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A new investigation has been launched into George Galloway's £1m political fund, the Mariam Appeal. The Charity Commission last night said the fresh probe was under way on the back of the inquiries by the US Senate and the UN into the appeal.

These resulted in claims that Fawaz Zureikat, the former Glasgow Kelvin MP's friend and one-time associate, funnelled £252,000 from the UN's oil-for-food programme into the organisation, set up to help sick Iraqi children and oppose UN sanctions on Iraq.

A spokesman for the charity watchdog said the new inquiry "will ascertain whether any funds donated to it originated from transactions conducted under the UN's oil-for-food programme. It will also establish what is the legal status of these funds and examine the extent to which the trustees discharged their duties and responsibilities in accepting them." He said the inquiry would consider the UN and Senate reports.

Hurrah! \o/