George Galloway has promised “the mother of all protests” when a cultural festival promoting Tel Aviv takes place in London next year.

In a series of tweets, he also criticised Labour’s mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan for backing the festival.

Mr Galloway, who intends to stand as the Respect Party candidate for mayor in May’s election, asked: “Why @SadiqKhan are you promising to back a Tel Aviv Festival? Have you no shame?”.

He added: “Backing a ‘Tel Aviv Festival’ in London is [not a] a vote-winner.”

If Sadiq Khan thinks backing a "Tel Aviv Festival" in London is a vote-winner he has got another think coming...

— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) February 1, 2016

Mr Galloway promised there would be “the mother of all protests outside any Festival for the Apartheid state...” regardless of whether he became mayor.

I promise you this whether I'm the Mayor or not there will be the mother of all protests outside any Festival for the Apartheid state...

— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) February 1, 2016

He would also refuse to co-operate with Israel if elected to run City Hall.

Plans for the festival, organised by the Israeli Embassy, were announced during a visit to Israel last November by current London mayor Boris Johnson.

Both Mr Khan and Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith have backed the plan.

So both Zac and Sadiq are backing a Tel Aviv Festival in London. If I'm Mayor there will be no co-operation with the Apartheid state

— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) February 1, 2016