There’s no such thing as a typical English constituency, but Rochdale certainly isn’t one. Eighteen constituencies across the UK have a higher Muslim population than Rochdale (24%) but it is clearly a crucial element in the voters’ dynamic. George Galloway knew this and saw his chance. But extrapolating from the freak circumstances which gave us this result is wrong. Labour won’t make the same mistake again.
It was the coincidence of Time (when Muslims are being killed in Gaza) and Place (a constituency that is among our most Islamic) along with the foolish remarks of Labour’s candidate which caused this upset. It happens at both ends of the political moral continuum. Remember Martin Bell in his white suit beating Neil Hamilton?
That Muslims are the most protesting against the flattening of Gaza and the pogrom against its people is hardly surprising – in Rochdale, elsewhere in Britain and around the world. To categorise it as “Mob Rule” was as offensive as it was wrong.
Ethnic minorities should be represented in Parliament a fact that for obvious reasons our Prime Minister should acknowledge. But Sunak comes across as more Winchester and Oxford than British Asian. He’s very distanced by his elitist class from his co-religionists in Leicester or Brent or Harrow.
The electors of Rochdale had a terrible choice. It was a protest vote and we should listen not condemn.
Paddy’s Blogs in a crazy world 
I agree. I don’t like Galloway he is a transparent phony rather in the mold of Farage. Any cause will do to get them noticed. However for Sunak to make that silly ‘alarmist’ speech in the street clearly shows his distance from reality. The public is utterly fed up with his awful government, his dreadful party, and all it represents. Trying to cover a protest vote up with alarmist talk will not wash.
Sunak should have announced an election. His days are numbered and rightly so. Go now is the call from the streets of Rochdale and everywhere else. Come the election and Labour getting their act together with a decent candidate, Galloway will once again be sent back into obscurity where he belongs.
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