The Rochdale by-election has been won in decisive fashion by George Galloway, who campaigned on a platform that was largely focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Galloway, who represents the recently formed Workers Party of Britain, polled 12,335 votes, almost 6,000 more than second place finisher Dave Tully, a local businessman standing as an independent. Galloway has previously served as an MP for Rochdale and for Bethnal Green and Bow, as well as Bradford West. He promised that his victory marked the start of the collapse of the traditional Labour vote, particularly in areas with large Muslim populations.
Labour chose to withdraw its support for their candidate, Azhar Ali, over concerns about anti-Semitic remarks. The smaller parties, including Tully, outperformed the major opposition parties in the poll. In a fiery victory speech, whilst admitting that he had been accused of climate change denial by an audience member, Galloway focused his attack on what he saw as the failure of the major opposition parties, branding them two cheeks of the same backside, adding that they had both gone “well and truly spanked tonight here in Rochdale.”
Galloway went on to warn Labour that they would pay a “high price” for their role in enabling and covering up the “catastrophe” in Gaza, adding that his victory was proof that millions of ordinary British voters were equally angry with Keir Starmer’s Labour party. Galloway has been an outspoken critic of the current Israeli government and frequent campaigner for Palestinian rights. His latest victory, allied to a particularly large swing against Labour, marks him out as a significant political figure.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) was quick to criticise Galloway’s political record, accusing him of having an “atrocious record of baiting the Jewish community”, including calling for Bradford, when he was an MP there, to be declared an “Israel-free zone”. The UK has recently seen an increase in hate crimes and threats against MPs, with tensions on the rise following the latest Gaza conflict
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