Is George Galloway’s win start of a sea change in UK politics?

The recent victory of George Galloway in my home town of Rochdale has sent shock-waves through the political landscape of the UK, prompting many to ponder whether this marks the onset of a transformation in the nation’s political discourse. [1]

Galloway’s triumph — in which he received just under 40 per cent of the entire vote — manifested during the backdrop of the ongoing onslaught in Gaza. This was both a personal victory for him and a clear symbol of political dissent against the status quo. [1]

Election won based on Gaza focus

Immediately after the votes were read out, the former Member of Parliament for Bradford West, Bethnal Green & Bow, and Glasgow Kelvin directly addressed Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer, by stating,

“This is for Gaza.” [2]

The 69-year-old anti-war activist continued,

“You [Sir Keir Starmer] have paid, and you will pay a high price, for the role that you have played in enabling, encouraging, and covering for the catastrophe currently going on in occupied Palestine in the Gaza strip.” [2]

Conditions that allowed Galloway to sweep to victory

It is interesting to look briefly at the events prior to Galloway’s shock success.

On 13 February, it was reported that the Labour candidate for the by-election, Azhar Ali, had been suspended from the party owing to a number of alleged comments he made regarding Israel. [3]

According to a recording obtained by the Daily Mail, Ali — a Lancashire county councillor — had suggested that the Zionist state had allowed Hamas to launch its retaliatory attacks on 7 October.

He had also allegedly stated that this was done in order for Israel to “green light” an invasion into Gaza. [4]

The timing of his suspension and the withdrawal of support from the party’s top brass could not have come at a worse time because it had spent the previous few days publicly defending Ali and stating that he had apologised to Jewish leaders for his comments. [3]

This will force wider British politics to evolve

Galloway’s victory and the circumstances surrounding it raise intriguing questions about the future direction of this country’s politics, especially in relation to foreign policy and the domestic representation of minority voices.

Indeed, his highly critical view of the Labour Party Leader and the Conservative Prime Minister being “two cheeks of the same backside”, which he colourfully asserts “both got well and truly spanked tonight”, has aptly described a broader disillusionment with the political establishment. [2]

It reflects a growing sentiment among many that the political leaders of the UK have failed to represent their views, especially concerning the Palestinian issue.

This sentiment is not only recognised within the Muslim community, but by a wide range of individuals from varied backgrounds who have demonstrated across the UK for the past five months to call for an end to the Zionist state’s occupation and oppression of Palestine. [5]

Electorate have had enough of party politics

The reaction to Galloway’s win and his warning of a “high price” to be paid obviously suggests a growing chasm between the political establishment and the public’s expectations on matters of international justice and human rights.

It is clear that the focus on Gaza and the situation in Palestine being key components of Galloway’s campaign raised the issue’s profile on a national level. It has also underscored the utter dissatisfaction with how the government and the Official Opposition have handled — or perhaps mishandled — the crisis.

What The Muslim Vote has said about the news

One of the biggest coalitions in the British Muslim political environment, The Muslim Vote, described Thursday’s election as local voters “signalling their dissatisfaction with the major UK political parties”. [6]

in a press release, the network further remarked,

“Mr. Galloway ran a campaign that focused on local issues, but did not ignore the complicity of the major parties in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

“There is evidence to suggest that the major parties are virtually indistinguishable when it comes to issues that matter most to voters, whether that be the NHS, rising cost of living, or dealing with rising inequalities on a background of crumbling infrastructure.

“Yet nowhere is their contempt for the general public more vividly on display than their refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza despite multiple surveys showing the majority of the British public support one.” [6]

Continuing to sharply condemn both the Conservatives and Labour on their inept handling of the Gaza genocide, the organisation added,

“…both have gone further by concentrating their energies on defending Islamophobia within their parties, gaslighting pro-Palestinian activism, restricting the right to protest, and generally marginalising traumatised Muslim communities.

“This by-election sends a clear message to political parties that they should represent voters, not take them for granted. It will be tempting to spin this as a protest vote, an anomaly, or just a unique by-election. That would be a mistake.

“As previously seen with Brexit, the political elite and party machines are dangerously out of touch and have forgotten that they serve the people and not the other way around.” [6]

What happens now?

The implications of Galloway’s victory are significant.

Firstly, it signifies a potential shift towards issue-based politics, moving away from the traditional party lines that have long dominated the UK political scene.

Secondly, it serves as a reminder to political leaders that their positions on international issues have domestic repercussions, particularly within communities that feel a deep connection to those issues.

As we look towards the future, it is essential to consider the broader implications of this victory for the Muslim community and other minority groups in the UK.

This win represents a light of hope and a confidence in our ability to make an impact, signifying that change is possible through perseverance and political engagement. One can hope that this encourages more inclusive and representative governance that prioritises justice, both domestically and internationally.

George Galloway’s victory in Rochdale may indeed be the beginning of a seismic shift in UK politics, and perhaps further abroad. Let this victory empower us to continue striving for a world where justice prevails, signalling the dawn of a new era in political engagement and representation.

ANALYSIS

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Shaheer Choudhury

Head of Editorial

A household name to Muslims

George Galloway is a name that most Muslims in this country are familiar with.

Even if you are not a keen observer of politics, it is very likely that you will have heard of this man and what he has either stood for in the past, spoken passionately about, or how much of a thorn he is in the eyes of the two major parties.

He has held views that are unacceptable for any practising Muslim who understands the gravity of what the dictator Bashar al-Assad is doing to millions of our brothers and sisters in Syria, and he has also held or may continue to hold positions on Iran that we cannot accept, but in the context of this by-election victory, with Gaza being at the forefront of the discussion, this is something to be cautiously optimistic about.

After all, he may have won based on clearly focusing on Gaza, but in getting the people of Rochdale on his side, he must now represent all of their views on matters outside of Palestine and beyond.

No room to make a U-turn

This is the game that Galloway has signed himself up to, and this is the game that he must now remain in.

If, for whatever reason, he changes his mind on the Gaza situation — for a politician, this would not be unheard of — rest assured, the voters who brought him in on 29 February will be ready and waiting to force him into line or to be rid of him.

It seems that the most critical step now is to harness his veteran status as a politician in various parts of the country, and to utilise his impressive oratory skills to shed light on causes that include al-Aqsa, the situation of Muslims of India under Narendra Modi, East Turkestan under Xi Jinping's occupation and oppression, Sudan under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and his RSF paramilitary group, and elsewhere.