later Ms Khan sued him for libel over his allegations she carried out a dirty tricks campaign with the help of the police officer. Ms Khan claimed her character and reputation is seriously injured and suffered embarrassment and upset and was brought into public scandal and contempt. Mr Galloway, meanwhile felt to have been violated after Ms Khan “enjoyed nights of passion”, at his home in South London while he was abroad according to the accusation.
In 2014, Ms Khan received a conditional discharge for encouraging the same detective inspector to get emails without consent to strengthen her position as Mr Galloway’s assistant. Counter terrorism officer Mohammed Afiz Khan was sacked by the police and given a suspended jail sentence.
Ms Khan’s lawyer, Mark Lewis told the high court, “The claimant sued for libel. She had not been feeding disinformation or deceit or acting as a police agent. She had not slept with the officer, to whom she married in a Sharia ceremony, at the defendants home.” While Mr Galloway was not at court his lawyer, Adam Speker said “The defendant accepts that these contained defamatory accusations for which he apologies. He now withdraws those allegations.”
