Rochdale by-election: Controversial left-winger George Galloway wins after chaotic campaign

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Controversial left-wing figure George Galloway secured victory in the recent Rochdale by-election, shaking up the political landscape in the area. Running under the banner of the Workers Party of Britain, Galloway's win came as a surprise to many, particularly as Labour, the traditional dominant force in the region, faced significant setbacks during the campaign.

 

The by-election results revealed Galloway as the clear victor, amassing an impressive 12,335 votes, securing a commanding majority of 5,697. In second place was independent candidate David Anthony Tully, followed by the Conservative nominee, Paul Ellison. Labour, which had initially been favored to win the seat, suffered a considerable blow after their candidate, Azhar Ali, faced controversy over leaked recordings containing alleged antisemitic remarks.

 

Ali's comments, exposed by the Daily Mail, led to Labour withdrawing support from him. However, by the time the decision was made, it was too late to remove his name from the ballot paper. This development significantly dented Labour's prospects in the by-election and paved the way for Galloway's unexpected triumph.

 

Throughout his campaign, Galloway strategically emphasized issues like the Palestinian cause in Gaza, aiming to mobilize support from Muslim voters in Rochdale. In addition to his focus on Gaza, Galloway addressed local concerns such as the state of Rochdale Football Club, maternity services, and the condition of the local accident and emergency department.

 

Following his victory, Galloway called for a "grand alliance" to effect change in local leadership and governance. He also directed criticism towards Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, although he admitted to not personally knowing him. Rival candidate Simon Danczuk, representing Reform UK, accused Galloway of being divisive and suggested he would prioritize international issues over local matters.

 

The Rochdale by-election was not without its share of controversies. Both Danczuk and Green Party candidate Guy Otten faced criticism, with Danczuk being accused of past inappropriate behavior, and Otten having party support withdrawn over social media comments. Despite these challenges, the by-election remained a focal point for residents of Rochdale, a town grappling with deprivation and the aftermath of grooming gang scandals.

 

The death of Labour stalwart Sir Tony Lloyd earlier in the year triggered the by-election, setting the stage for a heated contest in the constituency. Labour's missteps during the campaign, coupled with Galloway's strategic approach and appeal to key issues, ultimately led to his victory, reshaping the political landscape in Rochdale.

 

The by-election outcome serves as a reminder of the volatile nature of politics, where unexpected developments and controversies can sway electoral outcomes. As Galloway assumes his new role representing Rochdale, the region braces for potential shifts in policy priorities and political dynamics under his leadership.

 

01.03.24

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[Nick Carter icp]

Rochdale has 30 % Muslim population , and George campaigned on the pro Palestinian  cause and won the election 

[JonnyF]

Labour's anti-semitism biting it in the bottom again. A leopard doesn't change its spots.

 

Interesting to see UK seats being won/lost on what's happening half way around the world rather than things like local services. I guess that's another strength of Diversity, multi-culturalism and mass immigration. We should be so grateful for being culturally enriched in places like Rochdale .

 

Do Labour still have time to blow the general election? On this evidence, plenty...

[Nick Carter icp]

The Labour candidate was withdrawn after it was revealed that he made numerous anti Semitic remarks , The Labour candidate was favourite to win the election , after he was removed from the vote , George Galloway won the election, he was kicked out the Labour Party for his anti Semitism and he also congratulated Liverpool on beating Tottenham and keeping the trophy out of Jewish hands 

[Bkk Brian]

Another Hamas supporter, this one's even got himself a Palestinian passport direct from the terrorists. Best place for him is Gaza, in the tunnels with the other rats hopefully

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7939480.stm

[beautifulthailand99]

Well done George I salute your indefatigability and the wisdom of the citizens of Rochdale. He sussed out Israel's liar-in-chief  Eylon Levy and the US Congress way back when, and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Probably the greatest on the stump speaker the British system has ever produced, born in poverty from the tenements of Glasgow. An arrogant, self-opinionated in it for himself man for sure, but then aren't most politicians. But one who spouts poetry when the others merely splutter weasel words.

