Who is George Galloway, the British politician who has won Rochdale?

On Monday, George Galloway, a well-known British politician who is outspoken and passionate, returned to the House of Commons in Westminster with great success. He won a significant victory in a by-election held in the northwest of England last week. Many believe that his firm stance against the aggressive Israeli bombing in Gaza is the reason for his success.

Galloway, who belongs to the extreme left, unpopular Workers Party of Britain that he launched in 2019, won the Rochdale electoral area by gaining 12,335 votes, which accounts for 39.7 percent of the ballots cast.

The area used to be represented by Sir Tony Lloyd from the Labour Party who died in January. This caused the need for a by-election. During the general election in 2019, Lloyd got 53% of the votes in Rochdale. However, on the 12th of February, the Labour Party withdrew its support for Azhar Ali, their candidate. This was because Ali had been accused of making anti-Semitic comments and suggested that Israel had purposely allowed the Hamas attack that occurred on October 7th. Ali still decided to stand for election, but only gained 7.7% of the votes.

During his recent win, the politician from Scotland expressed his thoughts on the state of UK politics. He pointed out the disappointment of local electors towards mainstream parties, calling out Conservative PM Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as "very similar". This politician, known for his love for fedora hats and witty insults, successfully conveyed the disillusionment of the voters towards the current political situation.

Galloway, who has gone through four marriages, made a statement that was polarizing in nature. He is a passionate supporter of Palestine and has actively protested against Israel's military actions in Gaza. His activism is prominent in a town in Greater Manchester with a significant Muslim population.

"Who's George Galloway?"

Galloway is a 69-year-old man originally from Dundee, a city on the eastern coast of Scotland. He has consistently challenged and criticized the British political system, causing frustration for those in power. In 2003, the UK's Labour Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair, ousted Galloway from the party due to his unyielding objections to the Iraq War.

In the past, Galloway was considered to be a bright and talented member of the Labour Party. He was even chosen to be the head of the Scottish Labour Party when he was only 26 years old in 1981. After six years, he fulfilled his promise by achieving victory in a UK Parliamentary election in Glasgow - the biggest city in Scotland. This accomplishment occurred during the era of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservative leadership.

However, Galloway quickly showcased that he had a liking for the unusual and polarizing matters, when he was approached by a reporter in September 1987, shortly after being elected as a Member of Parliament, regarding his participation in a charity meeting that took place in Greece.

In a surprising manner, he answered, "I went to Greece and spent a considerable amount of time with individuals, mostly females, and was intimate with a few of them." Galloway mentioned this during his first marriage to Elaine.

Because of the spicy things he revealed, Galloway was given the nickname "Gorgeous George".

Despite being kicked out of the Labour Party in October 2003 due to his forceful opposition to the Iraq War, he remained determined in his political pursuits. He went on to become a Member of Parliament for the Respect Party, which shared his antiwar stance, representing constituents in Bethnal Green and Bow in London from 2005 to 2010, and later in Bradford West in the north of England from 2012 to 2015.

It is unclear whether Galloway gained any popularity in Rochdale by mimicking a cat and playfully nibbling on a fellow participant's hand in the widely watched UK reality television program, Celebrity Big Brother. The Times referred to the show as a "temple of shallowness."

What Fuels His Passion For Palestine?

Galloway is devoted to supporting Palestine, which he partially attributes to a visit to conflict-ridden Beirut in 1977. He remembers the trip as challenging, but after returning to Scotland, he made a promise to himself at the Tavern Bar in Dundee's Hawkhill District. This pledge was to dedicate his life to the cause of Palestine and the Arab people, even if it complicated his political future.

He honored his promise and, during 1980, participated in the twinning of Dundee, his hometown, with Nablus located in the Palestinian West Bank, which is under Israeli occupation.

He visited Palestine in the past and had a meeting with the former leader, Yasser Arafat, in Ramallah back in 2002.

During the month of August in the year 2014, Galloway was attacked while walking on a street in western London. The attacker was wearing a shirt displaying the logo of the Israeli military. Galloway was left with injuries to his head and ribs that required medical attention. The person responsible for the assault, Neil Masterson, was later sentenced to 16 months in prison.

What Are His Controversial Stances?

Back in 1994, Galloway came face to face with Saddam Hussein, who was the Iraqi President at the time. During this encounter, which was broadcasted on TV, Galloway conveyed his respect to Saddam, saying, "Sir, I admire your bravery, your power, and your ability to endure."

After the incident, Galloway proclaimed that he was paying respects to the citizens of Iraq, not specifically to Saddam Hussein. Nevertheless, his remarks caused several politicians who disliked him to claim that he backed an oppressive regime in Iraq. Additionally, this gave way to the concept of "indefatigability" - a word that was previously not used often - into the public conscious of Britain. For many Brits who remember this incident, the term "indefatigability" still brings to mind Galloway in a humorous way.

Galloway wrote a book called I'm Not the Only One in 2004 where he seemed to support Iraq's assertion that Kuwait belongs to them. He called Kuwait a part of Iraq that was taken away by England, and said that this was done in a deceitful way. Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1990, which caused the first Gulf War.

Galloway's fascination with Iraq resulted in an allegation by the US Senate that he obtained financial benefit from the sale of Iraqi oil. However, the British man took on this charge head-on in 2005 and confronted his accusers during a Senate Subcommittee hearing. It was reminiscent of Senator Joe McCarthy's infamous anti-communist campaign from the 1950s. Galloway firmly stated that neither him nor anyone acting on his behalf were ever involved in trading oil.

In the past few years, he has had to deny accusations of being an ardent supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and being branded as an "Assad apologist".

Galloway's Big Win In Rochdale: What Led To His Success?

Galloway made a strategic decision to base his campaign on opposing Israel's war in Gaza and criticizing the UK's unwavering support for the Israeli government. This move appears to have inspired many voters in Rochdale, where roughly 19% of locals identify as Muslim according to the 2021 census.

Without a doubt, the success of the Scottish candidate was aided by the chaotic situation within the Labour Party. Although the candidate was still listed as a member of Labour on the ballot, the party withdrew their support for him.

How Is Galloway's Election Win Being Received?

When Galloway won, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unexpectedly spoke outside of his house at Downing Street on Friday. Sunak claimed that Galloway's victory indicates a growth of "extremism" in the United Kingdom.

Galloway has been charged with anti-Semitism by Israel supporters. They criticized him in 2014 when he urged that Bradford should become an "Israel-free zone". In response, Galloway expressed his hatred for the British Prime Minister.

Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, asserted that the reason Galloway emerged victorious was due to the absence of a Labour candidate.

He said, "I'm sorry that we had to pull out our nominee and apologize to the people of Rochdale. But I made that decision, and I stand by it as the right one." Yet, some analysts suggest that Galloway's triumph will increase Starmer's need to adopt a firmer position on Israel.

Many Muslim voters and politicians in Labour see the party's stance on the Gaza war as overly supportive of Israel. This has led to over 60 Labour councillors resigning in protest throughout the country. Additionally, in November 2023, 56 Labour MPs went against party leadership and supported the Scottish National Party's demand for a prompt ceasefire in Gaza.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism expressed concern about Galloway winning, citing his history of provocative behavior towards the Jewish population.

The blog post stated that they are worried about how the use of House of Commons platform by the member might become a problem for the Jewish community because of his past heated speeches and the current situation they are facing in the country.

The United Kingdom is legally required to conduct a general election no later than January 2025, however, it is widely anticipated that there will be one called within this year.