Tuesday, April 03, 2012
BRADFORD: The newly elected Bradford West MP George Galloway has announced that he will field the "winning team" of his supporters in the next month's council elections after the Respect leader swept to a historic and unbelievable victory, beating the three mainstream parties into almost oblivion by gaining more than 18,000 votes, overturning a Labour majority of more than 5,000 at the 2010 general election, in only two weeks' time.
Speaking to around a 2,500 strong rally in the city's Infirmary Fields on Sunday evening, the Respect leader and renowned anti-war campaigner described his victory as the "Bradford Spring" and predicted that the phenomenon will be repeated all over the countries as the young and disaffected were ready to reject the conventional politics.
For the major victory rally, Galloway was joined by his long standing colleague and founder Councillor Salma Yaqoob, Naweed Hussain, who defected from the Labour camp and ran Galloway's campaign, Iqbal Rathore and Ayub Yousuf, the veteran local community leaders and Arshad Ali.
He said the political landscape of the city had changed "forever" and the council elections on May 3 will be a further proof of that. Galloway described his victory from the district which has almost 40 percent Pakistani voters as the "mass popular rejection of the existing political system, racism, policies of war and the politics of Baradriism".
It is understood that Galloway will mainly field young candidates in 30 wards who worked day and night canvassing to ensure the victory in the by election that shocked the political establishment, defying all expectations.
He told the jubilant crowd which included families, men and women of all ages and all races: "The political weather which was dark clouds over Bradford for so many years has now been swept away. In this new politics, in this new atmosphere which you, and us, have created together." He said Bradfordians have created a political earthquake in the country.
Galloway claimed that his victory had made the city a talking point of the whole country - including many world capitals - 5 days after the shock victory, and vowed that he will ensure that the long-neglected city is never forgotten again. He announced that his party will campaign for the directly elected mayor in the city for accountability and transparency.
Galloway said he had entered into the history books sharing space only with Winston Churcill by becoming the only second politician who has won 6 elections in four different constituencies in two countries.
He vowed that he will continue to campaign against the belief that "UK has a duty to invade other countries as part of the imperialism adventurism project, setting fire to other people's countries."
Salma Yaqoob read message on behalf of the widow and daughter of Abu Baker, the local Respect campaigner who died suddenly while campaigning with Galloway in the city a few days before the voting day. Abu Baker's widow said she fully understood why her husband campaigned for the right reasons and vowed that she will continue to stand by Galloway and his party for as long as they campaign on the ethical issues.
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