‘This is for Gaza’: UK politician wins by-election in blow to Labour Party

George Galloway wins Rochdale seat by 12,335 votes after running on pro-Palestine campaign.

A controversial left-wing United Kingdom politician has registered a landslide win in a parliamentary by-election on a platform of promising to advocate for Gaza.

George Galloway won the seat in the northern English town of Rochdale by 12,335 votes after a fractious campaign, which saw the Labour Party withdraw support from its candidate over his anti-Israel comments.

“Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza,” Galloway said on Friday, referring to the Labour leader who initially refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza where more than 30,000 people have been killed in the past five months of Israeli bombardment.

“You have paid and you will pay a high price for the role you have played in enabling, encouraging and covering for the catastrophe presently going on in … in the Gaza Strip,” he said.

Galloway, who represents the Workers Party of Britain, accused both Labour and the Conservatives of backing Israel as he ran a pro-Palestinian campaign in the constituency with a substantial Muslim population.

“Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are two cheeks of the same backside and they both got well and truly spanked tonight here in Rochdale,” he said in his victory speech.

Israel’s devastating war on Gaza was a major issue in the elections during which local concerns usually dominate.