George Galloway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Galloway
Official portrait, 2024
Leader of the Workers Party of Britain
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 December 2019
Deputy	Chris Williamson Peter Ford Joti Brar Andy Hudd
Preceded by	Party established
Leader of the Respect Party
In office 10 June 2013 – 18 August 2016
Deputy	Dawud Islam
Preceded by	Arshad Ali
Succeeded by	Party dissolved
Member of Parliament
In office 29 February 2024 – 30 May 2024
Preceded by	Tony Lloyd
Succeeded by	Paul Waugh
Constituency	Rochdale
In office 29 March 2012 – 30 March 2015
Preceded by	Marsha Singh
Succeeded by	Naz Shah
Constituency	Bradford West
In office 5 May 2005 – 12 April 2010
Preceded by	Oona King
Succeeded by	Rushanara Ali
Constituency	Bethnal Green and Bow
In office 11 June 1987 – 11 April 2005
Preceded by	Roy Jenkins
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Constituency	Glasgow Kelvin (1997–2005) Glasgow Hillhead (1987–1997)
Personal details
Born	(1954-08-16) 16 August 1954 (age 70) Dundee, Scotland
Political party	Workers Party of Britain (since 2019)
Other political affiliations	All for Unity (2020–2022) Independent (2016–2019) Respect (2004–2016) Independent Labour (2003) Labour (1967–2003)
Spouses	Elaine Fyffe ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1999)​ Amineh Abu-Zayyad ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2009)​ Rima Husseini ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2010)​ Putri Gayatri Pertiwi ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	6
Signature

George Galloway (born 16 August 1954) is a British politician, broadcaster, and writer. He has led the Workers Party of Britain since he started it in 2019. He also used to lead the Respect Party. Before 2003, he was a member of the Labour Party.

Galloway has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for five different areas. He was an MP from 1987 to 2010, then from 2012 to 2015, and briefly in 2024.

He was born in Dundee, Scotland. In 1981, he became the youngest ever chairman of the Scottish Labour Party. From 1983, he worked as general secretary for the charity War on Want. He became an MP for Glasgow Hillhead in 1987.

In 2003, he was removed from the Labour Party. This happened because he strongly disagreed with the Iraq War. He joined the Respect Party in 2004 and led it from 2013 to 2016. He won a seat in Bethnal Green and Bow in 2005.

After losing his seat in 2010, he won another in Bradford West in 2012. However, he lost it again in 2015. He ran as an independent in 2017 and 2019 but didn't win.

He then started the Workers Party of Britain. In 2024, he won the 2024 Rochdale by-election. He lost this seat in the 2024 general election.

Galloway says he is both a socialist (believing in shared ownership and equality) and socially conservative (holding traditional views on society). He has been a strong critic of Israel and supports the Palestinians. He also supported Brexit (the UK leaving the European Union) in 2016.

He has hosted radio and TV shows, including The Mother of All Talk Shows and programs on RT.

Early Life and Political Beginnings

Growing Up in Scotland

George Galloway was born in Dundee, Scotland, on 16 August 1954. His father, George Galloway Sr., was a trade unionist. His mother, Sheila O'Reilly, had Irish family.

He grew up in a part of Dundee known as "Tipperary." His father was an electrician who later became a teacher. His mother worked as a cleaner and then in a factory.

Galloway says his father was patriotic, but his mother had Irish nationalist ideas. She often criticized Britain's role in the world. He supported his mother's views. He has long supported Sinn Féin and a United Ireland (Ireland becoming one country).

He went to Charleston Primary and Harris Academy schools in Dundee. He played football for school and local teams.

Joining the Labour Party

Galloway joined the Labour Party Young Socialists when he was 13. He became secretary of the Dundee Labour Party while still a teenager.

In 1975, he became vice-chairman of the Labour Party in Dundee. He also joined the Scottish Executive Committee. In 1977, he became the secretary organizer for the Dundee Labour Party.

At 26, in March 1981, he became the youngest ever chairman of the Scottish Labour Party. He held this role for one year.

Supporting Palestine

After visiting Beirut, Lebanon, in 1977, Galloway became a strong supporter of Palestine. He said he would dedicate his life to the Palestinian and Arab cause.

He supported Dundee City Council when it flew the Palestinian flag over its building. He also helped Dundee become a twin city with Nablus in the West Bank in 1980.

Working for War on Want

From 1983 to 1987, Galloway was the general secretary of War on Want. This British charity works to fight poverty around the world. In this job, he traveled widely. He wrote about the famine in Eritrea in 1985.

