George Galloway wants to expand his Respect party into Scotland in an alliance with Scotland's split left-wing factions.

The former Labour MP for Glasgow Kelvin, who now represents the London seat of Bethnal Green and Bow for Respect, has ruled himself out of contesting a Scottish seat again.

But he has ended a pact with Tommy Sheridan, leader of the Solidarity Party in Scotland, which meant Respect did not extend its organisation or election challenge north of the Border.

When the Scottish Socialist Party split last year, with one part becoming Solidarity, Mr Galloway backed Mr Sheridan's faction against the remaining Scottish Socialist Party led by Colin Fox.

However, with four SSP MSPs before the election and Mr Sheridan having the support of one other MSP, both groupings did badly on May 3 and returned no MSPs, with only two councillors.

That is seen as an opportunity for Mr Galloway to move back into Scottish politics, with a bid to draw together the different strands. He is as well known as Mr Sheridan through his high-profile appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and in taking on US senators over the Iraq war.

He intends to stand in the London-wide constituency for the European Parliament at the next elections in 2009. He may also stand for the Westminster Parliament in another constituency where Muslims are strongly against Labour's stance on the Iraq war.

A source close to the Respect leader said yesterday the Respect-Solidarity pact not to compete with each other "expired with the election".

"George wants to see realignment on the left, including all the defeated elements on the left. This is not a definitive decision. It's more of an ambition."

Earlier this month, Mr Galloway told a party meeting: "There are many activists from Solidarity and the SSP who have seen the disaster of their own making but don't want to give up the fight and could look to a unity coalition like ours to pull them together."

Mr Galloway disagrees with the two main left-wing Scottish parties in opposing independence, but he has agreed with Mr Sheridan to back an independence referendum, and that they can campaign on either side of that debate.

The Solidarity leader said: "Since the election, I've had a couple of chats with George. He was happy that at least Solidarity established itself as the principal left force, and that if he was discussing stronger relations with anyone, it would be with Solidarity."

Mr Sheridan said he expected the name Solidarity to remain under a stronger form of alliance, and the most likely outcome was for the parties to agree terms for fighting the European and Westminster elections together.

Mr Galloway expects the SSP to be reluctant to join, and Mr Sheridan maintains some former SSP comrades committed "cardinal sins", but he hopes others could join a renewed left alliance.

Colin Fox, convener of the SSP, ridiculed the proposal, saying Respect is based on George Galloway's "divisive" leadership, with Socialist Workers Party organisation and with its electoral base in Muslim communities, yet with none of those factors likely to work in its favour in Scotland.

"Unity on the left is probably ruled out for a wee while, but it doesn't stop left-wing groups getting together in a broad coalition to campaign on issues," said the former Lothian MSP.