Galloway overturned Labour's 9,668 majority to win the by-election in the previously Labour safe seat with a majority of 5,697, securing 12,335 votes overall.
The Labour Party has slammed George Galloway for only being interested in ‘stoking fear and division’, after his victory in the Rochdale by-election.
Galloway overturned Labour’s 9,668 majority to win the by-election in the previously Labour safe seat with a majority of 5,697, securing 12,335 votes overall.
The by-election was triggered when veteran Labour MP and former interim Manchester mayor, Tony Lloyd, died in-post at the age of 73 in January.
The Labour Party had withdrawn support for its own candidate, Azhar Ali, after he was found to have made anti-semitic comments. Despite Labour suspending its former candidate, he still appeared on voting papers in Rochdale under the party banner, because electoral law meant ballot papers could not be changed after publication.
Following Galloway’s victory, the Labour Party said it deeply regretted being unable to field a candidate in the by-election.
A 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. 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.”
Labour MP and deputy national campaign co-ordinator Ellie Reeves apologised on BBC Radio 4 on Friday morning for not having stood an endorsed candidate.
“If Labour had stood, I don’t believe George Galloway would have won. Our job now is to select a Labour candidate for the general election…someone that can work with all the communities in Rochdale to rebuild trust.”
“We ran no campaign there in support of Azhar Ali. We regret that we weren’t able to have a candidate…but it was the right decision.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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