People of Rochdale concerned about the NHS, education, policing and cost of living......

[mids2019]

However their new MP says this for Gaza'.

How can our politics becomes so skewed that voters are not thinking about the multiple issues on the domestic front which effect their daily lives where an MP can have direct influence?

Our MPs represent our people to advocate for them on areas where they are in a position to influence. To elect an MP based on a single foreign policy issue where there was limited UK influence just seems like a wasted vote.

Nothing in the candidate's history suggested he was going to go so badly off message. At that point Labour had literally no other choice. I suppose they could have endorsed an independent candidate, that might have been an option.

Yes, the same goes for antisemitism. People don't care. And now there's yet another person in a position of authority who doesn't just not care about antisemitism but who actively encourages it. That really isn't a good thing.

It's honestly making me feel a bit sick inside seeing people happy about him being elected, specially someone saying they wouldn't vote for a Neo-Nazi in the same post that they're celebrating Galloway being elected. As if Galloway and Neo-Nazis don't have anything at all in common.

Interesting article about Galloway and things he stands for. Also what he does for money and where he stands on certain issues....

apple.news/A5zGewwflTYqEiLNwfF9V2Q

That article is behind a paywall but for those who don't know much about him like myself this was a good summary
He is quite controversial to say the least

https://news.sky.com/story/who-is-george-galloway-the-new-mp-for-rochdale-13083126

I don't think the Sky article mentions it but didn't he also say something about men don't need consent to have sex with a sleeping woman if they'd had sex earlier in the night?

It’s tragic we’ve ended up in a situation where the criteria we are being forced to consider when voting is whether or not a candidate is happy to support a genocide.

The ideal candidate would be someone who isn’t willing to support genocide, and is also well placed to serve their constituents.

If the people who are representing us are happy to sacrifice the lives of ordinary people for political power, then how can we be sure they will serve our needs.

This Rochdale?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/17/rochdale-victim-i-was-groomed-at-14-then-the-courts-came-for-my-children

To be against genocide should be the absolute baseline for any MP , if an MP is not against genocide and calling for a ceasefire then they can’t be trusted on local issues. If an Mp is comfortable with the slaughter of children anywhere in this world then as far as I’m concerned they don’t have the humanity to be dealing with or trusted with decisions that affect locals and this is the issue we have today. Most politicians are in their positions to look after themselves and their rich friends .

It’s a shocking example of where UK politics is right now - I’m disgusted,
but do need to look at the turn out. I left the UK recently because of where politics are heading and this only cements that

I cannot vote for either the Conservatives or Labour. I can't bring myself to when they have been so indifferent to the blood of my friends and colleagues. Fortunately for me, I live somewhere with a viable alternative option, but for many people who don't have that option, smaller parties and independent candidates may have an appeal, especially in a by-election where there's a bit less need for tactical voting decisions.

I suspect the actual GE vote in Rochdale will look a bit different, when the options need to be considered more tactically.

@Nads0622 maybe if it was on our shores - what about the poverty and deprivation in Rochdale - schooling in Rochdale - the NHS in Rochdale - you really think a conflict half a world away is what our elected politicians should stand on?!

Tony Blair had a habit of meddling in other countries, instead of putting his own one in order.

maybe if it was on our shores - what about the poverty and deprivation in Rochdale - schooling in Rochdale - the NHS in Rochdale - you really think a conflict half a world away is what our elected politicians should stand on?!

this

Rochdale grooming gangs?

That's what I don't understand

If I was voting in a bye election, the candidates views in Gaza would be pretty low (if at all) on my list of priorities

Galloway is a joke. I can't believe a pp is happy he has been elected

And?

There were other candidates opposed to the war. The other candidates who are against the war would all have been better options because they at least care about other things than just Gaza. They would have also wanted to make things better for the people they represent. Galloway doesn't. He doesn't give a flying fuck about them.

People voted for Galloway because he's an antisemite, and now other people are celebrating that an antisemite has been voted in. So that's fun.

Yep.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/aug/20/george-galloway-julian-assange-rape

Reform UK didn't do OK! 6.3%, down 1.8% from 2019.

Tice has had quite the hissy fit about it and made accusations of fraud.

Poor sodding Rochdale that he's only their second worst MP.

And that's fine for it to be low down your list of priorities, but it's not low down for some other people.

For me, it ranks pretty highly.

A person's position on the conflict and humanitarian crisis tells me a lot about that person's values.

A person's position on Islamophobia tells me a lot about whether they're likely to try to make this country safer for my family and my DC's generation.

I will not vote for someone who supports or passively condones the deaths of my friends and colleagues. I will not vote for someone whose presence in Parliament will make my family and my DC's generation less safe.

Different people care about different things. I know someone for whom fox-hunting was the major deciding factor for their vote in a by-election. What we're seeing here suggests that a not-insignificant number of voters do want to see a change in position on the conflict and humanitarian crisis, as well as a feeling that local issues are ignored by the major parties in Westminster (look at how well the independent candidate did).

The seat will most likely go Labour again in the GE.

Poor Rochdale indeed

Still, at least the virtue signallers will be happy because Gaza.

That'll get them a dentist or a council house

@Lifesd personally I’m not a fan of George Galloway , I’d hope he will take his role seriously. However the fact that so many MPs haven’t called for a ceasefire makes me question their moral compass and reflects that’s sadly so many of our politicians are in their jobs for personal benefits and to benefit their rich friends. The divide between rich and poor is getting greater, the NHS is falling apart. The reality is that most politicians are happy to divide and rule . In my opinion I trust someone who opposes genocide much more than someone who doesn’t no matter how invested in the local constituents they claim to be

"I will not vote for someone whose presence in Parliament will make my family and my DC's generation less safe."

That's fine, but Galloway is someone who will make Jewish families and our children's generation of Jews even less safe than they already are. I know Jews aren't your personal responsibility, but I can honestly say that I would never vote for an Islamophobic rape apologist. The idea, therefore, of people actively voting in an antisemitic rape apologist is a completely outrageous one to me.

You can't fight Islamophobia by actively increasing and encouraging antisemitism.

Rochdale is a tricky place, and definitely needs a 'proper' MP. I think people voted for Galloway knowing that it would likely only be for 6 months or so as a protest. I expect Labour will think very, very carefully about who stands at the GE and they will likely be voted in.