Red Pepper's Election Blues

Exclusive: transcript of Galloway's address to his supporters

"There is a revolt spreading throughout the land in those areas where the poorest people live, where the immigrants, where the exploited live. The revolt is spreading in these areas because these are the areas New Labour has betrayed the most in the last eight years." – George Galloway

Here is a rough but, I think, largely accurate transcript of George Galloway's 6am speech to his supporters:

"This victory belongs to all of us and neither time nor my memory will permit me to thank everyone… We won support across all the communities in Tower Hamlets. However, I want from the bottom of my heart to thank the Bengali community here [cheers and chants]. That community has shown its political power. I promise you no one will ever take it for granted again. No one will ever ignore it again, and anyone who betrays it again will do so at their peril. [Goes on to thank several individuals] One of them even went to prison for me when I was trapped in a room by people calling themselves 'Muslims' who threatened to kill me… [more individual thanks].

"The Muslim Association of Britain are our allies in the Stop the War Coalition and in Respect and I want to thank their President who is here with us tonight. I also want to thank all the other Muslim organisations who put their heart and sole into this great battle.

"Thanks to the organisers of this victory within Respect. I'd like to thank my dear comrade and friend John Rees… [and other individuals, Respect staff and volunteers, and his office staff].

"This is an outstanding night for Respect, not just here in Bethnal Green & Bow, although that's what the headlines will concentrate on, but the results we've achieved elsewhere have been outstanding too. Ollia Rahman, who spent almost the entire election working here in this constituency, still got more than 20% of the vote in Poplar. … Respect won 2^nd place in both East Ham and West Ham, with Abdhul Kaliq Mian gaining 24% and Lindsay German gaining 20% respectively. Salma Yaqoob in Birmingham polled more than 10,000 votes, coming within 3,000, I think, of capturing seats.

"There is a revolt spreading throughout the land in those areas where the poorest people live, where the immigrants, where the exploited live. The revolt is spreading in these areas because these are the areas New Labour has betrayed the most in the last eight years.

"We will now build on our campaign to capture the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham, starting on Monday. We intend to be the new broom that sweeps clean these two rotten boroughs. …

"I want to close with a word or two on a subject I raised in my acceptance speech.

"Mr Blair, this is for Iraq. This victory is for the people of Iraq. [Re-spect re-spect chants]. My telephone is full of texts and audio messages from Fallujah, from Baghdad, from Palestine and Lebanon. All over the Arab and Muslim world people are dancing in the streets. As I said to Blair tonight live on television: all those lies that you told all those people that you killed are coming back to haunt you. And they will haunt you to your end and beyond.

"We will not rest until every last British soldier has been withdrawn to safety from the frontline of Iraq to which Tony Blair has sent them. And we will not rest until he and his war cabinet of fellow criminals are on trial in the Hague in front of the International Criminal Court. ['re-spect re-spect' chants]

"Comrades and friends, we have really written history today.

"And by the way, you'll soon not be able to find one person in Tower Hamlets who didn't vote for us today. The Bangladesis talk about the 16^th division… the division that turns up the day after liberation. Nevermind, we'll accept them all. Every person here has written a glorious chapter in the history of the popular movement in this country. This great battle between war and anti-war. This great battle between new Labour and real Labour, the ideals of labour that were fought for here today and which were won decisively by us. Respect.
 
[Chants: Re-spect Re-spect repeat to fade…]

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Did Respect break through?

Respect's results are all compiled here, a listing that cheekily also includes a number of anti-war independents. The results on the whole are quite impressive - as well as Galloway's victory in Bethnal Green there are three candidates as runners up in their constituencies (see the Respect section of this blog for more details). Salma Yaqoob, with 10,498 votes, was a particularly strong second in Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath.

The overall pattern is actually quite similar to Respect's European election results, though: breakthroughs in a few inner city areas where there have been well rooted local community-led campaigns, but a failure to make any significant inroads elsewhere. 

See the main Red Pepper website for more analysis of Respect, especially this article. OR

Galloway: the smears start here

Galloway is on the BBC. Paxman is attacking him for defeating a black woman (Oona King). Nick Raynsford has called him a demagogue. But Galloway says he's never heard of his ex-colleague Raynsford (they're a 'spineless bunch' who blend into one, he says).

Then Paxman goes on to accuse Galloway of exploiting racism. Now New Labour's David Lammy's in on the act, accusing him of stirring up racial tensions. Whatever your views on Galloway, this is pretty disgraceful stuff.

Oh, and 'objective' opinion pollster (and former SDP stallwart) Tony King is talking Galloway down too. Andrew Marr is rather more balanced though, to be fair.

The mood in the Galloway camp, though, is understandably ecstatic. We should be getting comment directly from there a little later. OR

Galloway wins: his speech transcribed

Here's a rough but, I think, fairly accurate transcript of Galloway's victory speech:

"Tony Blair, this and other defeats that New Labour have suffered are for Iraq. All the people you've killed, all the lies that you told, have come back to haunt you. Labour should sack you tomorrow morning.

