Galloway's stand will not help the left's political recovery

Submitted by Matthew on 19 January, 2011 - 10:47

On Sunday 16 January George Galloway launched his campaign to win a seat in the Scottish Parliament.

He has not yet produced an election manifesto. Nor has he decided whether he will be standing as an individual or as part of a slate.

Galloway said “he was not seeking to become an MSP because he needed the wages.”

But according to an interview in the Scotsman Galloway finds even his current annual income of nearly £500,000 insufficient: he has staff to employ, he speaks for free on Palestine, and he has “a lot of ex-wives”.

If elected, Galloway certainly won’t be a worker’s MP on a worker’s wage. According to the Scotsman interview: “He doesn’t agree with socialist MSPs like Tommy Sheridan taking only the average worker’s wage? ‘No, I don’t. I think it’s tokenistic’.”

The launch of Galloway’s campaign had been overshadowed by conflicting reports about whether he and Gail Sheridan would stand on a single slate, with Sheridan in number two position.

Galloway was a Labour MP for a Glasgow Westminster constituency from 1987 to 2003. From 2005 to 2010 he was a Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow.

Galloway’s 2005 election campaign had strongly communalist overtones. Respect election literature in 2004 described the party as “the party for Muslims”.

But now Galloway has re-invented himself as a champion of “old Labour” values: “I’m a real Labour man — the John Smith Labour Party, that is.”

This is convenient. If Galloway is to win a seat in Holyrood, he will need to win a substantial number of Labour supporters to cast their “regional list” votes for him (he stands no chance of being elected for a constituency seat).

If Galloway is elected to Holyrood and the Scottish left now becomes identified with him (after so long being identified with Sheridan) it will delay its political recovery.

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.