PTK
Paul Kegan
I think it is called the WPB not the WPGB.
Rochdale by-election
- Thread starter PR1Berske
- Start date
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
I predicted Wimbledon would win the FA Cup in 1988. But nothing since then.
PTK
Paul Kegan
I predicted that Wembley would win Wimbledon.
I am a good clairvoyant, but I know very little about sport, so my predictions are not useful.
I predict that Galloway’s maiden speech will be no better than some of the speeches on the war in the Gaza Strip made by some members of the Labour Party and the SNP.
I am a good clairvoyant, but I know very little about sport, so my predictions are not useful.
I predict that Galloway’s maiden speech will be no better than some of the speeches on the war in the Gaza Strip made by some members of the Labour Party and the SNP.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
There would be a certain car-crash pleasure in seeing Mason vs Galloway
(Galloway would wipe the floor with him).
tim
EXPLODED TIM! (Help me!!!)
The same chance that he had of holding Bethnal Green and Bradford.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Pedantic but he didn't lose in Bethnal Green as he did not stand there again, though Respect did stand and lost, and he did lose in Poplar and Limehouse
tim
EXPLODED TIM! (Help me!!!)
He tends not to actually do much for his condtituence or even turn up to Parliament much once elected. Also at the General Election Labour will have an official, well vetted candidate and the turn out will be much higher.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Personally, I couldn't give a toss about Galloway's future career but I do give a toss about the Palestinian issue not going away. I hope he continues to contribute to keeping its profile high however I hope that keeping its profile high is not dependent on him.
andysays
Love and solidarity
In some ways that's even worse - he didn't stick with the people of BG who'd elected him but instead jumped ship to a neighbouring constituency where he presumably thought he had a better chance.
The general point is the same though, he's a chancer who pops up with a burst of publicity, does little or nothing for the people he's claiming to represent, and never sticks around for any length of time.
As long as his next 6 months as an MP gives him the chance to raise his profile and gain some more lucrative opportunities, I'm sure he'll be happy.
My gut says he will hold the seat in the next election. 40% on a 40% turnout is a significant base, and they probably won't change their minds so quickly. Labour are unlikely to make themselves look better over Gaza either in such a short time, and I also suspect the establishment parties rounding on Galloway will probably backfire and consolidate his local support.
lazythursday
Averagely-Known Member
The Labour candidate will almost definitely be the political journalist Paul Waugh. He doesn't seem like the ideal person to win back either disaffected Muslims or those who backed the Independent on more local issues. Of course the juggernaut of a national campaign may override local feelings but I think Galloway has a reasonable chance of holding on, especially if the election is say summer rather than at the end of the year.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
Edgy
Weller
So ermm ... You know ermm
As much as I dislike him he is a really quick wit and a good orator I reckon it might be passoinate and quie brutal given the years hes been involved in middle east and without a seat or proper platform and time hes had to prepare he does at least know the history and where Gaza is unlike some members of the Labour Party torys and the SNP
It really wont take much for his speech to be better than most current crop of "politicions" anyway but he wont be sitting on a fence
I remember watching his complete court apperance in the US senate live he wiped the floor with them about law corruption and double standards with no need to look at any script he knows his legal stuff they didnt frighten him he turned up when some thought hed be locked up or shut up for good defended himself mostly then walked out and flew back home
He can be extremely passionate and entertaining when speaking about the middle east and corruption even though corrupt himself I doubt hes going to hold back now hes got a seat back in parliament but I doubt he will be sitting down much when hes there nevermind sleeping on it like Rees Mogg
Although I dislike most MPs it might get messy and fun watching the less capable squirm if they are foolish enough to challenge him Ive watched him destroy many the likes of my MP Sir Gavin "Putin go away and shut up" Williamson and his pet tarantula might end up crying
The complete senate apperance was pretty long he destroyed all that questioned him as I remember Id never seen anything like it before so at least hes not one to be frightened by the oratory skills from likes of Sunak or Starmer it might get interesting if he challenges thier scripted bull shit at least
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redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
IIRC he stated before the election that the would only stand for one term in BG, and then make way for someone else. So in this case not total self-interest (I think he'd have done much better to stand again in BG).
Call me cynical but the one term thing may well have been self-interest if he thought saying that would help get him elected in the first place. (Cynical is my default where Galloway's concerned tbh.)
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
The local council elections later this year may be a bit of an indicator. You are right about Waugh , he's a shoe in for the candidate's job. I'm not sure that even if nationally there was an outbreak General Election fever of getting rid of the Tories and anticipation of welcoming the new broom of Starmer that Labour would necessarily walk it again in Rochdale.
AnnO'Neemus
Is so vanilla
Galloway does give good rant.
(I interviewed him, well, put a couple of questions to him at his presser in a Brick Lane curry house after he won his libel case against the Telegraph back in 2004.)
I got the feeling that the journalist in the link above was filling time a bit. I might be wrong, but stretching out the questioning like that, maybe the Galloway interview had been allocated that much time in the rundown to start off with, but having worked in control rooms on breaking and developing news stories, I was getting 'Fill time, don't throw back to the studio just yet' instructions through the earpiece vibes.
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
You're right about the local elections, particularly some of the central wards with high Muslim votes. Amazingly, they've gone from unlosable to unwinnable in such a short period.
steeplejack
trapped lbw for a duck
The WPB intend to field a slate of candidates and have the modest aim to "take over the town hall".
Does seem like hubris, really. It's one thing to win a by-election, quite another to win a local election from a near standing start. I suspect they will do poorly and get nowhere near taking the town hall.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
I don't know Rochdale at all, but current council is 46 labour members out of 60. it's the sort of council where 1/3 of the councillors are up for re-election each time not the whole council in one go.
It appears that 16 of the 20 up for re-election in 2024 are labour, 4 others.
Assuming (the maybe improbable situation where) all 16 current labour councillors lost their seats to WPB, there would still be 30 labour councillors - and would the tories and lib dems and independents vote with WPB to get something to mayor's casting vote?
(edited for clarity)
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The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
They might get a slate of candidates but I don’t think they haven’t got the resources to do the graft locally and then get the voters out . The WP don’t actually strike me as a membership based organisation .
BusLanes
Pedestrian
I think Paul Waugh being selected wins it for Labour. He's got the opportunity to really run on the Guy Who Would Have Won It against Chancer Galloway and he'll be able to raise loads of money from his concerned London/media friends.
If he isn't looking to hire a staffer to get on this already I'd be surprised
If he isn't looking to hire a staffer to get on this already I'd be surprised
lazythursday
Averagely-Known Member
How is a London based political journalist closely allied with Starmer going to appeal to the jaded people of Rochdale? Feels like a tone deaf choice to me.
gosub
~#
Agree...I'd try and get David Tully on board if I was Labour
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
Murder charts Vs indefatigable fedoras
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