Galloway wins Respect in Bradford by-election

Outspoken Respect MP George Galloway won the Bradford by-election with a stunning victory over Labour winning over 10,000 votes more and over 55% of the vote, in a victory he referred to as the “Bradford Spring”.

Respect MP George Galloway, famously known for his vehement anti Iraq war stance, has sensationally returned to political office after trouncing Labour by more than 10,000 votes and winning over 55 percent of the vote.

Galloway referred to his victory as the “Bradford Spring” Triumphant Galloway Hails ‘Bradford Spring’ , telling Sky News that the result was “the most sensational result in British by-election history”, and that “Labour has been hit by a tidal wave in a seat it held for many decades in a city it dominated for 100 years.”

Galloway blamed Labour’s devastating defeat on their betrayal of Bradford’s people, involving the country in foreign wars and what he referred to as “the path of treason” embarked upon by former Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1994.

Why do black and minority ethnic communities continue to stay loyal to Labour?

For a very long time the Labour Party has been seen as the most race friendly party in Britain, and because of its long historic tradition with the trade unions, socialism and equality, many people from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities naturally gravitated towards Labour. In fact, it can be said that Labour can rely on the ethnic vote without even trying hard. For too long the Conservative Party has been associated with the far-right which made them a no go area for many black and minority ethnic voters.

Yet, it seems that BME communities are not aware of the Labour Party’s long history advocating British imperialism. In his book, “Labour: A Party Fit For Imperialism“, published by Larkin Publications in 1992, Robert Clough said that after World War II, the Labour government “exploited the colonies to the full.” (p.77)

He added:

“From 1948 in particular, the Empire was to be milked of all the dollars and superprofits it could earn. Resistance to this was ruthlessly and murderously put down. Three areas were to be critical: the Middle East, Malaya and West Africa. Such plunder was to cushion the British working class from the worse effects of the crises, and help prevent a repetition of the revolutionary struggles that occurred after the First Imperialist War.” (p.78)

Clough argues that Labour achieved what the Conservatives could not, a covert exploitation of the colonies whilst pretending to represent socialism. He referred to it as “socialist colonialism“. (p.106)

In fact it was this exploitation of the colonies that eventually payed for Britain’s social security and national health system.

So Labour just as the Conservatives was the party of empire, the difference being one party blatantly plundered and murdered for resources and the other committed the same atrocities but in disguise.

Once BME communities realise that the so called British left colluded with the empire the scales should fall from their eyes to see that British political parties will never represent them and will never stand for equality at home as well as overseas. They will only pay lip service to it.

I wrote an article titled, BME voters should vote for change over much of the same, in April 2010, where I argued that it was time for BME communities to withdraw their political support from the mainstream political parties and take a fresh look at alternative parties like Respect.

Respect is the only party in Britain with a political mandate which includes opposing imperialist wars, and it also supports investment in local industries rather than the dictatorship of corporate giants, policies which would benefit all who live in Britain.

George Galloway’s victory is great news, but if Respect fail to reach a wider electorate, it may be confined to only winning by-elections, but fail to win substantial mass support and national recognition, and I believe it needs that if British politics is to change from its imperialist traditions.

I believe it is also time for BME communities to switch allegiances from a deceptive Labour Party to Respect.

For further research:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/galloway-may-pull-off-shock-election-win-230711777.html

Clough, Robert. Labour: A Party Fit For Imperialism: Larkin Publications, 1992.