Bradford West MP George Galloway responded to Prime Minister David Cameron's refusal to answer a parliamentary question, by resorting to a cheap insult, by detailing the Arab tyrannies and puppet presidents Britain backs.
'I asked a reasonable question, to detail the difference between the jihadists in Mali we oppose and the jihadists in Syria we back and in response to a legitimate inquiry I received a sneering insult more fitted to the gutters of Eton than the Mother of all Parliaments,' Galloway said. 'Britain is guilty to backing the worst, most bloodthirsty dictators in the world, bar none. This country backs and arms the foul Saudi Arabian sheikhdom which has the least democracy and probably the worst human rights record on the planet.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Why David Ward was wrong
It's good that David Ward has decided to support the Palestinians, even at this late stage in his career. He has clearly realised the strength of feeling among many of his constituents. But his timing and choice of words have inadvertently strengthened their persecutors. No British politician has been more closely identified with the Palestinian cause – and for longer – than me. So when I say that the supporters of Israel spend hundreds of hours every week trawling for just such mis-timings and mis-statements it should be heeded.
His statement – now withdrawn and apologized for to save his political position – has provided an unexpected bonus for Israel, from Bradford of all places. The Holocaust is the greatest crime of the 20th Century. Tens of millions perished in it. I repeat tens of millions. Approximately six million of those were Jews, annihilated for no other reason than that they were Jews. It was slaughter on an industrial scale, men woman and children marched into death camps to be gassed, starved, worked to death. Holocaust Memorial Day cannot possibly be the day to make the comments Ward made, even if, in Professor Norman Finkelstein's words, 'the Zionists have developed effective means of translating the murders of millions of Jews into the case for Israel'.
His statement – now withdrawn and apologized for to save his political position – has provided an unexpected bonus for Israel, from Bradford of all places. The Holocaust is the greatest crime of the 20th Century. Tens of millions perished in it. I repeat tens of millions. Approximately six million of those were Jews, annihilated for no other reason than that they were Jews. It was slaughter on an industrial scale, men woman and children marched into death camps to be gassed, starved, worked to death. Holocaust Memorial Day cannot possibly be the day to make the comments Ward made, even if, in Professor Norman Finkelstein's words, 'the Zionists have developed effective means of translating the murders of millions of Jews into the case for Israel'.
Monday, 28 January 2013
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Britain: 'A State of Collusion'
Public meeting
Britain: “A State of Collusion”
With George Galloway MP, John Finucane & Lee Jasper
Monday 28th January 2013 at 7:30pm
Committee Room 14
Houses of Parliament
London
SW1A 0AA
Committee Room 14
Houses of Parliament
London
SW1A 0AA
Please come to St Stephens Entrance/Cromwell Green and allow 15 minutes to clear security. Tickets can be booked in advance.
Unemployment rising inexorably
BRADFORD West's unemployment rate continues to rise inexorably.
"My constituency is in the forefront of bearing the brunt of the Government's failed economic strategy," said George Galloway MP. "In December it was the seventh highest in the country for unemployment - 13.2% of the active population between 16 and 64 were out of work - but worse than that the rise appears inexorable. Year-on-year comparison, the real measurement, shows a massive 9% increase on December 2011. This is a human disaster for thousands of families in Bradford West. It must have been a truly miserable Christmas for them. My heart goes out to them.
"My constituency is in the forefront of bearing the brunt of the Government's failed economic strategy," said George Galloway MP. "In December it was the seventh highest in the country for unemployment - 13.2% of the active population between 16 and 64 were out of work - but worse than that the rise appears inexorable. Year-on-year comparison, the real measurement, shows a massive 9% increase on December 2011. This is a human disaster for thousands of families in Bradford West. It must have been a truly miserable Christmas for them. My heart goes out to them.