In 1986, a newspaper claimed he spent too much on expenses. An investigation later cleared him of misusing funds. He did repay some contested expenses.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow (1987–2005)

In the 1987 general election, George Galloway was elected as an MP. He won the seat for Glasgow Hillhead. He was re-elected three times.

He was known for his left-wing political views. However, he was never part of the Campaign Group, a group of left-wing Labour MPs.

In 1997, his Glasgow Hillhead area was changed. He then became the MP for Glasgow Kelvin. He won this seat in 1997 and 2001.

While an MP for Glasgow Kelvin, he voted against his party's instructions many times. In 2001, he was arrested during a protest at a nuclear base in Scotland. He was fined £180.

Views on Iraq and Saddam Hussein

Galloway was against the 1991 Gulf War. He also criticized the sanctions placed on Iraq. He said these sanctions hurt the Iraqi people.

Meeting Saddam Hussein

In 1994, Galloway met with Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq. During this meeting, Galloway made some controversial comments. He told Saddam Hussein that many people in Britain were against the war. He also said he saluted Saddam's "courage" and "strength."

These comments caused strong criticism. The Labour Party leader said Galloway did not speak for the party. Galloway later said he was saluting the Iraqi people, not Saddam Hussein. He received a "severe reprimand" from the Labour Party. Because of this meeting, some people called him the "MP for Baghdad North."

The Mariam Appeal

In 1998, Galloway started the Mariam Appeal. This campaign aimed to stop the Iraq sanctions because they were hurting ordinary Iraqis. The campaign was named after a child who was flown from Iraq to Britain for medical treatment.

The Mariam Appeal was investigated by the Charity Commission. The investigation found that the appeal was doing charitable work. It also said that some funds came from sources linked to the United Nations' Oil-for-Food Programme. The report said Galloway should have checked the source of these large donations more carefully. However, it did not find that Galloway personally misused any funds.

Expulsion from the Labour Party

Galloway was a vice-president of the Stop the War Coalition. He often spoke at anti-war protests. He strongly opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

In March 2003, after the invasion began, Galloway gave an interview. He said that Iraq was fighting for all Arabs. He also said British troops should refuse "illegal orders."

The Labour Party leader, Tony Blair, called his comments "disgraceful." In May 2003, Galloway was suspended from the Labour Party. He was accused of "bringing the Labour Party into disrepute."

In October 2003, a committee found Galloway guilty of several charges. These included encouraging Arabs to fight British troops and telling British troops to disobey orders. He was then expelled from the Labour Party.

Galloway said it was a "politically motivated" decision. He claimed it was a "kangaroo court."

Accusations of Oil-for-Food Profits

In 2003, a newspaper claimed Galloway received money from Iraq through the UN's Oil-for-Food Programme. Galloway denied these claims. He successfully sued the newspaper for libel.

Later, a US Senate committee and a UN committee also looked into these claims. They suggested that some oil allocations were linked to Galloway's campaign against sanctions. They also said some money went to his wife's bank account.

Galloway always denied receiving personal benefits from these oil deals. He said the investigations were trying to distract from the reasons for the Iraq invasion. The UK Parliament's Commissioner for Standards also investigated. The Commissioner found no "smoking gun" that Galloway personally received money. However, the report suggested it was "more likely than not" that he knew about the funding from the Iraqi regime for the Mariam Appeal.

Starting the Respect Party

After being expelled, Galloway announced he would join a new political group. In January 2004, this group became known as Respect – The Unity Coalition. It was often called "Respect."

Galloway decided not to run for his Glasgow seat again. He chose to stand in East London instead.

MP for Bethnal Green (2005–2010)

Winning in 2005

In the 2005 general election, George Galloway ran for the Bethnal Green and Bow seat. This was a difficult campaign.

Galloway won the seat from the Labour Party. He had a small majority of 823 votes. In his victory speech, Galloway said, "Mr Blair, this is for Iraq."

Suspension from Parliament

In 2007, a parliamentary committee investigated Galloway. They looked into his use of parliamentary resources for the Mariam Appeal. The committee found that he had used resources "beyond what was reasonable."

They recommended that he apologize and be suspended from Parliament for 18 days. During a debate about this, Galloway questioned the committee's motives. He was then immediately suspended from Parliament.

The Respect Party later split in 2007. Galloway did not run for re-election in Bethnal Green and Bow in 2010. He had promised to serve only one term there. He instead ran in a nearby area but came third.