 

Let the frothers froth and cowards demure - but he will keep the red flag flying here !  (or at least until the next election or when he is banned from Parliament !)

 

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

40 minutes ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

Well done George I salute your indefatigability and the wisdom of the citizens of Rochdale. He sussed out Israel's liar-in-chief  Eylon Levy and the US Congress way back when, and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Probably the greatest on the stump speaker the British system has ever produced, born in poverty from the tenements of Glasgow. An arrogant, self-opinionated in it for himself man for sure, but then aren't most politicians. But one who spouts poetry when the others merely splutter weasel words.

 

Let the frothers froth and cowards demure - but he will keep the red flag flying here !  (or at least until the next election or when he is banned from Parliament !)

 

 

 

Let the frothers froth and cowards demure - but he will keep the red flag flying here !

 

Ok comrade calm down. You must have been extremely disappointed when he lost his weekly show on Sputnik. 

[JonnyF]

I wonder how many other areas could now see opportunists stand for election on a Pro Islam, Pro Palestine (anti Israel) ticket. Especially in areas with a large Muslim community (of which there are now many in the UK).

 

Could this disrupt the traditional Labour/Tory stranglehold on British politics? I suspect many Muslims would vote for someone with a Pro Islam, Pro Palestine, anti Israel stance before they even started thinking about the hair's breadth that now separates Labour and the Tories on many issues. 

 

Given the apathy towards the 2 main parties by many traditional working class communities who have been let down by both and may not vote at all, could we be witnessing a sea change? How many more Labour MP's will expose their anti-semitic views before the general election?

 

Could Labour's policy of importing minority groups who they think will vote for them, backfire? Will these new anti-Israel opportunist MP's split the Labour vote? Many anti-semites could switch from their traditional Labour vote to one of these "Pro Palestine" parties. Could Labour lose the anti-semite vote? Could the likes of "Queers for Palestine" and other Woke fools move from Labour to one of these new anti-Israel candidates? Could get interesting.

 

Given the rise of anti-semitism in the UK, maybe Starmer would be better off to stop pretending to condemn it. Bring back "friends of Hamas" candidates like Corbyn. Let Diane Abbott write more anti-semitic newspaper columns. Might be a winning strategy in the current climate. 

 

What a time to be alive.

 

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

48 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

What a time to be alive

Enjoy while it lasts.

 

May is my punt.

[youreavinalaff]

4 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

The Labour candidate was withdrawn after it was revealed that he made numerous anti Semitic remarks , The Labour candidate was favourite to win the election , after he was removed from the vote , George Galloway won the election, he was kicked out the Labour Party for his anti Semitism and he also congratulated Liverpool on beating Tottenham and keeping the trophy out of Jewish hands 

The Labour candidate was not withdrawn. He still stood in the election, under the Labour banner. He got over 2000 votes.

 

Had he won, he would have become an MP. I imagine Labour would gave immediately sacked him as a Labour MP and he would have become an independent.

[roo860]

5 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Rochdale has 30 % Muslim population , and George campaigned on the pro Palestinian  cause and won the election 

Radio 2 news said 40% turnout 

[retarius]

I'm cheered by this, I must say, the largest turn-out for a by-election in Rochdale. Galloway is a controversial fellow, but I agree with much of what he says, and standing by the Palestinians is the right and moral thing to do. Well done George, hope you can shake up those evil people in Parliament. 

[soi3eddie]

39 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Radio 2 news said 40% turnout 

 

Of which there were 24,000 Postal votes requiring no ID verification. Only a name, signature and date of birth needed to register for postal votes. No limit per household. 

This is worth a listen to understand how flawed allowing postal votes could be. Only voting in person with valid photo ID ahould be allowed IMO for free and fair elections.

