George Galloway Eyes Key Labour Seats After Being Sworn Into Commons

George Galloway has said he will target key Labour seats at the next general election after he was sworn in to the Commons on Monday having secured a by-election victory for the far-left Workers Party of Britain in Rochdale on Friday.

The former MP for Labour and Respect parties, and one-time Celebrity Big Brother contestant won comfortably in the previously Labour safe seat with a majority of 5,697, securing 12,335 votes overall.

The by-election was triggered when veteran Labour MP and former interim Manchester mayor, Tony Lloyd, died in-post at the age of 73 in January.

Galloway formally took his seat in the House of Commons and took the oath on Monday afternoon. 

“I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God,” he said. 

In a press conference outside the Commons immediately after the ceremony, Galloway said he believed Parliament had declined over the last few decades and claimed he will have much to say about the state of the country and international situation.

Having made the conflict in Gaza a central tenet of his campaign in Rochdale, Galloway – a longtime supporter of the Palestinian cause – told reporters the next election would be about "muslims". He also claimed his Workers Party would specifically target Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner's seat when fielding candidates for the next general election. Rayner has a majority of 4,263 in Ashton-under-Lyne, which like Rochdale, has a large muslim population. 

"There's at least 15,000 supporters of my point of view in her constituency. So we'll be putting a candidate up against her," he said.

He felt he had been welcomed by the staff of Parliament, but not