Viva Palestina Aid Convoys

After the 2008–09 conflict in Gaza, Galloway started the Viva Palestina aid convoy in January 2009. The goal was to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The organization said it raised over £1 million for aid. On 14 February 2009, Galloway and volunteers started the convoy. It had about 120 vehicles, including ambulances and trucks with medicines. The convoy traveled through several countries and arrived in Gaza in March.

In Gaza, Galloway announced they were giving 100 vehicles and their contents to the "elected government of Palestine." He also said he would personally donate money to Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader.

In January 2010, Galloway was deported from Egypt after trying to take more aid trucks into Gaza. Egypt said he was "persona non grata" (an unwelcome person). Galloway said it was "a badge of honour to be deported by a dictatorship."

Viva Palestina was registered as a charity in 2009. However, it later lost its charity status due to issues with its financial management.

MP for Bradford West (2012–2015)

By-election Victory in 2012

In March 2012, George Galloway returned to Parliament. He won the 2012 Bradford West by-election by a large margin. This was a surprising victory. He called it "the most sensational victory in British political history."

His win was seen as a "Bradford spring." It showed that voters rejected the main political parties. The election campaign had some controversy, including discussions about community values.

In 2013, Galloway became the leader of the Respect Party.

Oxford Debate Walkout, 2013

In February 2013, Galloway walked out of a debate at Oxford University. The debate was about Israel. He left when he found out his opponent had Israeli citizenship.

Galloway said, "I don't recognise Israel and I don't debate with Israelis." He explained that he supports boycotts against Israel. His actions were criticized by other politicians and groups.

Declaring an "Israel-Free Zone", 2014

In August 2014, during a conflict in Gaza, Galloway gave a speech in Leeds. He said, "We have declared Bradford an Israel-free zone." He added that he didn't want Israeli goods, services, academics, or tourists in Bradford. He called Israel an "illegal, barbarous, savage state."

These comments caused strong criticism from politicians and Jewish leaders. The police investigated his words for hate speech. In October 2014, it was decided he would not be prosecuted. However, the matter was recorded as a "hate incident."

In August 2014, Galloway was attacked in London by a man who converted to Judaism. The man was later sent to prison.

General Election 2015

Galloway lost his seat in the 2015 general election. He was defeated by the Labour candidate, Naz Shah. She won by a large number of votes.

Galloway said he would challenge the election result. He claimed there were false statements and problems with postal votes. However, he did not go through with the challenge.

Political Career Outside Parliament (2015–2023)

After losing his seat in 2015, Galloway announced he would run for London mayor in 2016. He came seventh in that election.

In 2015 and 2016, Galloway supported Jeremy Corbyn's campaigns to lead the Labour Party. However, the Labour Party said Galloway would not be invited to rejoin.

The Respect Party officially closed down in August 2016.

In 2017, Galloway ran as an independent candidate in a by-election in Manchester. He came third. In the 2019 general election, he ran as an independent again but came sixth.

In December 2019, Galloway started a new political party called the Workers Party of Britain. He is the leader of this party. It describes itself as "economically radical" and focused on "class politics."

In 2020, he announced he would stand in a by-election in Scotland. He also led All for Unity in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. This group aimed to stop Scottish independence. They did not win any seats.

In 2021, he ran in the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election. He came third and said he would challenge the result in court.

MP for Rochdale (2024)

In January 2024, Galloway announced he would run in the 2024 Rochdale by-election. He won the election, which was a big surprise. The Israel–Hamas war was a major topic in the campaign.

In his victory speech, Galloway said the Labour Party would "pay a high price" for its role in the conflict in Gaza. When he was sworn into Parliament, he held a Bible and swore allegiance to King Charles.

He ran for re-election in Rochdale in the 2024 general election. He lost the seat to the Labour candidate, Paul Waugh. Galloway was an MP for Rochdale for 92 days.

Political Views

Galloway has described himself as a "revolutionary" and a "Socialist." He opposes Capitalism and Imperialism. He supports armed struggle when there is no other choice. In 2002, he said the end of the Soviet Union was "the biggest catastrophe of my life." In 2024, he also said he was socially conservative.

Some people say Galloway's political views have changed over time. He now supports Scottish unionism (Scotland staying in the UK) and social conservatism, alongside his left-wing views.

