Fresh from his libel victory over the Daily Telegraph, George Galloway this evening announced his intention to challenge the Labour MP Oona King at the general election.
Mr Galloway - who was expelled from the Labour party over his opposition to the invasion of Iraq - believes the large Muslim community in Ms King's Bethnal Green and Bow constituency, in east London, would welcome his anti-war message.
He is seeking the nomination of the anti-war Respect coalition, which he co-founded with the Socialist Workers party to capitalise on the recent renaissance of the peace movement.
Mr Galloway's announcement comes after the high court this morning found for him in his libel action against the Daily Telegraph, awarding him £150,000 in damages.
High Court judge David Eady said allegations that he had been in the pay of Saddam Hussein were "seriously defamatory", and said he had no option but to award Mr Galloway compensation at the upper end of the scale awarded in a non-jury libel action.
The high court ruled that the Telegraph had defamed Mr Galloway when it published a report claiming that documents found in Baghdad after the invasion of Iraq by US-led forces last year alleged he was in the pay of Saddam Hussein.
Mr Justice Eady said he was "obliged to compensate Mr Galloway in respect of the publications and the aggravated features of the defendants' subsequent conduct, and to make an award for the purposes of restoring his reputation". He added: "I do not think those purposes would be achieved by any award less than £150,000."
It is a major victory for Mr Galloway, who, during the court battle, accused the paper of failing to seek a proper response from him and of rushing to print in pursuit of a scoop.
Speaking after the case, he launched a tirade against the prime minister, Tony Blair, and said the Telegraph had been given a "judicial caning". Mr Galloway said the paper had been motivated by its pro-war position, and called it one of the biggest "trumpeters" of the war.
"The Daily Telegraph has been held to account - and what an account it has been. But when is Tony Blair going to be held to account?" he saidoutside the court, to cheers from his supporters.