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It seems he's going to win - yuck; a reason for sunak to call an early GE - to get galloway's voice out of his ear.
Richard Tice making claims of intimidation and threats of violence have been made against the Reform candidate and support staff.
What a mess.
Yeah, Galloway looking very smug. Looks like it's in the bag. 😐
Richard Tice making claims of intimidation and threats of violence have been made against the Reform candidate and support staff.
TBH that was pretty much a forgone conclusion from that party. They were bound to invent something to make up for their low voting base.
He'll be there for about 5 minutes and hoofed out at the GE but still, yuck.
Russia must be delighted to see one of their more useful idiots back in the spotlight.
and i suspect itll be closed before long
I’m sure the usual suspects will be along soon enough to drag the thread in to the gutter as they always do.
Rochdale deserves so much better than Gorgeous George
Rochdale clearly disagrees with you.
Why did the labour guy not get voted for when he seems to hold the same views as Galloway?
Shows how disillusioned people are with the mainstream parties, with a local independent coming second.
People really are desperate for change*, there's a real danger that the likes of Galloway and Reform will tap into that, split votes for both main parties and leave us with a very unexpected result at the GE.
*what an opportunity if the Monster Raving Loonies got it together!
Why did the labour guy not get voted for when he seems to hold the same views as Galloway?
They didn't field a candidate. Which is an interesting side story in itself.
Edit: that's a bit weird, the bbc story says Labour didn't stand but there's a labour candidate listed in the results.
OK, having actually read the article... Labour withdrew support for their candidate due to antisemitic comments.
I don't know why people voted for Galloway, if I had been a Rochdale resident I would probably have voted for Azhar Ali. I suspect that Galloway is seen as more eloquent and more likely to make a noise in the Commons.
The one thing I agree on with Galloway is that this was about Gaza, an issue which is having a profound effect on national and global politics.
I don't think that Galloway and Ali have that much in common beyond that TBH, although Ali wasn't Starmer's preferred choice I think he is probably a Labour establishment figure.
Galloway and Reform will tap into that, split votes for both main parties and leave us with a very unexpected result at the GE
If there was a real chance of that happening Reform would step aside like they did last time.
Apart from the No.1 task of keeping Farage in blazers and fags, Reform exists to to push the Tories further to the right, pushing them to the right won't do much good if they're out of power.
For all the talk of rivalry they're 2 heads on the same hydra.
The guy listed for Labour had the whip removed (or was booted out) for something, but it was after the submissions, so he had to stay on the ballot as Labour. If he had won, he would have had the whip removed as soon as the result was announced.
I _think_ that is relatively accurate, I could be wrong.
You’re bang on @willard. He was booted out for repeating antisemitic conspiracy theories, but too late to change the ballot. A complete farce.
Rochdale was always going to be an absolute circus, so it’s only fitting that they elected a clown.
He won’t be around for long, which is lucky for his new constituents as history shows (from his previous by-election ‘victories’) that once the cameras have gone, so has George
Handy pay day for a few months, and a bunch of publicity.
He'll liven up debates, he's not suffering Starmer's strictures, Labour will have to take a bit less for granted. Galloway has a bit of charisma, most MPs these days I haven't even heard of (and I'm quite interested in politics). Well done Gorgeous George!
If there was a real chance of that happening Reform would step aside like they did last time
Not this time. Never underestimate how bitter and vengeful Farage and Tice are. They’re fuelling their present surge on their ‘Great Brexit Betrayal’ narrative
They were stitched up like kippers by Johnson last time around and they want their revenge. More fool then for trusting a snake like him, you might say, but no way will they be standing down this time. They’re positively relishing inflicting massive losses on the Tories with the ultimate aim of replacing them
That’s not actually now as mad as it sounds. Some polls have them on 13% with the Tories at 20%. Our electoral system means that probably won’t translate into any actual MPs but they’re going to create chaos at the general election and are presently rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect
I still bet reform will stand down in tory seats once they have forced the tories into an even more extreme position. Couple of key reform demands in the tory manifesto and their work is done.
They won’t this time Uncle Jezza. It’s not for any particular principle other than bitterness, but that the continued well funded grifting of Farage and Tice relies on them putting their money where there mouth is this time around.
If you see Tice interviewed, he’s obviously relishing the prospect of sticking it to Rishi and Co.
It’s going to be a joy to watch the nutters split the racist pensioner vote to deliver Labour and Lib Dem victories
that may have worked last time, but I get the impression that Reform aren't looking to the Tories to enact their policies, they're looking to replace the Tories.
that suit on a contestant is amazing,
Labour withdrew support for their candidate due to
antisemiticanti-Israeli comments.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-attack-intelligence.html
Shows how disillusioned people are with the mainstream parties, with a local independent coming second.
