Against what he called Extremists Undermining Democracy as George Galloway is re elected to parliament. The new mp for rochdale, George Galloway, tells newsnight that democracy has just happened, and that he was the winner. What is keir starmer doing wrong . I know that you are so sad about the result because i have been watching you on television, and all that i can say is, cry more and Labour Leader keir starmer apologises, claiming labour would have won with a formal candidate. Galloway only matter first because labour galloway only matter first because labour didnt stand a candidate. Galloway labour didnt stand a candidate. Galloway only won because. Weve assembled a friday night Political Panel to chew over the result and the reaction. Also tonight. The worlds richest man has effectively pitched himself against the worlds Biggest Company for the future of technology, and perhaps humanity. Stick with us and well explain, helped by an adviser to the un on al. And. Music the latest track from jungle, wholl be performing at the brits tomorrow night, where theyve been nominated for best group. What better than appearing at the brits than appearing on newsnight beforehand . Good evening. What starts in rochdale can change british politics and affect the world. What starts in rochdale can change british politics and affect the world. The cooperative movement was born in the Greater Manchester town a century and a half ago. Its new mp, George Galloway, claimed the mantle of change after his election there last night, with his sights aimed at keir starmer and those labour voters disappointed at the partys reaction to the gaza war. Tonights intervention by the Prime Minister about what he called a Beyond Alarming by election and shocking increases in Extremist Disruption was an attempt to bring the country together, he said. But there was no new policy. The move also elevated what might have been a local difficulty for the opposition into a national moment. Nick watt has been in rochdale. Whats the purpose of this intervention . As far as the Prime Minister is concerned, this is a genuine call for National Unity, for us all to stand together to combat what he calls Extremist Disruption and criminality. He calls Extremist Disruption and criminality calls Extremist Disruption and criminali. ,. ,. , criminality. He thinks an example of that move away. Criminality. He thinks an example of that move away, that criminality. He thinks an example of that move away, that lurch criminality. He thinks an example of that move away, that lurch away, i criminality. He thinks an example of that move away, that lurch away, is| that move away, that lurch away, is George Galloway� s victory in the rochdale by election which he describes as beyond are lame. Lets just get a flavour of what the Prime Minister had to say. I fear that our great achievement in building the worlds most successful multiethnic, multi faith democracy is being deliberately undermined. There are forces here at home trying to tear us apart. Since october the 7th, there have been those trying to take advantage of the very human angst that we all feel about the terrible suffering that war brings to the innocent, to women and children, to advance a divisive, hateful ideological agenda. It is not difficult to find people on the left and indeed elsewhere who wonder whether this was a churchill like corpa National Unity. Professor Steven Fielding is a professor of politics, and he tweeted, note to editors, no Prime Minster Calling for National Unity outside of a war actually wants it, theyjust trying to mobilise the nation against the opposing party and sounding like they are above party which is what rishi sunak is done, so in other words they George Galloway, who is in the headlines and ensuring he is even more in the headlines, why would you do that . To create a head headache for keir starmer. Keir starmer has welcomed the fact that the primers lets call for National Unity and calling out what he describes as unacceptable and intimidatory behaviour. I was there yesterday and through the night watching the renaissance of George Galloway. Chanting Galloway Galloway the grand entrance. Victory celebrations in the dead of night. In a car showroom. An unlikely setting for the third coming of britains most successful populist on the left. And relishing every second back in the spotlight. George galloway, you have said that you have crushed your former party, and that this is a crisis for keir starmer. But he is calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in gaza. He is saying that a Rafah Offensive by the israelis would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe. What is keir starmer doing wrong . I know you are so sad about the result, because ive been watching you on television this evening. All i can say is, cry more. Cry more i think youll find that, at 10 30pm, i was predicting your victory. All i can say is, cry more. If you believe that keir starmer is genuinely seeking an end to the slaughter in gaza, ive got a bridge in london that i could sell you. Going cheap. Thank