Scandal-hit George Galloway WINS Rochdale by-election as Starmer warned his problems just got ‘100 times more serious’
Labour was even defeated by the Conservatives - see the full rundown of votes
SIR KEIR Starmer is facing another headache as scandal-hit ex-Labour MP George Galloway pulled off a dramatic political comeback by winning the Rochdale by-election.
The left-wing firebrand and former Big Brother contestant from the Workers Party of GB won 12,335 votes, just under 40 per cent of the vote.
As he delivered his victory speech, Mr Galloway did not pull any punches, saying: “Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza. 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.”
He also told the Labour leader his problems “just got 100 times worse than they were before today”.
His majority of 5,697 votes amounted to 18.3% of the total, on a turnout of 39.7%, a little higher than the two recent by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood.
Independent candidate David Anthony Tully surprisingly stormed into second, with 6,638 votes.
Rochdale by-election results
George Galloway Workers Party of GB – 12,335
David Tully Independent 6,638
Paul Ellison Conservative – 3,731
Azhar Ali Labour – 2,402
Iain Donaldson Liberal Democrats – 2,164
Simon Danczuk Reform – 1,968
Tory candidate Paul Simon Ellison came in third with 3,731, while disgraced ex-Labour candidate Azhar Ali came fourth with 2,402 votes. He did not appear at the count last night.
Labour disowned Mr 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.
A Labour spokesperson this morning apologised to the people of Rochdale for not fielding a candidate and warned Mr Galloway will stoke “fear and division”.
They said said: “We deeply regret that the Labour party was unable to field a candidate in this by-election and apologise to the people of Rochdale. George Galloway only won because Labour did not stand.
“Rochdale deserved the chance to vote for an MP that would bring communities together and deliver for working people. 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.
“The Labour party will quickly begin the process to select a new Labour candidate for the general election, and will be campaigning hard to deliver the representation and fresh start that Rochdale deserves.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the campaign was “one of the most divisive in recent times” and that it was “very concerning” to see reports of intimidation.
Lib Dem Iain Donaldson came in fifth with 2,164 votes, while Reform UK candidate Simon Danczuk – who was kicked out of Labour for sexting a 17-year-old – came sixth, with 1,968 votes.
Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice slammed slammed yesterday’s by-election as a “shameful contest”.
He claimed Mr Danczuk had been subject to death threats and “vile racist abuse” while on the campaign trial.
How George Galloway's political comeback could prove a major headache for Sir Keir Starmer
By Martina Bet, Political Correspondent
AS he delivered his victory speech, George Galloway could not have made it any clearer.
Sir Keir Starmer’s problems just got “100 times worse” than they were before today, he told the sports hall in Rochdale.
He warned him his win was for Gaza and that he would pay a “high price” for enabling the plight of the Palestinians.
But is the threat of the former Big Brother contestant credible?
Labour has apologised to the people of Rochdale for not fielding a candidate and it’s because they know Mr Galloway’s victory is due to their very own doing.
The suspension of Azhar Ali, Labour’s candidate for Rochdale, came after a recording emerged in which he claimed Israel was complicit in the terrorist attacks of October 7.
Labour hesitated to disown him at first, due to concerns that doing so might pave the way for Mr Galloway’s entry into Parliament.
In the early hours of this morning, their fears turned into reality and they are probably now wishing they had conducted a more thorough vetting process.
Mr Galloway, who was kicked out by Labour more than two decades ago, now has a chance to use his position in Parliament to shine a light on Labour’s differing views on Gaza, especially with a general election on the horizon.
The Labour leader just about headed off a damaging and major rebellion within his party over Gaza after the Speaker allowed a vote on a Labour amendment to an SNP motion last week.
But divisions might just start becoming more apparent, with people from the left likely to feel more emboldened as a result of Mr Galloway’s comfortable victory.
Rochdale is the fifth constituency to have Mr Galloway for its MP – which is an unusual record for modern politics.
He was previously a Labour MP, but was kicked out the party more than two decades ago over statements made on the Iraq War.
Mr Galloway based almost his entire campaign on Palestine.
He gallivanted through mosques across the constituency in an effort to seize the support of Rochdale’s Muslim population.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) responded to Mr Galloway’s victory saying it is “extremely concerned” about how he will use his platform.
A spokesperson for the CAA said: “George Galloway has an atrocious record of baiting the Jewish community.”
Why is George Galloway a deeply divisive figure in British politics?
GEORGE Galloway has pulled off a remarkable political comeback in the early hours of Friday morning.
It was Palestine that formed the cornerstone of his campaign in Rochdale, where he became the bookies’ favourite after Labour disowned its candidate over inflammatory remarks about Israel.
The persuasive communicator and former Celebrity contestant is liked by left-wing groups because of his staunch support of Palestinian causes.
But he has also been accused of stoking division and using sexist, homophobic and antisemitic language.
He was first elected as an MP for Labour in the 1987 general election, representing the Glasgow Hillhead constituency, which later became the Glasgow Kelvin constituency, until 2005.
But he was kicked out from the party in 2003 due to his outspoken criticism of the Iraq war.
He had already been widely criticised over a 1994 visit to Iraq when he was filmed apparently praising Saddam Hussein for his courage, strength and indefatigability.
He served in the same constituency as an independent MP until he joined the Respect party a year later.
He had two other stints as an MP in Bethan Green and Bow and then in Bradford West.
And controversy has been never too far away from him.
He has faced allegations of antisemitism, which he has always denied, and was sacked from his role at TalkRadio in 2019 over comments the station called antisemitic.
Since 2008 he has worked for Press TV, the Iranian state-run television channel.
He has also been pictured with two heads of Hamas, including being pictured with current leader Ismail Haniyeh in 2009.
While MP for Bradford West in 2013, he walked out of a debate with a university student after he found out they were Israeli.
Away from politics, he is best known for his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, when he impersonated a cat and pretended to lick milk from the hands of another housemate.
He was also interrogated by a US Senate committee in connection with claims he had profited improperly from trading in Iraqi oil, claims he denied in a fiery Senate hearing. He was later accused by the same committee of lying under oath, which he again denied.