 

[Wobblybob]

43 minutes ago, retarius said:

I'm cheered by this, I must say, the largest turn-out for a by-election in Rochdale. Galloway is a controversial fellow, but I agree with much of what he says, and standing by the Palestinians is the right and moral thing to do. Well done George, hope you can shake up those evil people in Parliament. 

You like him even though he is a rancid anti-Semitic? Speaks volumes.

[JonnyF]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Enjoy while it lasts.

 

May is my punt.

 

You're repeating yourself again Chomps.

 

Don't bet your life savings on May. The Tories will wait for opportunists like Galloway to form more options to spilt the anti-semitic Labour vote. More time for Labour MP's to expose themselves as racist anti semites. 

 

I told you there was still time for them to mess it up. 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

You're repeating yourself again Chomps.

 

Don't bet your life savings on May. The Tories will wait for opportunists like Galloway to form more options to spilt the anti-semitic Labour vote. More time for Labour MP's to expose themselves as racist anti semites. 

 

I told you there was still time for them to mess it up. 

Pinned

[thaibeachlovers]

11 hours ago, JonnyF said:

I suspect many Muslims would vote for someone with a Pro Islam, Pro Palestine, anti Israel stance before they even started thinking about the hair's breadth that now separates Labour and the Tories on many issues. 

That's IMO like saying the sun rises in the east.

I have no doubt that Gaza is going to be the motivating factor in any election a Muslim votes in from now on. Sunak may ( hopefully ) come to regret being so speedy to suck up to netanyahu.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, roo860 said:

Radio 2 news said 40% turnout 

Not just Muslims think Gaza is a crime against humanity and will vote accordingly.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Given the rise of anti-semitism in the UK,

Is it antisemitism or anti israel/ zionist? I'm certainly not anti Jews as I have Jewish friends, but I'm pretty sure most on here know my view of israel/ zionism.

[Nick Carter icp]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Is it antisemitism or anti israel/ zionist? I'm certainly not anti Jews as I have Jewish friends, but I'm pretty sure most on here know my view of israel/ zionism.

 

   British Jews have been attacked, so that makes it Anti Semitism , you having Jewish friends doesn't mean that the attacks were not anti sematic  

[JonnyF]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Is it antisemitism or anti israel/ zionist? I'm certainly not anti Jews as I have Jewish friends, but I'm pretty sure most on here know my view of israel/ zionism.

 

It is antisemitism.

 

People might try to use language to try to soften the edges, but it is what it is.

 

The world's oldest hatred cannot be repackaged that easily. 

[JonnyF]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That's IMO like saying the sun rises in the east.

I have no doubt that Gaza is going to be the motivating factor in any election a Muslim votes in from now on. Sunak may ( hopefully ) come to regret being so speedy to suck up to netanyahu.

The problem for Labour is that Starmer is also pro Israel (publicly anyway).

 

That's how these opportunist chancers like Galloway step in to rally up the antisemites and get a seat in Parliament. 

 

He's smart. He showed it can be done. Expect more of it. The hate is strong at the moment and people will exploit it. 

[JonnyF]

11 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Pinned

 

You always say that.

 

I'm yet to see you follow up on it, mainly because of the "it never happens" part.

[placeholder]

18 hours ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

Well done George I salute your indefatigability and the wisdom of the citizens of Rochdale. He sussed out Israel's liar-in-chief  Eylon Levy and the US Congress way back when, and doesn't suffer fools gladly. Probably the greatest on the stump speaker the British system has ever produced, born in poverty from the tenements of Glasgow. An arrogant, self-opinionated in it for himself man for sure, but then aren't most politicians. But one who spouts poetry when the others merely splutter weasel words.

 

Let the frothers froth and cowards demure - but he will keep the red flag flying here !  (or at least until the next election or when he is banned from Parliament !)

