Yes. He’s back with a bang. Let’s not rehearse how he got there – Labour messed up and nature abhors a vacuum. Enter stage (hard) left George Galloway. Like a political heat seeking missile, Gorgeous George rocked up with his uniquely ugly political charms.
His ability to use Muslim communities to personal advantage is unrivalled. He arrives as a spellbinding, silver-tongued, white saviour and is greeted like a god in marginalised brown communities who feel disconnected from mainstream politics, often due to foreign policy.
It’s fascinating how no actual Muslim voice has the power or influence he does. The fact that it takes a white populist to be the self-appointed leader for upset Muslims tells us a lot. But it works a charm every time. The “man of peace” who weaponises war and brings division and fear.
The question now being asked is: what does this mean? And spare me the pious comments chiding any analysis from one by-election. Politics happens in real time and whenever the actual voting public has contact with the ballot box, that is interesting. Does this result mean everything and a big meltdown? Of course not. Does it mean absolutely nothing, and we all just crack on business as usual, nothing to see here? That’s a completely misguided take as well.
Just because you don’t like Galloway, it doesn’t mean you should ignore what happened and not ponder the consequences. I remember very clever people who were steeped in data assuring me that Brexit would never happen.
To give a sense of perspective, Labour is not going to lose the next election because of Galloway. The latest YouGov poll puts Labour on a massive 46 per cent compared to the Tories on 20 per cent To add to their woes, Reform is up at 14 per cent – which is double the Lib Dems.
Does this mean that Labour can breathe a sigh of relief and ignore Thursday night as many commentators are demanding they do? They would be foolish to do so for a number of reasons.
I’ve heard an argument which goes along the lines “it doesn’t matter if we lose Muslim votes as they are piled up in safe Labour seats.” That’s probably true looking at things from a purely transactional way. But Labour is meant to be more than just a cold calculus. The party has always sought to govern for all and has a proud tradition of standing up for different communities. As a prime minister, Keir Starmer wants to unify rather than divide.
Being so casual and cynical about being happy to lose the Muslim vote plays into a wider darker narrative which Labour doesn’t want to fuel, because it’s not who we are. Division and culture wars are not great for Labour and more importantly, they are not good for the country.
This by-election also merits an internal discussion about how the public feels about the situation in Gaza – and that’s not just the Muslim community. It goes much wider. The British public now overwhelmingly supports a ceasefire. The shenanigans in Parliament last week, where all the main parties played politics didn’t exactly cover anyone in glory. While Gaza won’t determine the outcome of the next election, it will be a difficult issue for a future Labour government, particularly as we enter an era of geo-political conflict. Blair won the 2005 election after Iraq, but it cast a shadow over Labour in many ways, took up bandwidth and has affected UK foreign policy ever since.
Many of you will argue that these are issues for the future and the only thing which matters is getting Labour over the line. I agree that Labour absolutely must win the next election for the sake of the country, but how we conduct ourselves as a government in waiting matters and can have consequences good and bad down the track. Given that things are already going to be difficult because there’s no money, surely it’s sensible to try and generate as much good will and co-operation from across society.
You may think I’m being all misty-eyed and pathetic, but one thing which is pretty undisputable, is the effect that Galloway will have when he enters Parliament.
Galloway will electrify the chamber in a sickening way at a tinder box moment. He will have a pulpit from which to peddle his division and his oratory will gain global audiences in this age of viral social media. He will bring fear to Jewish communities and his inflammatory words will create a backlash which will fuel the inevitable backlash against Muslims. He will join forces with the SNP to make Labour the focus of all blame on the planet. His rhetoric will whip up tensions on the outside and make life even more dangerous for MPs.
This will play into a “mob rule” narrative which bring delight to the Lee Anderson and Suella Braverman brigade. The right-wing press and GB News will be in clover and no doubt he will be a regular guest – probably with the man he’s often compared to, Nigel Farage. I feel a podcast coming on. Also, we are hardly blessed with a Parliament of skilled debaters and gifted communicators – he will run verbal rings around hapless ministers at the dispatch box. Lord Cameron is probably breathing a sigh of relief that he’s safe in the Lords. Pity Andrew Mitchell. It’s going to be a nightmare.
The next question: is will he keep his seat? Now he has an abysmal record as a constituency MP and normally gets kicked out after a by-election win at the next general election. Let’s all hope that happens, but if Gaza is still a live issue which it’s likely to be in the next year, then it’s not impossible that he survives.
Of course, you can’t extrapolate Thursdcay night’s results and make sweeping generalisations because Rochdale was so highly unusual. It’s ludicrous to say that it’s now all over for Starmer and that the election is in peril for Labour. But it is also deeply naïve to brush it aside and shows a particular kind of optimism bias that fellow progressives often display when difficult things happen especially on cultural issues. It should be a warning.
I hope that Galloway’s time in politics is short lived. But he starts on Monday, and this is far bigger than what this means for Starmer. Let’s not deny how scared and anxious many Jewish, Muslims and others will be feeling about the poison and pain he will bring to society. And right now, that feels more important that poll numbers and strategy.
Ignoring George Galloway would be a huge mistake for Keir Starmer
3
0
01.03.2024
Yes. He’s back with a bang. Let’s not rehearse how he got there – Labour messed up and nature abhors a vacuum. Enter stage (hard) left George Galloway. Like a political heat seeking missile, Gorgeous George rocked up with his uniquely ugly political charms.
His ability to use Muslim communities to personal advantage is unrivalled. He arrives as a spellbinding, silver-tongued, white saviour and is greeted like a god in marginalised brown communities who feel disconnected from mainstream politics, often due to foreign policy.
It’s fascinating how no actual Muslim voice has the power or influence he does. The fact that it takes a white populist to be the self-appointed leader for upset Muslims tells us a lot. But it works a charm every time. The “man of peace” who weaponises war and brings division and fear.
The question now being asked is: what does this mean? And spare me the pious comments chiding any analysis from one by-election. Politics happens in real time and whenever the actual voting public has contact with the ballot box, that is interesting. Does this result mean everything and a big meltdown? Of course not. Does it mean absolutely nothing, and we all just crack on business as usual, nothing to see here? That’s a completely misguided take as well.
Just because you don’t like Galloway, it doesn’t mean you should ignore what happened and not ponder the consequences. I remember very clever people who were steeped in data assuring me that Brexit would never happen.
To give a sense of perspective, Labour is not going to lose........
© iNews
visit website
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Andrew Mitrovica
Mort Laitner
Rami G Khouri
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