Exactly. Neither of the two main parties appeal to me, and, going by the continuing Keir Starmer thread, the same sentiment is shared by others. The Tories are useless, Labour should be 90 points in front at the polls, but people dont trust them either.
The whole lot needs reform from top to bottom, did you hear PMs questions this week? It’s just a joke to the MPs, jeering and laughing at each other, it’s like a peed up night out with the stupid arguing, few of this current lot get any respect from me, and this by-election shows how other people feel about it too.
But voting in GG? Surely the bloke in 2nd was better by a long way, but if the main parties are so bad, this is what we’ll get.
Labour withdrew support for their candidate due to
antisemiticanti-Israeli comments.
Well he repeatedly voiced the conspiracy theory that the Israeli government was complicit in the Hamas killings of its own citizens
Whether you class that as antisemitic or not, it’s clearly absolutely mental, even if you’re wearing your best tinfoil hat
I don’t know why people voted for Galloway,
Because he talks a good game (and like it or not, he is a good public speaker) plus everyone is really disillusioned with the mainstream parties so they're voting for independent candidates.
Worrying trend because if that continues, this supposed Labour landslide won't materialise and instead we'll get a hotch potch of independents with extremist views (far left or far right).
Humiliation for Reform is the best thing to come out of this.
Shame Ravin Rodent Subortna didn't get in. A 99p coin would be a great idea.
https://www.loonyparty.com/5017/8563/rochdale-by-election/
Worrying trend because if that continues, this supposed Labour landslide won’t materialise and instead we’ll get a hotch potch of independents with extremist views (far left or far right).
IMO that would be a desirable result, tories get a shoeing, Labour get a majority but a significant show of dissatisfaction with the current direction that labour are taking to hopefully bring them back to their roots as a party that represents working people.
Well he voiced the conspiracy theory that the Israeli government was complicit in the Hamas killings of its own citizens
The Hannibal Directive, for example, is not simply a conspiracy theory it is a recognised fact.
As is the fact that there were warnings from both Israeli intelligence, and possibly Egypt, that Hamas was about to plan something big. Although Netanyahu's government could not have predicted just how big.
Saying that isn't anti-semitic, it is critical of the Israeli government.
Best GE outcome for me would be tories annihilated, labour just short of a majority, greens, SNP and independents by the bucketful which would force labour into some essential policies such as constitutional reform and return to the EU to get co operation from parties that are actually on the green / leftish side
Labour would probably shoot themselves in the other foot by working with the tories instead 🙂
Politics aside, I could never vote for anyone wearing a hat like Galloway.
I wouldn’t read much into the result of this particular circus.
The demographics of Rochdale aren’t repeated in very many places and there aren’t many independents with Galloways profile
In most seats it’s going to be a straight scrap between the main 2 parties, as always.
Yep, criticising Israel or backing any conspiracy theories about Israel is not anti-semitic in any way whatsoever. I criticise Isreal all the time but I have zero problems with Jewish people - would you believe one of my best friends was Jewish 🙂
Saying that isn’t anti-semitic, it is critical of the Israeli government.
Whilst I agree, let's not take this thread down the same rabbit hole as others.
Please.
Oh, here we go…
I dont think you can learn too much from the result. The only things you can say with any certainty is:
There's a big pro-palestine vote in Rochdale (Its top 20 for Muslim populations among constituencies)
The conservatives, reform and Lib Dems did badly
Even then it's hard to say how badly those three did. Would they have done much better in any other circumstance? Had labour have been in the race I think they'd have a good chunk of the indy's votes, plus the 2000 something they got, plus a chunk of Galloway's and a few from the others. GG Still could have made it over the line though - it would be down to how many votes he lost. By my reckoning about 20-25% would have swung it to labour but it would have been close run.
Deleted, ignored my own advice
I have a feeling that Rochdale is the sort of community that lots of us in less complicated parts of the country really struggle to get our heads around. The last thing the place needs is a populist.
Labour hopefully will get their act together and select a sane candidate with both charisma and the ability to clearly represent the whole community for the GE and this will be a very temporary appointment.
Politics aside, I could never vote for anyone wearing a hat like Galloway.
All he needs is a stripy multi coloured scarf, and he's a serious contender for the Tom Baker look-a-like contest.
Gorgeous George. The cat that got the cream.
Sure, he'll be out on his ear by next year but results like this are fantastic for ruffling a few establishment feathers. Whilst a self serving egomaniac, he's got more gravitas and savvy than most and, if the Speaker lets him, he'll be handing out arses on plates for the next few months.
This is what happened the last time the 'establishment' underestimated him.
Wow, a thread about George Galloway starts, and within one page we've dived into Israeli conspiracy theories.
Because acusations of conspiracy theories against the ex labour candidate are a significant part of the story that lead to Galloway being elected.
Whilst a self serving egomaniac,
This is the fundamental point. He will do nothing for the people of Rochdale.