Rochdale by-election 2024: George Galloway’s controversial letters to Rochdale voters

George Galloway’s campaign has sent out letters to the voters of Rochdale – with separate letters for the Muslim and non-Muslim communities.

The polls have just closed on the Rochdale by-election where Mr Galloway is the bookie’s favourite to win.

Mr Galloway has ran his campaign very strongly on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

George Galloway is the bookie’s favourite to win the by-election in Rochdale. He sent out this letter to Muslim voters in the town explaining his views on the Gaza conflict. #RochdaleByElection pic.twitter.com/i0kHJxaOha

— Mancunian Matters (@MM_newsonline) February 29, 2024

Don't forget the transphobic dog whistle letter he sent out to the "white" community pic.twitter.com/6WMP7DqX3X

— Cllr Simon Lepori 🔶🇬🇧🌈🐝 (@SimonLeporiLD) February 29, 2024

These two letters have been criticised by Mr Galloway’s political opponents.

Political editor of The Sun Harry Cole described the letter to the Muslim community as “filth”, whilst the letter to non-Muslim communities has been described as homophobic and transphobic.

It isn’t funny in the slightest but I’m slightly bemused by how George Galloway’s campaigning letter for white households goes on a terfy yet homophobic rant randomly in the middle pic.twitter.com/r7VqElwb8c

— Frances Weetman (@francesweetman) February 29, 2024

I saw the Tories do precisely the same in Harrow in the 2019 general election.

They microtargeted British-Indian voters and made Labour's alleged position on Kashmir a massive issue.

Galloway is doing nothing different – it's just now it's the 'other side'. https://t.co/ujBNg7Ofi3

— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) February 29, 2024

You can read our full explainer of the Rochdale by-election here.

Follow the Mancunian Matters live blog for more updates.

Featured image credit: Vince Millett, Flickr/Wikimedia Commons