Workers Party of Britain

The Workers Party of Britain (WPB) is a minor political party in Britain, formed in December 2019 and led by George Galloway. It has never held elected representation at any level of government.

Workers Party of Britain
LeaderGeorge Galloway
FounderGeorge Galloway
FoundedDecember 2019 (2019-12)
Website
workerspartybritain.org

History

The Workers Party of Britain was founded in response to the Labour Party's landslide defeat at the 2019 United Kingdom general election and the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn as Leader of the Labour Party. It was formed with a commitment to "defend the achievements of the USSR, China, Cuba etc."[1] The party has defended Chris Williamson, who was suspended from the Labour Party for his comments about antisemitism allegations in the Labour Party, and Ken Livingstone, who left the party following allegations of antisemitism.[2]

The WPB contested its first parliamentary seat at the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election, with Galloway as its candidate.[1] Galloway gained 8,264 votes (21.9%) and came in third, behind the winning Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater and second placed Conservative candidate Ryan Stephenson. The Lib Dems came in fourth place, as they did in the previous election.[3] Galloway concentrated on the issues of the Palestinian territories, the Kashmir conflict, criticism of Labour leader Keir Starmer, the suspension of a teacher for showing a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad at Batley Grammar School, and the reopening of a police station in Batley.[4][5][6] The campaign received considerable media attention due to incidents of harassment during its final days.[7][8][9][10]

The Jewish Labour Movement called the result a "triumph for hope and decency" over Galloway's "toxic politics". Galloway vowed to challenge the result on the basis of an alleged "false statement" made about him by Leadbeater and Starmer, which he said tipped the result of the by-election.[11][12]

In March 2021, the party stood its first candidate for elected office, Paul Burrows, in the by-election for Helensburgh and Lomond South ward on Argyll and Bute Council.[13] Burrows came last out of six, gaining 22 votes (0.9%).[14]

In the 2021 United Kingdom local elections, the party stood more than 40 candidates for local elections in England.

Its two candidates in Wakefield District Council received 80 and 43 votes.[2][15] In the ward of Chopwell and Rowlands Gill, Andrew Metcalf gained 200 votes, coming in fourth.[16]

The party contested the Almond ward of Edinburgh council in the 2022 Scottish local elections, but came second to last with 61 first preference votes (0.4%).[17]

In the 2022 local elections, Workers Party candidate Ed Woollard achieved 15% of the vote in the Bordesley and Highgate ward of Birmingham.[18]

In July 2023, former Labour MP Chris Williamson joined the Workers Party of Britain.[19]

Platform

The party describes itself as "economically radical with an independent foreign policy" and "unequivocally committed to class politics".[20][21] In May 2021, Galloway described the party as "the working-class patriotic alternative to fake woke anti-British 'Labour'".[22] The party is also critical of NATO membership.[23]

Election results

Senedd elections
Further information: Senedd
Year Votes % Seats Misc.
2021 411 0.04% 0/60 Contested South Wales Central (0.2%)

Scottish Parliament elections
Further information: Scottish Parliament
Year Votes % Seats Misc.
2021 23,299 0.9% 0/129 As part of All for Unity, contested all regional ballots

UK parliamentary by-elections
Further information: UK parliamentary by-elections
Year Votes Candidate % Seat
2021 8,264 George Galloway 21.9% Batley and Spen

Notable members

References
  1. Norfolk, Andrew (22 June 2021). "George Galloway is pulling no punches in Batley & Spen". The Times. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. Spereall, David (26 April 2021). "Wakefield local elections 2021: George Galloway's Workers Party of Britain stands in the district for the first time". Wakefield Express. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  3. "Labour's Kim Leadbeater wins narrow victory in Batley and Spen byelection". The Guardian. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  4. Al-Othman, Hannah (6 June 2021). "Batley and Spen by-election: are Muslim voters the next brick to crumble in Labour's red wall?". The Sunday Times. London. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  5. "Labour could lose a by-election over the issue of Palestine". The Economist. 26 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  6. Drury, Colin (28 June 2021). "Batley and Spen by-election: Labour's Muslim vote collapsing as Palestine – and potholes – cause anger". The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  7. Sullivan, Rory (26 June 2021). "Jo Cox's sister, Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater, heckled and chased on campaign trail". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  8. Diver, Tony (25 June 2021). "Labour candidate in Batley and Spen by-election left 'intimidated' by anti-LGBT protester". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  9. Blackall, Molly (26 June 2021). "Kim Leadbeater, sister of Jo Cox, chased and heckled on Batley and Spen by-election campaign trail". i. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  10. "Batley and Spen by-election: Labour 'egged and kicked'". BBC News. 28 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  11. Stone, Jon (2 July 2021). "Batley and Spen: George Galloway says he will take legal action to challenge by-election defeat". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  12. Geddes, Jonathan (2 July 2021). "Would-be Rutherglen MP George Galloway told to honour his promises". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  13. Borland, Craig (15 February 2021). "It's a six-way battle in Helensburgh and Lomond South by-election". Helensburgh Advertiser. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  14. "Argyll & Bute Council Election Results Ward 11 -Helensburgh and Lomond South" (PDF). Argyll and Bute Council. 19 March 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  15. "District Council election Results 2021". Wakefield Council. 7 September 2021. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  16. "Local Election Results 2021". Gateshead Council. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  17. "First Preference Report: Ward 1 - Almond". City of Edinburgh Council. 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  18. Council, Birmingham City. "Bordesley and Highgate Ward Results". www.birmingham.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  19. "Chris Williamson joins Workers Party". Workers Party of Britain. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  20. Macnamara, Felicity (16 December 2019). "Former Bradford MP George Galloway launches new 'Workers Party'". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  21. "Introducing the Workers Party". Workers Party of Britain. 12 December 2019. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  22. Young, Chris (12 May 2021). "Former Bradford West MP George Galloway announces that his party will stand in Batley and Spen by-election". Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  23. "George Galloway's No2Nato: War cannot be opposed based on nationalism and an embrace of capitalism's "rising powers"". World Socialist Web Site. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  24. "Chris Williamson joins Workers Party". Workers Party of Britain. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  25. "Workers Party Statement on passing of founding member Brian Travers". Workers Party of Britain. 23 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
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