Anti-war campaigner and British Labour MP George Galloway has strongly denied a newspaper report that he received money from Saddam Hussein's regime.
The Daily Telegraphalleges a confidential memorandum sent to Saddam by his head of intelligence shows Mr Galloway had asked a secret agent for a greater cut of Iraq's exports under the oil-for-food programme.
Mr Galloway said he would immediately begin legal procedings against the newspaper.
According to the newspaper, the spy chief wrote a letter to Saddam in January 2000 that revealed the MP for Glasgow Kelvin took a slice of oil earnings worth £375,000 sterling a year.
The newspaper claims the left-wing MP, who fiercely opposed the US-led military action, entered into partnership with a named Iraqi oil broker to sell oil on the international market.
The Telegraphalleges the papers were found by one of their journalists in the looted foreign ministry in Baghdad.
The documents allegedly suggested that while he was campaigning for his anti-war charity, the Mariam Appeal, Mr Galloway was conducting a relationship with Iraqi intelligence behind the scenes.
But Mr Galloway insisted the documents were either forged or doctored and were designed to discredit him because of his opposition to the war.
"I have never solicited nor received money from Iraq for our campaign against war and sanctions," he said.
Labour Party chairman Ian McCartney said the allegations against Mr Galloway were"extremely serious" and will be investigated by the party's generalsecretary.
Mr McCartney said general secretary David Triesman was already looking atprevious comments made by the Glasgow MP.
Speaking at a party press conference in Sheffield, he said of today's story:"The allegations are extremely serious.
"I understand George Galloway has denied these allegations and obviously Icannot comment any further on these allegations.
"The general secretary will consider all these issues arising from this andwill come forward with recommendations to the NEC."
Mr McCartney then refused to answer further questions about Mr Galloway,saying: "I can't add to my earlier statement." PA