Labour has lashed out at George Galloway as someone who is “only interested in stoking fear and division” after he stormed to victory in the Rochdale by-election.
The party apologised for not being able to field anybody to stand against the controversial politician after dropping its own candidate for making antisemitic remarks.
“Rochdale deserved the chance to vote for an MP that would bring communities together and deliver for working people,” a Labour spokesman said after the result.
George Galloway gave a victory speech after his Workers Party won the Rochdale by-election
(PA)
They added: “George Galloway is only interested in stoking fear and division. As an MP he will be a damaging force in our communities and public life.”
Mr Galloway’s Workers Party of Great Britain won with just under 40 per cent of the vote, a majority of 5,697 over second placed David Tully, a local businessman and independent candidate.
In his victory speech, Mr Galloway said: “Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza.”
He added: “You have paid, and you will pay, a high price for the role that you have played in enabling, encouraging and covering for the catastrophe presently going on in occupied Palestine in the Gaza Strip.”
Critics have warned of the pervasive influence Mr Galloway’s return to parliament will have.
A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “George Galloway is an inflammatory firebrand with an atrocious record of baiting the Jewish community.
“His endurance in our public life serves to exploit extremist sentiment and divide communities.”
Left-wing pressure group Momentum described Labour’s Rochdale by-election results as “self-inflicted”. A spokesperson for the group said: “This was a needless and self-inflicted loss for Labour.
Left-wing campaign group Momentum blamed the result on Keir Starmer’s ‘failure to stand with Gaza in its hour of need’
(PA Wire)
“First, (Labour leader Sir Keir) Starmer’s utterly factional selection processes resulted in a candidate who was clearly unfit for office. Then the Labour leadership tried to defend him as one of their own.
“Finally, Keir Starmer’s failure to stand with Gaza in its hour of need left the door open for George Galloway.
“To avoid any more damaging repeats, Starmer should end the factional abuse of Labour’s selection processes and stand up for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
The Rochdale campaign has been mired in controversy and claims of intimidation and divisive tactics.
Labour withdrew support for its candidate, Azhar Ali, after a recording emerged in which he claimed Israel was complicit in the terrorist attacks of October 7, seeing Mr Galloway become the firm favourite for the seat.
Mr Ali remained listed as the Labour candidate as the party’s decision came too late for ballot papers to be changed.
Labour said it “will quickly begin the process to select a new Labour candidate for the general election”.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK also suffered a poor result in the seat, gaining just 6 per cent of the vote, much lower than its national poll rating of around 10 per cent. Leader Richard Tice claimed his candidate, former Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, had received a death threat during the campaign and said his party’s campaign team had been subject to “daily intimidation and slurs”.
