Galloway draws crowds on the campaign trail

THE Respect Party’s George Galloway addresses the crowd in support of St Mary’s ward candidate Tariq Ullah

MORE than 100 residents turned out to see the Respect Party leader George Galloway launch the campaign of a local election candidate in Oldham.

The green and red Respect Party battle bus visited Waterloo Street yesterday as part of the event, which marked the start of campaigning for Tariq Ullah, who is fighting for election in the St Mary’s ward.

Mr Ullah, a married father-of-three, is the only candidate standing for the left-wing party in the Oldham Council elections on May 7.

Controversial Mr Galloway, Respect’s general election candidate for Bradford West, said: “I am pleased by the warmth of the reception I have received in Oldham and it has taken me by surprise to see the number of people here. Tariq Ullah is a straight-talking candidate — you know that when he says something, he believes it.

“Communities like this, poor communities, those who are marginalised, victimised and discriminated against, need a lion to roar for them and not a sheep following someone else.”

Mr Galloway, who was expelled from the Labour Party in 2003 for his outspoken comments about the Iraq war, said his party aims to end prejudice against the Muslim population.

Speaking about recent court cases involving “grooming” gangs, he said: “It is not acceptable that Muslims are being blamed for the actions of an individual criminal or even 10 criminals. These men aren’t vile perverts because they are Muslim, they are just vile perverts.”

After addressing the crowd and posing for pictures, he passed the microphone over to the hopeful candidate

Other candidates in the ward are Shadab Qumer (Labour), who is seeking re-election, Badrul Amin (Lib-Dem), David Atherton (Conservative), Gary Leese (UKIP) and Miranda Meadowcroft (Green).

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