George Galloway
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George Galloway who supported Gaza Wins Big in the Rochdale Election

In a stunning political upset, George Galloway has won the parliamentary by-election in Rochdale after running on a pro-Palestine platform focused on Gaza. Galloway, representing the Workers Party of Britain, won by a landslide, receiving over 12,000 votes compared to just over 6,000 for the second-place independent candidate.

The by-election was triggered after the death of long-time Labour MP Tony Lloyd last month. But in a major blow to the Labour Party, their candidate Azhar Ali was withdrawn after making controversial comments about Israel. This left the door open for Galloway to crusade on his key issue of Gaza.

George Galloway Campaigns for Gaza

Throughout the campaign, George Galloway made Gaza and the plight of Palestinians a central issue. He heavily criticized Labour for not taking a stronger stance against Israel’s actions in Gaza, where over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in bombing campaigns over the past few months.

In his victory speech, Galloway stated “Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza,” calling out the Labour leader who initially refused to call for a ceasefire. He accused Labour and the Conservatives of enabling the “catastrophe” in Gaza by backing Israel.

A Rejection of the Two Main Parties

Galloway’s landslide win shows a rejection by Rochdale voters of the two main parties in Westminster. Turnout was very low at just 39.7%, indicating dissatisfaction with the traditional choices.

For a smaller party like the Workers Party of Britain to win by such a large margin is highly unusual in British by-elections, where minor parties rarely gain traction. It demonstrates Galloway was able to galvanise voters around the Gaza issue.

The second-place candidate, independent David Tully, campaigned on local issues. But George Galloway succeeded in making Gaza a defining issue that motivated voters in the working-class town with a significant Muslim population.

Galloway’s History as an MP

This marks the seventh time the controversial figure of George Galloway has been elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons.

He first became an MP in 1987 representing the Labour Party. But he was expelled from Labour in 2003 for his outspoken criticism of Tony Blair over the Iraq War.

Since then, George Galloway has switched parties several times, being elected under the Respect Party banner, as an independent candidate, and now for the Workers Party. He has often focused his campaigns on constituencies with large Muslim populations who share his passionate views on Middle East issues.

What This Means for Labour

The shocking defeat for Labour in what was a safe seat will increase pressure on Labour leader Keir Starmer over the party’s stance on Israel. Starmer has faced criticism from the left wing of his party for not taking a tougher line in condemning Israeli actions in Gaza.

In his speech, George Galloway promised this “is going to spark a movement, a landslide, a shifting of the tectonic plates” against Labour. He believes this win reflects deep discontent with how Labour has responded to the Gaza crisis.

It remains to be seen whether this upset victory will translate to wider gains for minor parties like Galloway’s Workers Party in the next general election. But there is no doubt this result in Rochdale is an embarrassment for Labour and underlines divisions within the party on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Galloway Promises to be a Voice for Gaza

Now that he is back in Parliament, Galloway has vowed to strongly advocate for the people of Gaza and speak out against Israel’s bombing campaign which has caused so much death and destruction.

Given his history as a fiery orator and controversial figure, Galloway will likely use his parliamentary platform to launch verbal attacks on the government’s close ties to Israel and collaboration in the Gaza war.

The Gaza Crisis as a Defining Campaign Issue

This surprising by-election result shows how the war in Gaza is inflaming passions and tensions within the UK as well. Protests have occurred on the streets of Britain both for and against Israel’s military actions.

But George Galloway succeeded in using the Gaza crisis as the defining issue to motivate voters in this particular constituency. For Rochdale’s citizens, Gaza seems to have resonated more than any local problems.

It points to how conflicts in the Middle East can strongly impact politics in Britain. Other politicians are also likely to follow Galloway’s lead in campaigning heavily on issues like Gaza as a way to energize disaffected voters.

Controversy Over Galloway’s Views

However, George Galloway remains a highly polarizing figure in British politics given his extreme views on the Middle East. He has been accused of anti-Semitism in the past for comments about Israel and Zionism.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism condemned Galloway’s by-election win, stating he has an “atrocious record of baiting the Jewish community.”

Supporters of Israel will be deeply concerned about having such an outspoken critic back as an MP able to voice his contentious opinions freely in Parliament. But Galloway sees his landslide win as vindication for his pro-Palestine stance regarding Gaza.

This surprising result demonstrates how the Gaza crisis is now impacting politics in Britain. Galloway made outrage over Gaza the key issue that propelled him to victory. But his return as an MP will heighten divisions and tensions around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the UK.

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