Why Rochdale needs George Galloway as its MP

754 words, 4 minutes read time.

The Rochdale by-election on 29 February 2024 is a crucial opportunity for the people of Rochdale to elect a true champion of their interests and values. Labour has betrayed them by abandoning its candidate Azhar Ali, who was exposed as a hypocrite and a liar over his comments on Israel and Palestine. The Tories are no alternative, as they have presided over a decade of austerity, inequality and corruption. The only candidate who can stand up for Rochdale and challenge the status quo is George Galloway of the Workers’ Party of Britain.

George Galloway has a proven track record of fighting for justice and peace, both at home and abroad. He was one of the most vocal opponents of the illegal and disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost thousands of lives and destabilised the region. He has been a consistent and courageous supporter of the Palestinian cause, denouncing the brutal occupation and oppression by Israel and calling for an end to the arms trade and diplomatic ties with the apartheid state.

In addition to his stance on foreign policy, George Galloway has a clear and radical vision for domestic issues that affect the people of Rochdale and the rest of Britain. He is campaigning on the following key points:

• Rebuilding the economy after Covid-19: George Galloway supports a massive public investment programme to create millions of jobs, especially for the young and the long-term unemployed. He opposes any cuts to public services, wages or benefits, and calls for a wealth tax on the super-rich and the corporations that have profited from the pandemic. He also advocates for a green new deal to transition to a sustainable and low-carbon economy.
• Defending the NHS and social care: George Galloway is a staunch defender of the NHS, which he calls “the jewel in the crown of British society”. He opposes any privatisation, outsourcing or marketisation of the health service, and demands a substantial increase in funding and staffing to cope with the backlog of patients and the mental health crisis. He also supports free social care for the elderly and the disabled, and a national living wage for care workers.
• Protecting the rights of workers and trade unions: George Galloway is a lifelong trade unionist and a champion of the rights of workers. He supports the repeal of the anti-trade union laws that restrict the ability of workers to organise and strike. He also calls for a £15 minimum wage, a ban on zero-hour contracts, and a four-day working week. He stands in solidarity with the workers of British Gas, who are facing mass sackings and worse terms and conditions.
• Promoting education and culture: George Galloway believes that education is a right, not a privilege, and that it should be free and accessible for all. He opposes tuition fees, student debt and the marketisation of education. He also supports the restoration of maintenance grants, the expansion of adult education and the provision of free school meals. He also values the role of culture and the arts in enriching society, and calls for more funding and support for local libraries, museums, theatres and cinemas.

These are some of the main aspects of George Galloway’s platform for Rochdale. He offers a bold and progressive alternative to the status quo, and a voice for the voiceless. He is not afraid to challenge the powerful and the corrupt, and to speak up for the oppressed and the exploited.

Unlike Labour, which has become a party of the establishment and the elites, George Galloway represents the working class and the oppressed. He is not afraid to speak truth to power and to challenge the mainstream media and the political establishment. He is not beholden to any corporate or foreign interests, but only to the people who elect him. He is not a career politician, but a man of principle and conviction.

George Galloway is the only candidate who can offer a real alternative to the failed policies of the Tories and Labour. He is the only candidate who can unite the diverse communities of Rochdale, which have been divided and neglected by the mainstream parties. He is the only candidate who can bring hope and change to Rochdale, which has suffered from poverty, deprivation and crime for too long.

He is the candidate that Rochdale needs and deserves.

By Pat Harrington

Picture credit: By David Hunt from Warwickshire, UK – Stop The War – 09 – George Galloway, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=144593400