2024 Rochdale by-election
 | |
| Date | 29 February 2024 |
|---|---|
A by-election took place on Thursday 29 February 2024 in the UK Parliamentary constituency of Rochdale, following the death on 17 January 2024 of Labour MP Sir Tony Lloyd.
George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain, won a resounding victory after polling 12,335 votes, nearly 6,000 more than any other candidate.[1]
Victory speech
| George Galloway: "This is for Gaza" |
In his victory speech, George Galloway highlighted the local voters' rejection of the two main parties in Westminster, saying:
- "Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are two cheeks of the same backside and they both got well and truly spanked tonight here in Rochdale.
- "It's true that every Muslim is bitterly angry at Keir Starmer and his misnamed 'Labour' party - but you would be very foolish if you didn't realise that millions of other citizens of our country are too.
- "Beginning here in the north west, in the west Midlands, in London, from Ilford to Bethnal Green and Bow, Labour is on notice that they have lost the confidence of millions of their voters who loyally and traditionally voted for them, generation after generation."
Bookies' favourite
Betting companies slashed their odds against George Galloway winning the Rochdale by-election from 16/1 to 2/1 after the campaign saw the Workers Party of Britain candidate’s warm welcome contrast starkly with the hostile reception given to the Starmerite candidate, especially by local Muslims.[2]
Candidates
Azhar Ali was selected as the Labour Party candidate on 27 January 2024. He is a Lancashire councillor and the leader of the Labour group on the council. The Labour hopefuls he was up against were Westminster lobby journalist, Paul Waugh, and Nazia Rehman, a Wigan councillor and cabinet member.[3] On 12 February 2024, Labour announced its withdrawal of support for Azhar Ali, which means that if elected he would stand as an Independent MP.
Former MP George Galloway and leader of the Workers Party of Britain has declared that he intends to stand in the Rochdale by-election.[4]
Reform UK announced that former Labour MP Simon Danczuk will stand at the by-election.[5] Other contenders include Reverend Mark Coleman, a long-time climate campaigner and Just Stop Oil supporter, and fellow independent Billy Howarth, the founder of Parents Against Grooming UK.[6]
Guy Otten was announced as the Green Party candidate, whilst the Conservatives selected Paul Ellison and Liberal Democrats confirmed Iain Donaldson as their candidate for the by-election.[7]
Results
References
- ↑ "Rochdale by-election: Landslide win for George Galloway"
- ↑ "Reaction against Labour candidate and warm welcome for Workers’ Party GB hopeful cuts odds from 16/1"
- ↑ "Falling by the Waugh-side - former journalist fails to clinch chance to be MP"
- ↑ "I will be a candidate in the forthcoming #Rochdale by-election. Someone has to teach #Starmer and #GenocideLabour a lesson. #Gaza"
- ↑ "EXCLUSIVE:'I swapped Rwanda for Rochdale to marry ex-Labour MP Simon Danczuk and now we're adopting'"
- ↑ "Ex-Labour MP who sent explicit texts to 17 year old to stand as Reform candidate"
- ↑ "Rochdale by-election: Candidates list"
This page imported content from Wikipedia on 27 January 2024.Wikipedia is not affiliated with Wikispooks. Original page source here