Opposing Israel and Zionism

Galloway is a strong critic of Israel and Zionism. He believes Israel is an apartheid state and is committing genocide against Palestinians. In 2013, he said, "I don't recognise Israel and I don't debate with Israelis." In 2014, he declared Bradford an "Israel-free zone."

He has criticized the British government's support for Israel during the Israel–Hamas war. He also questioned reports from the Israeli government about the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack.

Some Jewish organizations have called Galloway a "demagogue" and "conspiracy theorist."

Supporting Hezbollah and Hamas

Galloway has said that Hezbollah is not a terrorist group. He calls it a "legitimate national resistance movement of Lebanon."

In 2009, he received a Palestinian passport from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by some countries, including the UK and US.

Views on Iraq

Galloway has been called a "mouthpiece" for the Iraqi regime. He denied this. In 2002, he met Saddam Hussein for a second time. He said his goal was to get UN weapons inspectors back into Iraq.

He has said he supports the Iraqi people and the Ba'ath Party, but not Saddam Hussein himself. He said he saw Saddam as a "bestial dictator." He also said he would have welcomed Saddam's removal, but not by a military attack.

After the 2003 invasion, Galloway defended Iraqi insurgents who attacked Western forces. He has said he will not stop until Tony Blair is "brought to justice" for the Iraq War.

Views on Syria

Galloway supported Syria's presence in Lebanon. He said Syrian troops helped keep stability. He also praised Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in 2005. He called Syria "the fortress of the remaining dignity of the Arabs."

In the early stages of the Syrian civil war, Galloway said Assad's opponents were trying to pressure him because of his support for Palestinian and Lebanese resistance. However, he later said he was "never close to the Syrian regime." He acknowledged its "authoritarian character" and corruption. He said he fully supported the Syrian revolution.

In 2013, Galloway criticized the UK government for arming Syrian rebels. He also suggested that al-Qaeda or rebels might have been responsible for a chemical attack in Syria.

He opposed Western military action against Islamic State. He supported Russian military action against Islamic State in 2016.

Supporting the Iranian Government

Galloway has worked for Press TV, an Iranian state-run TV channel, since 2008. He has said he doesn't believe Iran's government is a dictatorship. He also said he believed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the 2009 presidential election.

Opposing Scottish Independence

Galloway supports Scotland having its own powers, but he is against Scottish independence. Before the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, he argued that Scotland should not become independent. He believed it would hurt the chances of a Labour government in the rest of the UK.

He used the slogan "Just Say Naw" (Just Say No) to independence. He took part in a major debate about independence on the BBC.

In 2020, he helped start a political group called All for Unity. Its goal was to stop the Scottish National Party and Scottish nationalism. The party did not win any seats in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Views on the European Union

In 2014, Galloway said he would campaign for the UK to stay in the European Union. However, in 2016, he changed his mind. He began campaigning for the UK to leave the EU (Brexit).

He supported the Grassroots Out campaign for the EU referendum. He even appeared at a rally with UKIP leader Nigel Farage. Galloway said they were "allies in one cause." In 2019, he announced he would support the Brexit Party.

Views on Russia and Ukraine

From 2013 to 2022, Galloway was a presenter on RT, a Russian state-controlled TV channel.

He called the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution a "coup." He believes Russia's annexation of Crimea was fair. He said that most people in Crimea wanted to leave Ukraine.

In 2016, he said he respected Vladimir Putin and thought he was popular in Russia.

In early 2022, Galloway first said Russia would not invade Ukraine. When Russia did invade, he blamed "the West." He accused Western countries of "Pumping Ukraine full of NATO weapons." He also suggested that the Bucha massacre was staged. Some political parties accused him of being a propagandist for Putin.

Views on China and North Korea

In 2019, Galloway defended China's actions during the Hong Kong protests. He said Hong Kong is part of China.

He has also questioned evidence about the persecution of Uighur Muslims in China. In 2022, he said there were no internment camps for Uighurs. He said China had "re-education centres" to help people avoid extremism.

After visiting North Korea, Galloway said he didn't agree with their system. But he noted that they have a "cohesive, pristine... innocent culture." He blamed the United States for tensions between North and South Korea.

Views on Latin America

Galloway has supported the Venezuelan government of Hugo Chávez. He also supported former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. When Castro died in 2016, Galloway tweeted, "You were the greatest man I ever met Comandante Fidel."

Views on Saudi Arabia

Galloway has criticized Britain's close ties with Saudi Arabia. He also criticized British involvement in the war in Yemen. In 2017, he said Saudi Arabia has "no democracy or freedom." He added that it "exports terrorism around the world."

