George Galloway speaks after winning the Rochdale by-election.A BBC radio presenter clashed angrily with a senior figure in George Galloway’s party after the veteran left-winger won the Rochdale by-election.
Former Labour MP Chris Williamson lashed out at Mishal Husain on Radio Four’s Today programme as he failed to condemn Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.
He also refused to distance himself from BNP leader Nick Griffin, who endorsed Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain in the Rochdale contest.
The on-air spat came after Galloway, running on a pro-Palestine ticket, pulled off a stunning victory to be elected to parliament for the fourth time.
He comfortably defeated Azhar Ali, the Labour candidate who was dumped by the party during the campaign, to claim the seat.
Ali finished a lowly fourth place behind independent candidate David Tully and Paul Ellison of the Conservatives.
Chris Williamson said the result “will send shockwaves through the corridors of power and give a huge boost to those insurgent political parties and groupings and independents looking to provide a genuine alternative to the political class, who have completely failed the people of Britain”.
Asked whether he would condemn the Hamas attacks on October 7, Williamson said: “The two main parties have not condemned or indeed called for a ceasefire, they have not condemned the Israeli regime’s activities.”
Husain said: “Are you not going to answer my question?”
Williamson replied: “You can’t expect, given a situation where a people have been oppressed for 75 years, and not expect a reaction.”
The presenter then said: “Is that what you’re calling it? Those attacks were understandable in some way? The killing of women, children, elderly people.”
The former MP responded: “What about the Palestinian people that have been massacred over nearly 76 years? Where is the media outrage about that?
“What do you expect? Under international law, oppressed peoples have an absolute right to armed resistance.”
Husain then told him: “Not to kill innocent people - women, children, the elderly.”
Former Labour MP Chris Williamson is now George Galloway's right-hand man in the Workers Party of Britain.Later in the interview, the presenter asked Williamson whether he “welcomed the endorsement of Nick Griffin”.
He replied: “You can’t spurn endorsements or indeed control people who want to endorse a political party. You’re trying to damn George Galloway and the Workers Party by association.”
Husain said: “You could distance yourself right now from Nick Griffin, but you’re choosing not to do that.”
But Williamson told her he was “not going to play your games” and insisted he and Galloway had “a long track record of standing up to racism and bigotry in all its forms”.
Chris Williamson(Workers Party) refuses to distance his party from the endorsement of Nick Griffin(former BNP leader)
— Haggis_UK ???????? ???????? (@Haggis_UK) March 1, 2024
Mishal Husain: Did you welcome the endorsement of Nick Griffin?
Chris Williamson: "You can't spurn endorsements."#r4todaypic.twitter.com/JQ0XDsMvMJ
Meanwhile, Labour also launched a bitter attack on Galloway, claiming he would not have won the seat if the party had not effectively withdrawn from the race.
A spokesperson said: “Rochdale deserved the chance to vote for an MP that would bring communities together and deliver for working people. George Galloway is only interested in stoking fear and division. As an MP he will be a damaging force in our communities and public life.
“The Labour party will quickly begin the process to select a new Labour candidate for the general election, and will be campaigning hard to deliver the representation and fresh start that Rochdale deserves.”
