Labour party member: Galloway will ‘win another comfortable victory’

I am a member of the Labour Party in Bradford East – I believe the best hope the country has as a whole is for a Labour majority at the next election.

However, I would gladly support George Galloway in Bradford West. He has consistently maintained an anti-war, progressive voice as a representative of the constituency and has spoken up for working people and those in poverty (a large percentage of Bradford West).

He has also been a vocal advocate for the rights of Palestinians – an issue which is far more significant to the citizens of Bradford than the Labour Party may realise.

Image: The Yorkshire Standard.

Meanwhile Labour have shared the same promises to re-connect with their core voters whilst continuing to be soft on tax-avoiding businesses and bankers and appearing to be ‘Tory lite’ at a time when a genuinely left-wing alternative could have easily won majority support.

Despite all their promises after Galloway’s landslide three years ago, Labour have continued to neglect their core supporters in Bradford and cities like it. Indeed, I suspect the only reason the city has been mentioned on Ed Miliband’s page at all is the attention it has attracted as a result of Galloway’s representation.

Three years ago Galloway won as a result of Labour refusing to listen to its voters in Bradford. This time it is refusing to listen to its party members. The imposition of an all-woman short list seems like a flimsy attempt to represent equality, rather than mentioning any clear policies which may improve the lives of the poorest citizens of the city.

Naz Shah’s suggestion that only female MPs are subject to character assassinations is undermined by the fact that a shared article seems to make her campaign all about her character and contradicted by the amount of personal abuse and criticism Galloway has faced despite receiving overwhelming popular support. Selecting only female candidates is no fairer than selecting only male candidates – nor is it any more likely to attract the best candidates or the most open discussion. This was not what the party members in Bradford West wanted and there are rumours that many will now be campaigning for Galloway whom, I suspect, will win another comfortable victory in May.

By John Newsham, Bradford.