Bantams win lifts the city
"I'm still hoarse from shouting, and I was only watching on TV," Galloway said. "And I bet there were thousands of others who are similarly speechless. What a victory! The first time a team from the fourth tier has gone to Wembley in what we used to call the League Cup final. Absolutely remarkable, and the team was assembled for the cost of what a Premier League player would turn up his nose at as a day's wage. It's a tribute to the players, manager Phil Parkinson and the management of this great club.
"Whatever the result there has to be a civic reception for the squad and the management. I noted what co-chairman Mark Lawn said after the first-leg result, that the local council hadn't even sent a message of support. This has to be different. Dave Green and the ruling administration need to say clear and loud that the city is going to officially fete these heroes. I've contacted the other local MPs to suggest that we club together to have a parliamentary reception for them and I hope, and trust, this will come to pass."
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Bradford council paid £400k for Tour not to come to city
Despite Bradford MDC paying £400,000 to the Tour de France organisers, the city is not on the route of the 2014 event.
"Did anyone know the council had paid £400,000 for the Tour not to come to the city?" asked Bradford West MP George Galloway, revealing for the first time just how much Bradford had paid. "Did anyone know that the council paid anything? It seems to be the great unknown. While the Tour will visit most of the other great cities in Yorkshire it has given ours the bodyswerve and won't come within 10 miles. The people of Bradford city, the shops, hotels and restaurants are largely going to miss out on what will be a huge influx of thousands of visitors and millions of pounds spent."
The MP continued: "I want to know who took the decision to pay out the cash and what conditions, if any, were imposed on it. I want to know who negotiated with the organisers of the route for the two Yorkshire stages and why the city was by-passed when others like Leeds and Sheffield were not. It's fine that the riders should swoop through Bronte country but it's as if there's a 10-mile exclusion zone round the city. Is the council ashamed of it? This is a scandal which I hope is still not too late to remedy.
"Did anyone know the council had paid £400,000 for the Tour not to come to the city?" asked Bradford West MP George Galloway, revealing for the first time just how much Bradford had paid. "Did anyone know that the council paid anything? It seems to be the great unknown. While the Tour will visit most of the other great cities in Yorkshire it has given ours the bodyswerve and won't come within 10 miles. The people of Bradford city, the shops, hotels and restaurants are largely going to miss out on what will be a huge influx of thousands of visitors and millions of pounds spent."
The MP continued: "I want to know who took the decision to pay out the cash and what conditions, if any, were imposed on it. I want to know who negotiated with the organisers of the route for the two Yorkshire stages and why the city was by-passed when others like Leeds and Sheffield were not. It's fine that the riders should swoop through Bronte country but it's as if there's a 10-mile exclusion zone round the city. Is the council ashamed of it? This is a scandal which I hope is still not too late to remedy.
How much did Bradford MDC pay for the Tour de France?
Bradford West MP George Galloway today demanded to know how much Bradford MDC had paid for the Tour de France to pass through the council's area and why the city had been by-passed.
"In France communes and municipalities vie with each other to pay for the Tour to come through their town or village. It is my information that Bradford council has done the same. I'd like to know just how much Bradford contributed.? The Tour is an amazing spectacle which brings thousands of visitors and tens of millions in revenue but it looks like little of that will be spent in the shops, hotels and restaurants of the city because the route completely bypasses it," Galloway said. "Are the council ashamed of the city? Did they simply hand over the money and have no part in the decisions about where the Tour would go? The route skirts the city by 10 miles, it's as if there is some kind of exclusion zone."Council leader Dave Green needs to come clean on why the cyclists and citizens of the city are going to have to get on their bikes if they want to see one of the world's greatest sporting events."
