FIREBRAND George Galloway stormed to victory in the Rochdale by-election and declared "this is for Gaza" as he immediately took aim at Sir Keir Starmer.
The former Labour and Respect MP received around 40 per cent of the vote, winning the bitterly-fought seat with a 5,697 majority.
Azhar Ali, who Labour suspended as its candidate after it emerged he had made an anti-Israel rant, limped in at fourth place, behind the Conservative contender and an independent.
Mr Galloway's win will raise concerns at Westminster that his divisive brand of politics could further fuel political tensions as he vowed he would field 50 candidates at the general election, with some almost certain to be in London.
This story is from the March 01, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the March 01, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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