‘B****r all’ – George Galloway’s Angela Rayner verdict at Ashton campaign launch

GEORGE Galloway has delivered a devastating two-word verdict on what Angela Rayner has done for Ashton-under-Lyne as MP – b****r all.

The controversial politician launched the general election campaign of his Workers Party of Britain in what was described as the Labour deputy leader’s ‘heartlands.’

Media organisations from all over the country gathered outside Ashton’s town hall, just yards away from Ms Rayner’s office, on Saturday, June 1.

With a predominantly Gaza-based pitch, Mr Galloway hopes to unseat the woman who, if all predictions prove correct, will be Deputy Prime Minister on July 5.

And when asked by The Correspondent, he summed up his political opponent’s nine-year tenure.

Being rather light on his detail when the question, ‘What do you know about Ashton as a town and a community?’ was put to him, he instead focused on both Ms Rayner and his Workers Party candidate, Aroma Hassan.

Describing the sitting MP as ‘the most shameless’ political leader, he added: “If they remade Shameless, she’d be in it.”

On Ashton, he said: “I know that Aroma Hassan will be a tremendous breath of fresh air for the town.

“And I know that Angela Rayner had done b****r all for Ashton-under-Lyne. Absolutely b****r all.

“So, our candidate being elected here can only be in the interests of the people and I think that explains the level of interest in this launch and in her campaign.

“She’s going to surprise you with the votes she gets. I can promise you that.”

Aroma Hassan’s election leaflet does contain more locally based policies, including diverting part of Ashton’s Levelling Up Fund money to building a new leisure facility, including a swimming pool.

In a speech, she pointed put an incident that saw her campaign manager for the July 4 general poll, then a campaigner for Independent Tameside Councillor Kaleel Khan in the recent local elections, become the victim of an alleged ‘hit and run.’

“Why is it considered scary or frightening for women to go out canvassing for independent people?” she asked before turning to Ashton.

She added: “7,300 petitioned against the closure of the swimming pool just around the corner. Why were they not listened to?

“Why has that building become a derelict building that our taxpayer’s money is still being used to fund its upkeep?

“Demolition will also be paid for by our taxpayers’ money, with no plan for any replacement.

“The Ofsted report shows our children’s services are failing. When will they start listening to the people. When will they be accountable?

“Who has been in an arena with the current MP? Who has had the chance to voice their opinion and actually be listened to?

“When was the last time you went to a community meeting where your MP asked you, #What do you want me to do for you?’

“The powers that be don’t want us to recognise our small parts come together to make a big change.

“We swim the same, we walk the same, we work the same, we pay the same taxes. Yet they want us to believe that we’re different.

“I say to them we are the many and we are one.”

But Mr Galloway’s rhetoric largely centred around Gaza, even when asked, ‘What would you say to people who describe your politics as divisive?’

Flanked by dozens of people, including Cllr Khan, the MP for Rochdale added: “I’ll tell you what causes division in communities, Members of Parliament supporting genocide.

“Standing up to genocide is not divisive, supporting genocide is divisive – and that’s a charge which Labour makes out of desperation.

“They wish that we would all just sit quietly and let them do what they’re going to do but the people around here are not like that.

“The people here believe in democracy and they believe in electing people ghat will carry out the wishes of the electorate.

“As long as Gaza is burning and children are having their heads blown off, limbless children are being carried out of collapsed buildings, Gaza’s going to be a major issue in this election.

“Even if for a short period the guns fall silent, memories of what everyone has seen will last forever.

“If you elect people that have supported the slaughter and the genocide, what would that achieve?

“We’re standing enough candidates that if everyone votes for them, I’ll be the Prime Minister.

“Our party is four times bigger than it was 100 days ago.

“If we can get 200,000 votes across the country, we move up into the Premier League in Parliamentary terms.

“We want to make a difference to the British political scene, which is sunk in a kind of depression.

“Our manifesto is sharp, different from the two cheeks of the same backside that Labour and the Conservatives represent.

“I think people want change, they want hope, they want respectable political leaders they can be proud of rather than ashamed of.

“I’m not sure Angela Rayner would be the right person to ask about lowering the tone. Lowering the tone is her middle name.”