"In France communes and municipalities vie with each other to pay for the Tour to come through their town or village. It is my information that Bradford council has done the same. I'd like to know just how much Bradford contributed.? The Tour is an amazing spectacle which brings thousands of visitors and tens of millions in revenue but it looks like little of that will be spent in the shops, hotels and restaurants of the city because the route completely bypasses it," Galloway said. "Are the council ashamed of the city? Did they simply hand over the money and have no part in the decisions about where the Tour would go? The route skirts the city by 10 miles, it's as if there is some kind of exclusion zone."Council leader Dave Green needs to come clean on why the cyclists and citizens of the city are going to have to get on their bikes if they want to see one of the world's greatest sporting events."
Tour de France snub for Bradford
The Tour de France will pass through the Bradford metropolitan district next year but bypass the city. "It's regrettable to say the least," said Bradford West MP George Galloway today, "but I hope it's not too late to persuade the organisers to change their minds."
Mr Galloway was commenting after the routes of the two 2014 stages through Yorkshire were revealed. The Tour, one of the world's biggest and most colourful events, will visit Leeds and Sheffield but cycling enthusiasts in Bradford will miss out.
"I'm extremely disappointed over the decision not to route the Tour de France through the city of Bradford," said George Galloway this morning. "In fact they seem to have decided a route which deliberately avoids the city, going to the leafy areas of Ilkley, Otley, Haworth and Keighley instead. I wrote to both the head of the Tour de France organising committee in Paris and the head of Welcome to Yorkshire to make the case that this city, which has many enthusiastic cyclists and wonderful architecture would be a great place to take the Tour though. I'm saddened they have simply ignored those arguments.
"But the fight isn't over. I am going to put a motion before parliament asking the Tour organisers to reconsider, we should get a petition up and the council should get behind the campaign. The council seem to have done precious little to get the Tour to come to Bradford city."
Mr Galloway was commenting after the routes of the two 2014 stages through Yorkshire were revealed. The Tour, one of the world's biggest and most colourful events, will visit Leeds and Sheffield but cycling enthusiasts in Bradford will miss out.
"I'm extremely disappointed over the decision not to route the Tour de France through the city of Bradford," said George Galloway this morning. "In fact they seem to have decided a route which deliberately avoids the city, going to the leafy areas of Ilkley, Otley, Haworth and Keighley instead. I wrote to both the head of the Tour de France organising committee in Paris and the head of Welcome to Yorkshire to make the case that this city, which has many enthusiastic cyclists and wonderful architecture would be a great place to take the Tour though. I'm saddened they have simply ignored those arguments.
"But the fight isn't over. I am going to put a motion before parliament asking the Tour organisers to reconsider, we should get a petition up and the council should get behind the campaign. The council seem to have done precious little to get the Tour to come to Bradford city."
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Stirring success in Newham
The meeting at the Harold Centre in the heart of Newham was to relaunch Newham Respect. The audience of young and old, men and women, black and white, Muslim and non-Muslim heard speeches from Yvonne Ridley, Lee Jasper and George Galloway who then answered questions and responded to contributions from the floor.
Yvonne, talked about her membership of the Labour Party and the way today’s New Labour had abandoned all the principles that had brought her into politics. Respect represented the values she had always supported and was the party that now represented the interests and aspirations of working people. Labour fears the rise of Respect, proved by the sight of MPs tramping to Rotherham for what should have been an easy election for Labour.
Lee talked about the racism that black and Asian people suffer, regardless of whether or not they speak English. He denounced Newham Council’s decision to refuse planning permission to the misnamed “Super Mosque” and pointed out that Black Christian churches were also being denied planning permission because of racism. He wants to see a broad coalition brought together of black and Asian, Christian and Muslim, together with everyone of a progressive outlook. This now potentially constitutes the majority in London.
George committed Respect to challenging for control of the council and, above all, defeating the reviled Labour mayor “Sir” Robin Wales. He railed against the incoherent capitulation to racism by Ed Miliband with his language tests for immigrants, whilst Labour and Tory governments and councils had slashed funding of ESOL teaching. George welcomed the many new people and the many potential council candidates who had come to the meeting, as well as those who had been with Respect from the beginning. He pointed out that Respect had polled some 40,000 votes in Newham in the past. In response to speakers from the floor who said that Labour councillors had said they had voted against granting planning permission to the “Super Mosque” because Robin Wales would expel them from Labour if they didn’t, George denounced their cowardice. Respect councillors would be people of principle who would bow down to no-one in pursuit of justice and the interests of their constituents.
