A BRADFORD district MP has labelled George Galloway the "finest orator in the House of Commons".

During a debate in Parliament, Sir Philip Davies (Conservative, Shipley) praised the outspoken leader of the Workers Party of Britain, who was elected as MP for Rochdale in a by-election this year and is also the former Bradford West MP.

It came as the pair were discussing substandard housing on Monday evening.

Discussing his relationship with Mr Galloway, Sir Philip said: "He is the finest orator in the House of Commons and it is all the better for having him here, even though I do not always agree with him.

"As he was my former parliamentary neighbour, he will know that this problem extends to places like Bradford as well.

"Does he agree that housing associations should not be allowed to extend their property empire while they have existing property that is clearly not fit for purpose?"

In response, Mr Galloway said: "As the hon. Member for Shipley (Sir Philip Davies), who I am proud to personally call a friend—not politically, of course, but we were good neighbours for quite some time—has pointed out, damp houses are a problem for all of us.

"They are dangerous—these houses can kill."

Lee Rowley, Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety, added: "We continue to work closely with local authorities and housing providers to try to make progress in this important area, and the ombudsman continues to show leadership in its work on this vital agenda."