 

 

 

He's certainly a terrific speaker but I do have questions about his alleged efforts in South Africa.  I looked to find independent evidence that Galloway had ever done there what he claimed. I couldn't find any. I'm not asserting it doesn't exist, but it's odd that, at best, it's hard to find.

[thaibeachlovers]

42 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

The problem for Labour is that Starmer is also pro Israel (publicly anyway).

 

That's how these opportunist chancers like Galloway step in to rally up the antisemites and get a seat in Parliament. 

 

He's smart. He showed it can be done. Expect more of it. The hate is strong at the moment and people will exploit it. 

I don't think I've ever supported Galloway before, but on this one I'm  cheering him on. I'm talking about his stance on Gaza. I don't know what else he may have in his bag of tricks to annoy parliament with ( I'm hoping he will be poking a verbal stick in Sunak's eye ). I expect his "maiden speech" is going to be a doozy.

[transam]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I don't think I've ever supported Galloway before, but on this one I'm  cheering him on. I'm talking about his stance on Gaza. I don't know what else he may have in his bag of tricks to annoy parliament with ( I'm hoping he will be poking a verbal stick in Sunak's eye ). I expect his "maiden speech" is going to be a doozy.

So, you support him on one far away issue without looking at his homeland stuff which matters to those living there........Gawd.............

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I don't think I've ever supported Galloway before, but on this one I'm  cheering him on. I'm talking about his stance on Gaza. I don't know what else he may have in his bag of tricks to annoy parliament with ( I'm hoping he will be poking a verbal stick in Sunak's eye ). I expect his "maiden speech" is going to be a doozy.

 

   It wont be long before he's shouting , being abusive , calling everyone racists and getting thrown out of Parliament  and being the victim of oppression for curtailing his free speech  

[Bkk Brian]

18 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I don't think I've ever supported Galloway before, but on this one I'm  cheering him on. I'm talking about his stance on Gaza. I don't know what else he may have in his bag of tricks to annoy parliament with ( I'm hoping he will be poking a verbal stick in Sunak's eye ). I expect his "maiden speech" is going to be a doozy.

I bet you are, giving plenty of aid and wads of cash directly to Hamas. I wonder when his next trip over there will be?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU_lfgo-qgc

 

[Wobblybob]

This incident happened about 11 years ago. Gross anti-Semitic George Galloway walked out of a debate at Oxford University after finding out that sharing the stage was an Israeli, anybody that shares the views of this vile individual needs to ask themselves some serious questions.

 

Galloway interrupted the third-year philosophy, politics and economics student at Brasenose college when Aslan-Levy used the word "we" in reference to Israel.

"You said 'we'," said Galloway. "Are you an Israeli?"

"I am, yes," Aslan-Levy replied.

"I don't debate with Israelis. I have been misled, sorry," Galloway said, standing and putting on his coat, then reiterating as he walked out: "I don't recognise Israel and I don't debate with Israelis."

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/feb/21/george-galloway-debate-israeli-oxford

[placeholder]

8 minutes ago, Wobblybob said:

This incident happened about 11 years ago. Gross anti-Semitic George Galloway walked out of a debate at Oxford University after finding out that sharing the stage was an Israeli, anybody that shares the views of this vile individual needs to ask themselves some serious questions.

 

Galloway interrupted the third-year philosophy, politics and economics student at Brasenose college when Aslan-Levy used the word "we" in reference to Israel.

"You said 'we'," said Galloway. "Are you an Israeli?"

"I am, yes," Aslan-Levy replied.

"I don't debate with Israelis. I have been misled, sorry," Galloway said, standing and putting on his coat, then reiterating as he walked out: "I don't recognise Israel and I don't debate with Israelis."

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/feb/21/george-galloway-debate-israeli-oxford

He actually handled the accusation of anti-semitism based on those grounds quite deftly in the video from the Oxford Students Union. He said he wouldn't debate South Africans on the issue of apartheid and for the same reason he wouldn't debate Israelis about their treatment of Palestinians.