George Galloway. Chuckle

[Erekosë]

Nicely done.

[Guy]

Interesting analysis here by a local who should know:
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/04/05/why-george-galloway-won-in-bradford/

Hilarious piece by Mark Steele:
http://www.independent.co.uk/hei-fi/views/mark-steel-galloway-and-aung-san-suu-kyi--so-alike-7618196.html?origin=internalSearch

Still loving the holier than thou indignation spewing from the mainstream and its sheep....  

[Guy]

P.S. I saw his election literature for the first time last night. It seems that the main focus was the cuts.

Which means I have to disagree with the usually brilliant Patrick Cockburn in this article:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/patrick-cockburn-galloway-won-for-some-very-good-reasons-7626852.html

Yes Galloway has taken a principled stand against the the war in Iraq and other crap ideas. He has usually been far from popular at the time and then vindicated later on. But I think the two most recent wars we have been dragged into are a minor element of his victory. People want an alternative to Tory/LibDem/Labour cuts. That was central to his campaign. Its not that Ed is too red. For most people at the sharp end he is nowhere near red enough....

[Pumpkin]

Hi Pumpkin...how the hell have you been? :-)

Great, thanks, and you? ;-) Not quite as busy at the moment, so it's nice to have a chance to relax and take it a bit easy.

Yes, UK politics...depressing for the most part these days.

In addition to what Mike and ldopas have posted, had Galloway taken his politics into another constituency, the results wouldn’t have been as favourable. A good number of previous election failures before this is a case in point. Yet another key factor is that Imran Hussain simply didn’t engage. That’s typical of Labour’s behaviour in so-called safe seats. Clueless.

Mid-term by-elections and general elections are two different matters. Voting strategies differ in the latter. Disgruntled Tories have long been making plans for Nigel with this tactic. Sure political disenfranchisement is high and has been for years, however, it manifests itself in mid-term by-elections and the European elections. Since when was a mid-term by-election victory a revolution in progress?

Let’s face it: Galloway didn’t take a long-time Tory constituency either. Bradford West also isn’t London or the surrounding satellite towns. In terms of political value it just isn’t there. On a national level people simply aren’t interested in Miliband or Balls. That’s Labour’s real problem - they couldn’t give a toss about Galloway. Besides, Galloway’s old political adversary in Scotland poses a far greater threat which they still haven’t digested. One of the biggest problems Labour has is its inability to capitalise on discontent with the current government. The Cameron/Clegg show is one of the biggest jokes of British political history, and yet the opposition leader can’t even capitalise on it.      

Galloway’s election victory in a specific constituency is one thing. Whether or not his message takes on a broader appeal, i.e. on a national level, is another matter. It’s only a ‘political earthquake’ if the aftershocks are felt far and wide, and if it really causes a seismic shift in British politics. He doesn’t even have the ability to turn Respect into a major political voice though.  

If we’re keeping track of Galloway’s election results with real objectivity, then we’re talking about Poplar & Limehouse, the London Assembly and the Scottish Parliament General Election. Or are we missing something here? Perhaps someone would like to explain why Galloway couldn’t win (no balls required at all here or elsewhere), especially in his old den which would’ve given him a taste of the sweet Holyrood sun. Don't you think he would've loved debates with Salmond? Scotland rejected him...and in favour of whom?

Wasn’t Galloway’s message pretty much the same then and earlier? Yep. Enter the many variables mentioned here and elsewhere. Galloway's appeal is narrow; he's no real alternative.  

[ldopas]

Spot on as usual Pumpkin!

In the end these people dont give a flying f**k about the people they represent, or indeed people generally. They are egotistical, perma tanned actors. Galloway is easily at home supporting whatever cause will get him elected as playing a bloody cat on Big Brother. There is something terribly sociopathic about him, and lets be fair, about 2/3 of all MPs.

In the end whether right or left wing, the people who really should be MPs are too busy doing other stuff...because they can! (That is us as well folks!) :-)

I wasnt trying to have a go at Guy, but I was surprised as he isnt a stupid chap, that he would rejoice that someone has "put one over" on "the man", by cynically targetting an issue and a body of voters. As the BNP and other odious groups can also be seen to have done that. That was all.

Personally I think we need to remove the politics from politics. This right wing/left wing, lets make everyone the same (or "Fairness" as Clegg bats on about....which means different things to different people) when everyone is an individual and has their own skills and life outlooks etc. Its dead and rotting.

We need a new, anti-dogma, anti-flag waving, anti-one issue campaigners look at it and to create a new paradigm that removes politicing and politics, but serves everyone; the poor, the aspirers, the geniuses, the feckless, the industrious, the intellectuals, the not too intellectual etc.

And Galloway, Benn, Redwood et all are NOT part of the solution, they are the large stools blocking the pipework!!!! :-)