Most of the audience then signed up to be part of Newham Respect and to build confidently for elections in local and mayoral elections in 2014, the General Election in 2015 and GLA elections in 2016.
Oppose the new family immigration rules
George Galloway has been campaigning against the new Family Immigration rules that effectively put a price on marriage and children. The rules are highly discriminatory against those without wealth. Here is the motion that he has laid before Parliament:
That this House notes that the new family immigration rules impose a minimum earnings requirement of £18,600 (with an additional £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child) in respect of partners (and children) from outside the European Union to join their partners (and parents) resident in the UK; further notes that the 'sponsoring' partner is subject to enforced separation in that s/he is required to work in the United Kingdom for at least six months before the application can be made; further notes that the new immigration rules are to be challenged in the Administrative Court in Birmingham from 5th to 8th February 2013; believes that the new immigration rules are irrational and discriminate against British citizens, those settled in the United Kingdom and or those with refugee or humanitarian protection leave on grounds including gender and race/ethnicity; that the new rules are preventing British and settled families on lower incomes from being reunited with and enjoying family life with their non-EEA family members contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights and other international instruments; calls on the government to immediately withdraw that aspect of the new family immigration rules which impose the minimum earnings requirement reverting back to the predecessor rule which adequately ensured that there was no recourse to public funds.
Bring the Tour de France to Bradford
George Galloway MP is spearheading a campaign to bring the Tour de France, British leg, to Bradford and urges all to make representations urgently to Bradford Council, to their MP and to the organizers. Here is the text of a motion that George Galloway laid down in Parliament this week:
That this House welcomes the decision that the Tour de France in 2014 will start in Leeds; congratulates those who worked so hard to secure this honour for Leeds and for Yorkshire; regrets that the planned route of the Tour de France at the moment does not include Bradford; believes that Bradford should be one of the cities through which the Tour de France should run as this will boost the city; and calls on those planning the route to include Bradford in the route.
Congratulations to the Bantams
George Galloway has submitted the following motions on the success of Bradford City FC in recent weeks.
Congratulations to Bradford City FC (again)
The motion to the Parliament dated 12th December 2012
Congratulations to Bradford City FC (again)
That this House notes that Bradford City FC is only the fifth team from the fourth tier of league football to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup; further notes that the Bantams beat premier league Aston Villa, at the Coral Stadium, three one with wonderful goals by young Nahki Wells from Bermuda, Rory McArdle and Carl McHugh; further notes that Matt Duke was Capital One Man of the Match after a fantastic performance in the Bradford goal; further notes that the whole team played magnificently with Big Jim Hanson leading the line and hitting the bar with a terrific header and Zavon Hines having a great game on the wing; wishes Phil Parkinson, the mastermind behind the team’s amazing performances against three premiership sides in the League Cup, and Bradford City FC every success in the second leg of the game at Villa Park; and looks forward to Bradford City FC becoming only the second fourth tier side in history ever to reach the League Cup Final.
The motion to the Parliament dated 12th December 2012
That this House notes that Bradford City Football Club has been through some very difficult times in recent years including two periods of administration; further notes that, despite this, the club has maintained a very large and loyal fan base and is now extremely well-managed thanks, above all, to the joint chairmen Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes; further notes that Bradford City FC has a wonderful stadium at Valley Parade now known as the Coral Windows Stadium; further notes the remarkable performance of the team in beating Premiership side Arsenal in the League Cup now known as the Capital One Cup; congratulates the team, its manager Phil Parkinson and everyone involved in this fabulous success; and wishes the Bantams every success for the future.
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