I wouldn't want to raise anyones hopes of a political revolution in the UK or anything, but the result of yesterday's bye-election in Bradford West was pretty startling, with the "Big 3" well and truly getting a kicking by Respect party candidate George Galloway... Full result (with vote share and change since 2010 in brackets) George Galloway (Respect) 18,341 (55.89%, +52.83%) Imran Hussain (Labour) 8,201 (24.99%, -20.36%) Jackie Whiteley (Conservative) 2,746 (8.37%, -22.78%) Jeanette Sunderland (Liberal Democrat) 1,505 (4.59%, -7.08%) Sonja McNally (Ukip) 1,085 (3.31%, +1.31%) Dawud Islam (Green) 481 (1.47%, -0.85%) Neil Craig (Democratic Nationalists) 344 (1.05%) Howling Laud Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party) 111 (0.34%) Galloway's a bit of a controversial figure, an ex-Labour MP, expelled for his opposition to the Iraq War, who has campaigned on behalf of the Palestinians, so response in the UK media to his success is a little muted. Fair play to him - he seems to have won the multi-national vote and crossed a few barriers...maybe the start of them coming down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXuu0lQUSP8"]George Galloway humbles Labour in Bradford - YouTube He also has a nice line in dealing with TV presenters ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgfUUquN5tg"]Cathy Newman interviews George Galloway - YouTube
"You obviously did not hear what I said" lol And she so desperately wanted to make him look bad - what was her problem anyway?
lol the LD lost their election deposit, that's so embarrassing for a party of their size. Congratulations Nick Clegg, you have gallantly lead the Liberal Democrats into political oblivion, hell you were polling behind the Torries in freakin Scotland in a poll I saw the other week. If your party still even exists at the end of the next election the political world will probably be surprised. The Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall in fact revert back to the glorious two party system instead of two and half parties.
Her problem - shared by the rest of the mainstream mediam - is that they just dont know how to handle Galloway. He's a maverick, a loose cannon, and he seems to know his facts... a million miles from the plastic politicians they usually deal with. He also gives the impression - quite possibly true - that he doesn't really give a fuck about their newspaper or TV show. That's probably a pretty big blow to the ego. .
Given what seems to be the current general opinion of the Lib Dems as a bunch of shameless opportunists, maybe we really could see them wiped out as a parliamentary entity come the next election. That'd be interesting. And given that the Tories and Labour both seem to have little credibility left, there could be a gap for the likes of Respect and the Greens to force their way in. .
results like this certainly do make things interesting but by-elections are not always a huge indication of general elections. The Lib Dums were showing as 2nd favourite party in the run up to the last election only for people to go back to old habits when they got to placing the x. With the Lib Dums looking like a dead party then the Tories will need a proper majority - which they wont get. Bring on the next election!.