you very much. But he is calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Do you disagree with keir starmer calling for a Two State Solution . A familiarfigure returns to the National Stage in typically pugnacious style. George galloway believes that this is a momentous victory that poses a major challenge to keir starmer. There are a lot of labour mps nervous about challenges to them at the General Election from independent candidates deeply concerned about what is happening in gaza. They will probably now be a lot more nervous. In the shadow of a rochdale landmark, the Seven Sisters tower blocks, signs that a campaign largely centred on gaza had resonated. A third of the constituency are muslims. I met him first time when he came here last week, you know. Thats when i met him personally. And were you pleased . He was obviously campaigning very strongly on gaza. Was that the right thing for you . Yeah, yeah, of course, yeah. What they are doing up there is, is horrifying, you know . Im very happy. Ilike. Last friday, i meet here. He is good for muslim. And i am happy. He has done a greatjob, you know. In the past, also, he has done a lot of good job, too. For palestine, you know . So i wish him good luck, you know . In rochdale, the people i will love him like anything. And George Galloway also appealed in the town centre. He seems very characteristic. I think he will do what he says he is going to do. And we are going to have a change in rochdale, and that is better than nothing, isnt it . Its not about personality, its about the politics. We want to stop the war in gaza. Yeah its gone too far. A word of advice from one academic be careful about reading too much into the rochdale results. One thing we should always caution, nick, when thinking about the impact of by elections on the General Election, is, by elections are a very different kind of contest. They are a kind of free hit for voters. Rob ford believes a drop in labours muslim vote is unlikely to cause trouble at the next General Election but it could spell danger further down the line. Imagine a scenario where labour does lose lots of muslim votes. They will probably hold on because there is a big swing to them nationally anyway, but that means that they are in a weaker position when the tide comes out again. The tide has come in for them the last couple of years, will it stay in forever . No, of course not. The pendulum will always eventually swing out. At that point these seats, which have been very safe for them for a long time, suddenly become battlegrounds. Coursing through the centre of rochdale, a sign of comfort in times of change. A town whose most famous daughter echoed across the world, made its voice heard today. A flash in the pan, or a new chapter . Nick watt reporting. To chew over all of this, we have paul waugh, who stepped aside as is chief political commentator injanuary to stand as the Labour Candidate for rochdale, a contest won by azhar ali. Taj ali, co editor of tribune magazine and katy balls, Political Editor at the spectator, join me now in the studio. Paul, for clarity, for that seat you might be against George Galloway in a General Election . Ii might be against George Galloway in a General Election . A General Election . If the local eole a General Election . If the local peeple take a General Election . If the local peeple take me a General Election . If the local people take me up. A General Election . If the local people take me up. That a General Election . If the local people take me up. That is a General Election . If the localj people take me up. That is the context but people take me up. That is the context but are people take me up. That is the context but are you people take me up. That is the| context but are you misreading people take me up. That is the context but are you misreading the room by blaming rochdale for George Galloway . I room by blaming rochdale for George Gallowa . , � ~ room by blaming rochdale for George Gallowa . , � ~. ,. , galloway . I dont think anyone is blamin galloway . I dont think anyone is blaming the galloway . I dont think anyone is blaming the voters. Galloway . I dont think anyone is blaming the voters. It galloway . I dont think anyone is blaming the voters. It is galloway . I dont think anyone is blaming the voters. It is clear galloway . I dont think anyone is | blaming the voters. It is clear you have to respect the result of that by election. Winning 12,000 votes is not inconsiderable, the turnout was higher than in wellingborough. There was a strong message. You cannot ignore any section of the vote, whether it is the muslim section of the vote, any section of the community but at the same time, labour gave galloway a free pass. Lets not beat about the bush. Why . Because they had a candidate who had committed some anti semitic remarks, and as a result keir starmer took tough decision, to step down the wrong candidate, but what that says to me about the whole process is that actually, the reason many people are saying today that labour are sorry for that, i share that but im equally really