"New Labour plumbed new depths in this campaign, and now the police and the courts will try to fathom exactly what they'v been up to. But it was no aberration - the reason this count took so long; the turnout was so low; that hundreds if not thousands of ghost figures appeared on the electoral role but only 68% of postal ballots were cast. Tower Hamlets is in the grip of a corrupt political culture, and when we begin our campaign on Monday to take control of this borough council it will be as a new broom to sweep that political corruption away.

"Oona King boasted she was going to finish me off. I will be more gracious. I have not finished her off. She's an able person who will be back in politics and in Parliament. It wasn't her defeat, it was a defeat for Tony Blair and new Labour. And I'd like to thank Oona King for her eight years in this constituency and wish her well for what will be her resumed political career.

"But I can't thank the Borough of Tower Hamlets, which has put together a shambles of an electoral role that would disgrace a banana republic. It is about time you tender your resignation.

"There is a revolt spreading throughout east London against the betrayals of east London and you ain't seen nothing yet."  OR

Abdul Khaliq Mian: Respect

Respect's best result so far has been in West Ham. Here's what candidate Abdul Khaliq Mian had to say on his respectable second place there:

"Its fantastic to be such a strong second in a seat that's been Labour for 100 years.

"This result has created a stepping stone for the Respect Coalition to build on in future. We've got local council elections here in Newham next year where we hope to do very well.

"This wasn't just a vote about the war. That's an important issue, but not the only one. People are unhappy about council housing, education and other issues in this area, and are no longer prepared to just accept the New Labour message.

"Nationally, we'd like to think we've done quite well. Respect is only 1 ½ years old and to grow so quickly is absolutely fantastic. No doubt we'll build on that.

"As for George Galloway, as far as we know he's won but we're still waiting for the official announcement of the result."  OR

Respectable Respect vote

Respect's candidate Abdul Khaliq Mian came a respectable second in East Ham, with 8,171 votes and 20.7% of the votes. In Wests Ham, Respect's Lindsey German gained 6,039 votes and 19.5% of the vote - also in second place. Both candidates remained a long way behind Labour, though.

The Labour press office is now reporting that Oona King has lost. Our sources with the Galloway camp are more optimistic now too - although their latest word is still that its too close to call.

The Sedgefield result, in case you missed it: anti-war independent Reg Keys got 4,252 (20,000 short of Blair's vote).

The left so far

Plaid Cymru's Hywel Williams - who voted against the war, foundation hospitals and control orders, and brings a good voice of dissent to the House - has been re-elected as MP for Caernarfon.

Elfyn Llwyd - a Plaid MP with a similarly positive voting record - has also held on to Merionnydd Nant Conwy.

Jill Russell, standing for Respect in Tyne Bridge, picked up 1.7% of the vote.

Bill Bonnar of the SSP, standing in Rutherglen & Hamilton West, received 2.7% and 1,164 votes.

Peter Beck, Green Party candidate in Birmingham Edgebaston (where Labour's Gisela Stuart held on) got 3% of the vote, or 1,116.

... and Red Pepper editor Hilary Wainwright, who's commentating on the election for the BBC World Service, is predicting a respectable result for Reg Keys in Sedgefield.

Galloway predictions: not gorgeous

Someone at the BBC has a sense of humour - they've sent Iraq war correspondent Ragi Omar to Bethnal Green & Bow to report on the outcome of the Galloway vs. King bout (or 'slugfest' as he described it). He's reported on the BBC that "Its not looking very good for Labour here." But a Red Pepper correspondent at the Galloway campaign HQ reports early predictions that the Respect candidate may not have done enough, despite positive feedback on the doorstep throughout the day and clear signs of an electorate politicised by the Iraq war. The result for this one is expected around 2am. OR

Odds on Galloway and a bet to please Bragg

William Hill bookmakers have Oona King at 4/9 with George Galloway at 15/8. Loosely translated, they have her down as favourite in what is effectively a 2 horse race.

Billy Bragg will be pleased to know that in his Dorest West constituency Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin is currently at 5/6 on with his LibDem challenger Justine McGuinness.

The place to churn these things over - in case you're interested but haven't found it yet - is a site called Political Betting.

Remember, though, its 'just a bit of fun...'  OR

Mapping Dissent

Ever since '97 the left has found coping with this right wing Labour government extremely difficult. As the General Election approaches those problems are thrown into ever sharper focus, producing a mosaic of opposition that is simultaneously cutting with the grain of public opinion but is itself too often disorientated, fragmented and punching below its weight.

Red Pepper has teamed up with the Socialist Unity Network to produce the definitive dissenter's   guide to the election. Use the map to find progressive candidates in your constituency.

To the dissenters' map or Back to Red Pepper