George Galloway’s victory in the Rochdale by-election is a “dark day” for the Jewish community, the Board of Deputies of British Jews has said.
A spokesperson for the group described the new Workers Party MP as a “demagogue and conspiracy theorist” who has brought “division and hate” to every constituency he has stood in.
“His election is a dark day for the Jewish community in this country and for British politics in general,” the spokesperson added. “We believe he should be shunned as a pariah by all parliamentarians."
The former Labour politician and Celebrity Big Brother contestant took 12,335 votes and became the only MP for the party he founded in 2019, whose number one pledge is to “end imperialist wars” and withdraw from Nato.
Labour apologised to voters in Rochdale after the result, saying it “deeply” regretted not being able to field a “suitable” candidate. The party also condemned Mr Galloway as a “damaging force in our communities and public life”.
