An extraordinary row between newly elected MP George Galloway and prominent Dundee solicitor Billy Boyle has taken a bizarre twist.
A lifelong feud between the two adversaries plunged new depths as they traded verbal blows over who had been the better footballer.
The incredible dispute came in the wake of Mr Galloway’s controversial comments published in Monday’s Courier that he was born in a Lochee ”slum”.
That prompted a furious response from Mr Boyle, who claimed the description made ”no sense” and that Lochee was no worse than any other area of the city.
But the animosity between the pair has been ramped up even further after Mr Galloway said: ”Billy Boyle has never forgiven me for the fact that he remains a provincial solicitor and that I took his No. 9 shirt at St Columba’s.
”Some years ago I challenged him to the best of five goals at half-time at Tannadice to establish whether I was good enough. For some reason, he declined.
”In 1954, Lochee or Tipperary where I was born was indeed a slum. I was born into 12a Atholl Street, an attic, with an outside toilet and a sloping roof causing me to have to sleep for a time in a drawer. I call that a slum. Boyle may have different standards.
“In any case the street was knocked down in a slum clearance programme and we got a spanking new council house in Charleston. For the avoidance of doubt, far from wishing to disparage Lochee, I am extremely proud to have come from there.”
The Respect Party MP’s latest comments have angered Mr Boyle who said he had difficulty understanding the language used and was equally lost over the reference about ”getting my jersey”.
”Not only was he younger than me, so far as I know unless it was a friendly game for the reserves, George didn’t play football,” said Mr Boyle. ”In simple terms, ask him to show you his medals and I will show you mine. George is a bit of a blot on the honour of a wonderful city and he should just keep his mouth shut.
”I am very proud to be a so-called provincial solicitor in Dundee. The real point of this is George in a personal trivial attack is attempting to deflect criticism of his unwarranted attacks on a city of which its citizens are rightly proud.
”It is true that George in the only time he stood for election in Dundee lost the safest Labour seat to Bunty Turly. Just because the citizens of Dundee have more sense than those in Bradford, there is no need for him to take it personally.”
Lochee councillor Bob Duncan said he had ”no idea” why Mr Galloway said what he did, but is keen for him to visit the area.
”He has lived away from Dundee for some time and I hope he comes up to Lochee to see the regeneration work that’s going on in the area,” said the SNP elected representative.
Fellow councillor, Alan Ross plans to write to Mr Galloway over the matter.
”I was in Lochee High Street today and every single person I spoke to was upset about what Mr Galloway said,” he said.