George Galloway is the MP for Rochdale

maddyone

Why was he elected?

Galloway has always supported Palestine throughout his political life.

The vote reflects the Gaza issue.

He is a very effective speaker so I'm told! He also focused on local issues as well as the Gaza issue. As his political party doesn't exist, there's no manifesto so he could say anything he wanted that he thought would be a crowd pleaser eg reopening the A&E dept at the local hospital and having a maternity dept in Rochdale so pregnant mothers didn't have to travel to Oldham. I doubt he will achieve any of the things he promised but it wins votes. Also turnout was tiny, and I guess a lot of LP supporters didn't vote but who knows?

It's to be hoped that he is serious when he says that this is the last by-election he will contest and that, as he will be 70 this year, he will 'retire' whatever that may mean. He mad the point that his youngest child is 3.
I doubt that he will make much of a mark in Parliament - he never has and why should this be any different?

A large Muslim vote and plenty of closet antisemites I think.

It does puzzle me. He’s vile. Why would anyone vote for a vile person?
I agree with you Galaxy about the minimisation of the degree of antisemitism on the marches, and elsewhere actually, but I still wonder why anyone would vote for him. It is purely the Muslim vote?

I dont know. How did it happen. Lots of people minimising anti semitism. 'Oh it's only one or two swastikas on the marches'.
And now you end up with George Galloway. It's such a puzzle.

Why was he elected?

He can and will attack Starmer , it’s what the far left do

I doubt if he'll be much more than an irritant in Parliament. I can't see him getting any support from any MPs; on his own he's nothing.

Urmstongran

GG is a self publicist with a big ego. He is a Muslim now. That fact is rarely mentioned. However, I can’t take him seriously ever since he pretended to be a cat lapping milk and having his ears and ‘whiskers’ rubbed by Rula Lenska on TV years ago!

This, I found it funny, but I could never take it seriously after that.

🤔🤔 PurplePixie??

Never!

Oh I didn’t know GG doesn’t intend to stand at the next GE. Thanks for putting me straight DiamondLily!

I think it’s a short term issue. He’s said he doesn’t intend to stand at the GE, Labour will (hopefully) have a better candidate, and most people will probably vote more about the economy, NHS etc.

Meanwhile, I expect he will try to stoke up the tensions.

Two candidates wore hats - Galloway and Monster Raving
Looney Party

When GG stands at the next GE he will galvanise the ‘support for Gaza’ without a doubt. He is very aware of tapping into this vacuum- hence the reason his party will field many more candidates in Rotherham, Birmingham etc.

I thought Reform UK would be the main challenge to Starmer in the GE . But it seems GG will be the thorn in Starmer’s side.

I find his rhetoric very concerning.

Germanshepherdsmum

Nicenanny3

Now the polls have closed, people across the UK need to know the truth about this election campaign - and the implications for our democracy.

To suggest that a parliamentary election in this country has not been truly free and fair is a very serious allegation indeed.

Unfortunately however, the behaviour of certain candidates and their supporters in this contest fell very far short of this our traditional democratic standards. What we have witnessed and experienced in Rochdale is deeply disturbing.

In recent weeks, Reform UK’s candidate and campaign team has:

- been subjected to death threats
- suffered vile racist abuse
- been refused entry to hustings in a public building
- had to be relocated for their own safety
- suffered daily intimidation and slurs

In one incident, Reform UK business supporters were threatened with a firebomb attack if they distributed our leaflets. Menacing behaviour was a feature of the entire campaign, including outside polling stations on the day of the election itself. In this ugliest of contests, we are also concerned by the sudden increase in the size of the postal vote, which has jumped from 14,000 to some 23,000 in this constituency since the last general election.

The results of the Rochdale by-election should act as a stark wake up call to those in power – and the entire electorate. This is Britain. We are supposed to be a beacon of democracy. This shameful contest has been more characteristic of a failed state.
Unless something dramatic changes, our fear is that it will be repeated in dozens of constituencies across the UK at the general election. By Christmas, we face the prospect of numerous extremist anti-Semitic lawmakers in the House of Commons.

our fear, our leaflets? are you a member of Reform UK?

I think it's copy and paste from somewhere else.
A bit confusing, as are many posts lately.

If everyone used ^^ around quotes or copy and paste it turns it into italics and makes it clearer that it is not the poster's own words.
Like this:
*NiceNanny3 said Forgot to put its from Reform UK Facebook Page and yes I'm a supporter of Reform.

Sorry to nitpick.

Politics in this country seems to be increasingly polarised and in fact violent. It's a very worrying prospect.

Perhaps he'll pop over to the Middle East and sort it all out.
🙏

What are George Galloway's other aims? Any? Dismantle NATO?

George Galloway said Sir Keir Starmer had “woken up to his worst nightmare” after his victory in the Rochdale by-election.

Mr Galloway and his Workers Party of Britain cruised to a comfortable win as Labour’s listed candidate finished in fourth place in a seat it had held since 2010.

The new MP for Rochdale said his party will stand candidates in dozens of Labour-held constituencies at the next general election and will “either defeat them ourselves or cause their defeat”.

He told GB News: “We have got 59 parliamentary candidates ready to go and we will stand in therefore three score Labour seats and either defeat them ourselves or cause their defeat. (The Telegraph today)

Apparently this figure would indicate that 74% of the votes cast yesterday were postal

Will try to find if this is normal for the area or U.K. in general.

Since 2001 it is no longer necessary to give a valid reason when applying for a postal vote.

GrannyGravy13

Apparently there were 23,000 postal votes in the Rochdale by-election…

Trying to verify this X post

Apparently there were 23,000 postal votes in the Rochdale by-election…

Yes we have been looking in the wrong direction as to who the threat is. Left not right.
Although the right will fight back they usually do. We are in quite a bit of trouble.

Anniebach

09:40:12
Spectator

“I think Mr Tice has rather lost his balance, and Mr Farage too, and I remind Mr Tice that I have on my telephone a text from him inviting me to be the Reform UK candidate in a by-election not that long ago. I’d prefer not to publish it, but if he keeps telling lies about me I will have to tell the truth about him.”

I accept your apology nicenanny 😀😀😀😀

We must wait until he publishes it

Which, knowing Galloway, he will. Reform did rather worse in this by election than predicted, and he’ll capitalise on that for sure.

That’s true😁

I think he’s a typical example of how, if you go too far to the left you end up as part of the far right. Horrible man. God help us if more like him get elected.