Galloway Rochdale win a ‘dark day’ for UK, say Jewish leaders
George Galloway’s win in the Rochdale by-election is a “dark day” for the Jewish community in the UK, a leading body has warned.
A victorious Mr Galloway, who won on a divisive campaign that focused on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, said the result was “for Gaza”.
He warned Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would “pay a high price” for his stance on the issue.
The Jewish Board of Deputies condemned Galloway’s win, describing him as “a demagogue and conspiracy theorist who has brought the politics of division and hate to every place he has ever stood for Parliament”.
“His election is a dark day for the Jewish community in this country and for British politics in general. We believe he should be shunned as a pariah by all Parliamentarians,” a spokesperson said.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has said it was “extremely concerned” about Mr Galloway and his “atrocious record of baiting the Jewish community”.
A spokesperson said his “historic inflammatory rhetoric” – particularly in light of tensions over the conflict in Gaza – led to concerns about how he will “use the platform of the House of Commons”.
The deputy leader of Mr Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain, Chris Williamson, told Times Radio he would “absolutely” serve his Jewish constituents.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he also accused Labour of “effectively facilitating the genocide in Gaza”.
Sir Keir this month called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire whilst also stressing Israel should not be expected to stop fighting if Hamas does not also lay down its weapons.
He has come in for criticism from some in his party for not taking a stronger pro-ceasefire stance sooner.
But in the wake of the Rochdale result, Labour has doubled down on its position.
Shadow minister Ellie Reeves also said Mr Galloway “only won because we did not stand” in the seat.
Labour was forced to pull support for its candidate after comments made about the Hamas attack on Israel in October, paving the way for the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant to storm to victory.
Ms Reeves, a senior campaign figure in the party, suggested Labour would not be tempted to toughen up its position on a ceasefire in Gaza despite the result.
“We’ve said there should be an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, that the loss of life has been intolerable, there must be no ground offensive in Rafah, aid has to be ramped up into the region, and, importantly, that we need to find a two-state solution,” she told Sky News.
Pressed on whether Labour will change its approach, Ms Reeves said: “We’ve set out our position. We’ve called for that immediate humanitarian ceasefire. That’s in line with international partners in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. And it’s something that we’re pushing hard for.”
Starmer’s party had been expected to win in the by-election, which triggered by the death of Labour MP Tony Lloyd, but its campaign was thrown into disarray after candidate Azhar Ali was found to have made comments suggesting Israel was complicit in Hamas’ October attack.
The party pulled support and did not campaign in the seat.
Chris Hopkins, of polling company Savanta, argued against Ms Reeves’s claim that Labour would have been guaranteed a win if it had stood.
Responding to the result, Mr Hopkins said: “I don’t think we can assume, based on these results, that a different Labour candidate who had been backed throughout the campaign would have just waltzed to an easy victory.
“A narrow Labour victory over Galloway, or even a defeat, with a different candidate, would have been far more humiliating than this one which Labour can effectively just write-off and move on from.”
Labour apologised to voters in Rochdale for not having stood a candidate and warned Mr Galloway would only stoke “fear and division”.
After the by-election result, a Labour spokesperson 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.
“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.”
Left-wing pressure group Momentum said Sir Keir’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.”
