Galloway vows to return after losing Bradford seat

Respect leader George Galloway has vowed to return to politics after losing his seat, three years after storming to victory in a by-election.

The Scot, representing Bradford West, lost out to Labour’s Naseem Shah, who won with nearly 20,000 votes.

Wearing his trademark fedora, controversial politician Mr Galloway said: “Bradford will always have a central place in my heart.”

He said it had been a “privilege” to spend three years as MP in Bradford West, “a special place full of special people”.

He added: “I’m going off now to plan my next campaign.”

Mr Galloway first entered parliament in 1987 as a Labour MP but was expelled from the party after being critical of party leader Tony Blair over Iraq in 2003.

He fought back, however, standing against Labour MP Oona King in Bethnal Green and Bow in the 2005 general election and over-turning a 10,000 majority with a campaign aimed at the East London constituency’s Bangladeshi community.

He lost the seat in 2010, only to make an even more remarkable comeback two years later taking Bradford West from Labour in a by-election, after again targeting the seat’s largely Asian and Muslim communities.

Mr Galloway was reported to police on election night after he sent a tweet about exit polls before voting closed, which is banned under election law.

A Respect Party spokesman said he had not been told about any complaint to police, adding: ”It seems like a storm in a thimble.”

PA