angry about it because the people of rochdale, Working Class people, have been disenfranchised, they need a Labour Government and they have been denied that chance. Es, government and they have been denied that chance. � ,. , that chance. A unique set of circumstances, that chance. A unique set of circumstances, is that chance. A unique set of circumstances, is it that chance. A unique set of l circumstances, is it applicable across this whole swathe of dozens of other seats . Across this whole swathe of dozens of other seats . Newton, where im from, is a of other seats . Newton, where im from, is a postindustrial of other seats . Newton, where im from, is a postindustrial town, of other seats . Newton, where im from, is a postindustrialtown, itl from, is a post industrialtown, it is a very from, is a post industrialtown, it is a very diverse Working Class community. And from what i hear from friends community. And from what i hear from friends and community. And from what i hear from friends and family is a great sense of disillusionment, particularly over of disillusionment, particularly over keir of disillusionment, particularly over Keir Starmers comments on gaza. Over Keir Starmers comments on gaza. He over Keir Starmers comments on gaza. He was on lbc a few months ago. Gaza. He was on lbc a few months ago. Talking gaza. He was on lbc a few months ago, talking about how israel was justified ago, talking about how israel was justified cutting off electricity and water, and that was going viral, oider and water, and that was going viral, older group and water, and that was going viral, older group chats and all the Tiktok Older Group chats and all the tiktok. Anyone can listen to that clip tiktok. Anyone can listen to that dip and tiktok. Anyone can listen to that clip and hear it for themselves and the other clip and hear it for themselves and the other in clip and hear it for themselves and the other injudgment but clearly it did not the other injudgment but clearly it did not go the other injudgment but clearly it did not go down well with other british did not go down well with other british muslims, and notjust british british muslims, and notjust british muslims, and notjust british muslims but people of conscience. We know that a significant majority of the British Public significant majority of the British Public support an immediate ceasefire in gaza, and our Political Class have ceasefire in gaza, and our Political Class have been behind the curve on this issue class have been behind the curve on this issue. Labours approach on gaza this issue. Labours approach on gaza has this issue. Labours approach on gaza has been wishy washy, and that has not gaza has been wishy washy, and that has not gone down well with voters. It is important to emphasise this is notjust it is important to emphasise this is notjust about gaza, it is important to emphasise this is not just about gaza, particularly in the Muslim Community, what i have seen is the Muslim Community, what i have seen is loyal supporters of the labour seen is loyal supporters of the labour party who will not be voting for the labour party who will not be voting for the labour party because they feel that for the labour party because they feel that they have been taken for granted feel that they have been taken for granted. We have spoken a lot about islamophobia in the Conservative Party~ islamophobia in the Conservative Party~ The Islamophobia in the Conservative Party. The vast majority of british musiims party. The vast majority of british muslims who engage in Party Politics do so muslims who engage in Party Politics do so through the labour party, the labour do so through the labour party, the Labour Muslim Network report from some Labour Muslim Network report from some years Labour Muslim Network report from some years ago found that one in three some years ago found that one in three muslim members of the labour party had three muslim members of the labour party had experienced islamophobia so the party had experienced islamophobia so the approach that labour has often so the approach that labour has often had so the approach that labour has often had with the Muslim Community in terms often had with the Muslim Community in terms of often had with the Muslim Community in terms of the prism of Community Leaders in terms of the prism of Community Leaders rather than engagement with the matters comes undone when young people the matters comes undone when young people are the matters comes undone when young people are politicised over these issues people are politicised over these issues. ,. ,. , people are politicised over these issues. ,. ,. , issues. Can we have a failure of democracy issues. Can we have a failure of democracy from issues. Can we have a failure of democracy from the issues. Can we have a failure of democracy from the exercise i issues. Can we have a failure of democracy from the exercise of democracy . Democracy from the exercise of democra . , democracy . That is the thing, they are t in democracy . That is the thing, they are trying not democracy . Th