George Galloway booted out of parliament just WEEKS after being elected

George Galloway booted out of parliament just WEEKS after being elected
Millie Cooke

By Millie Cooke


Published: 05/07/2024

- 02:41

Updated: 05/07/2024

- 03:16

He won his seat in a by-election in February with a majority of 5,697 votes in a contest which was dominated by the war in Gaza

George Galloway has lost his seat in Parliament just weeks after being elected to represent the Workers Party in Rochdale.

The seat was won by Labour candidate Paul Waugh, who secured around 13,047 votes.


Galloway won around 11,508 votes.

He won his seat in a by-election in February with a majority of 5,697 votes in a contest which was dominated by the war in Gaza.

\u200bGeorge Galloway

George Galloway has lost his seat in Parliament just weeks after being elected to represent the Workers Party in Rochdale

PA

The Labour Party removed its backing from candidate Azhar Ali after he made inflammatory remarks about Israel.

Ali finished in fourth place with just 7.7 per cent of the vote share.

Galloway has held four different seats in parliament since 1987.

In a statement on social media after the defeat, Galloway said: "I thank the people of Rochdale who gave me 54 sitting days in the last parliament as their MP.

'Big thanks to my agent, my campaign team and the thousands who voted for me today.

"We took the government party to within 1500 votes and serve notice on Labour that we are here to stay in Rochdale.

George Galloway

Galloway has held four different seats in parliament since 1987

PA

"We will field a full slate of council candidates, establish a full-time office there, campaign to re-open the Maternity Ward and A&E, and keep up the pressure on Labour in the town."

Sir Keir Starmer is on course for a landslide election victory with exit polls suggesting the Labour Party will win a 170-seat majority.

Labour is expected to pick up 410 seats, while the Tories are on course for 131.

The Liberal Democrats are expected to return 61 MPs, while the Greens are on course to return two.

Reform UK is expected to pick up 13 seats, while the SNP is expected to be reduced to 10 MPs.

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