Views on India

Galloway opposes India's role in the Kashmir conflict with Pakistan. He supports the insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir. He has said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi "has blood on his hands." Modi was accused of being involved in riots against India's Muslim minority in 2002.

Elections Contested

UK Parliament Elections

Date	Constituency	Party		Votes	% votes	Position
1987 general election	Glasgow Hillhead		Labour	17,958	42.9	Won
1992 general election	Glasgow Hillhead		Labour	15,148	38.5	Won
1997 general election	Glasgow Kelvin		Labour	16,643	51.0	Won
2001 general election	Glasgow Kelvin		Labour	12,014	44.8	Won
2005 general election	Bethnal Green and Bow		Respect	15,801	35.9	Won
2010 general election	Poplar and Limehouse		Respect	8,160	17.5	3rd
2012 Bradford West by-election	Bradford West		Respect	18,341	55.9	Won
2015 general election	Bradford West		Respect	8,557	21.2	2nd
2017 general election	Manchester Gorton		Independent	2,615	5.7	3rd
2019 general election	West Bromwich East		Independent	489	1.4	6th
2021 Batley and Spen by-election	Batley and Spen		Workers Party	8,264	21.87	3rd
2024 Rochdale by-election	Rochdale		Workers Party	12,335	39.65	Won
2024 general election	Rochdale		Workers Party	11,587	29.2	2nd

London Mayoral Elections

Date	Party		Votes	% votes	Position
2016 London mayoral election		Respect	37,007	1.4	7th

Scottish Parliament Elections

Date	Region	Party		Votes	% votes	Position
2011 Scottish Parliament election	Glasgow		Respect	6,972	3.3	5th
2021 Scottish Parliament election	South Scotland		All for Unity	5,521	1.5	6th

Media Career

Television Presenter

George Galloway has worked for several broadcasting organizations. In 2009, some of his shows on Press TV, an Iranian news channel, were found to have broken rules on fairness by the British regulator Ofcom.

After Press TV lost its license in 2012, Galloway said the channel owed him money. His company, Miranda Media, later went into liquidation because of unpaid taxes.

In 2012, Galloway became a presenter for Al Mayadeen TV. He hosts a show called "Kalima Hurra." This station is said to have links with Iran and the Syrian government.

In 2013, Galloway and his wife started presenting Sputnik for RT, a Russian government-backed station. He often appears on RT's other programs. In 2015, it was reported that he earned a lot of money from his TV work.

In 2016, he presented a documentary film called The Killing$ of Tony Blair.

Radio Presenter

Galloway hosted a show on talkSPORT from 2006 to 2012. He then moved to talkRADIO in 2016. On his show, he criticized the BBC and discussed political topics.

In 2019, talkRADIO fired him. They said the broadcaster "does not tolerate anti-Semitic views."

Personal Life

In 2014, Galloway was attacked in London. He sustained a head injury. This happened because of his views on Israel. He has worn a hat ever since.

Family and Marriages

Galloway has been married four times and has six children.

His first marriage was to Elaine Fyffe in 1979. They had one daughter and divorced in 1999.

In 1994, he married Amineh Abu-Zayyad, a Palestinian biologist, in an Islamic ceremony. They had a civil ceremony in 2000. They divorced in 2009.

Galloway married Rima Husseini, his former researcher, in an Islamic ceremony in 2005. They have two sons.

On 31 March 2012, he married his fourth wife, Putri Gayatri Pertiwi. She is a Dutch-Indonesian anthropologist. They had a traditional Javanese wedding and a civil marriage in London. They have three children.

Religion

Galloway has often spoken about supporting religious freedoms. He has said his religious beliefs are private. However, he was raised as a Roman Catholic Christian. In 2016, he identified as Catholic. In 2024, he stated he was a "practicing Roman Catholic."

In 2012, he said, "A Muslim is somebody who is not afraid of earthly power but who fears only the Judgment Day." In 2012, a journalist claimed Galloway had converted to Islam around 2000. Galloway denied this, saying it was "categorically untrue." He said religious beliefs are a "personal matter." His marriages to Amineh Abu-Zayyad and Rima Husseini took place in Muslim ceremonies. His current wife, Putri Gayatri Pertiwi, is also Muslim.

Images for kids

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  George Galloway's signature

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  George Galloway speaking in September 2005

See also

In Spanish: George Galloway para niños