Nadine Osman
George Galloway, Leader of the Workers’ Party and former Labour MP, has announced his intention to run for the position of Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2028.
The new Rochdale MP, who won a by-election on February 28, took aim at Labour Mayor Andy Burnham in his first speech back in the House of Commons.
Returning to Parliament for the seventh time, the firebrand parliamentarian has put Labour “on notice,” threatening to wipe them off the local councils and promising to field candidates for Parliament across the country, including in Greater Manchester.
Speculation had been growing that Galloway could attempt to oust Burnham in the upcoming election in May. However, Galloway told LabourList, “I will stand against Burnham in 2028.”
Speaking to The Muslim News, Galloway vowed to “campaign for more resources for Rochdale from London and Manchester, from Andy Burnham’s office. Rochdale has been neglected by Labour in the Mayor’s office and by London in the Prime Minister’s office. So we’ll be pressing for resources, change, and more funds for Rochdale.”
The news of his mayoral ambition came three days after his maiden speech as MP for Rochdale, in which he pledged to speak up for a town “that has been abandoned by the state and is increasingly abandoned by the mayor of Greater Manchester.”
Galloway, who had predicted that “the next election will be about Muslims, and it will be about the taking away of civil liberties in this country; it’s Sunak’s last lost hope,” also criticised the Conservatives’ shift in emphasis from action to ideology in defining extremism.
The concept has drawn criticism from civil liberties and community organisations. Two groups mentioned by the Communities Secretary threatened legal action if included on the list.
Galloway told The Muslim News that the definition “is part of the culture war wallpaper that is being created for the general election soon to come” and the “cancellation of our liberties designed to consolidate the right-wing vote.”
The Chief Executive of MEND said his group was “not at all” extremist and would take the government to court if it ends up listed as such. Azhar Qayum also accused Communities Secretary Michael Gove of taking “names out of a hat” under the legal protection afforded to MPs speaking in Parliament.
Cage said it would “explore all avenues, including legal,” to challenge the “government’s deep dive into authoritarianism,” while the Muslim Association of Britain described Gove’s move as a “blatant effort to stifle dissenting voices.”
Galloway was elected in Rochdale after calling the by-election “a referendum on Gaza” and winning the support of a large proportion of the town’s Muslim community.
Labour abandoned its campaign after its candidate, Azhar Ali, was found to have made inflammatory remarks about Israel. The party’s Shadow Justice secretary has said there has been “a loss of trust” from British Muslims in her party over its position on the Israel-Gaza war.
Shabana Mahmood, one of Labour’s most senior Muslim MPs, has urged it to “rebuild” relations with Muslim voters. Ten Labour frontbencher MPs resigned over the party’s initial reluctance to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Labour has since revised its position to call for a humanitarian halt in the fighting and a “sustainable ceasefire.”
Photo: Newly elected Rochdale MP George Galloway, pictured here during his swearing-in ceremony at the House of Commons on March 4, has criticised Labour’s record in his constituency as well as the Conservatives’ divisive campaigning.
(Credit: Maria Unger/UK Parliament)
