LONDON – George Galloway was branded “Lord Haw-Haw” yesterday as a former minister called for an inquiry into the latest allegations about his dealings with Saddam Hussein.

Britain’s former Foreign Office minister, Denis MacShane, said the claims were so serious that they should be investigated by a joint committee of the House of Commons and American Congress. Speaking on the floor of the Commons, Mr. MacShane said he could not comment on the allegations that were published by the Senate subcommittee on Monday.

He said Mr. Galloway “employs very expensive libel lawyers to stop any press investigation into his role as Lord Haw-Haw for one of the worst tyrants in the world’s history, responsible for killing more Muslims than anybody else in the history of that religion.

“Still, we do need a joint Congress and Commons committee of inquiry to settle the truth once and for all.

“Because if any of the allegations of financial receipt are true, it is not just the honorable member’s reputation that is at stake. It’s the reputation of this House, if it does not deal with it.”

Mr. Galloway was not in the Commons to hear himself compared to Lord Haw-Haw, the nickname given to the infamous Nazi propagandist and convicted traitor William Joyce, who was hanged in 1946. The leader of the Commons, Geoff Hoon, reminded members of parliament that the Senate allegations were being investigated with a view to possible legal action.

Mr. MacShane spoke before the publication of more allegations about Mr. Galloway in the Volcker report. But the Senate report and the Volcker report will both be studied in detail by the parliamentary commissioner for standards, Sir Philip Mawer, who is conducting his own inquiry into Mr. Galloway.

Outside the Commons, Mr. Galloway said: “It is MacShane who qualifies as the Lord Haw-Haw for his despicable part in the worst foreign policy disaster in 100 years – Iraq.”