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| George Galloway wins Bradford West by-election | George Galloway wins Bradford West by-election |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Respect Party candidate George Galloway has taken the Bradford West parliamentary seat from Labour, winning the by-election by 10,140 votes. | |
| Mr Galloway, expelled by Labour in 2003, said it was the "most sensational victory" in by-election history. He received 18,341 votes - a 56% share. | Mr Galloway, expelled by Labour in 2003, said it was the "most sensational victory" in by-election history. He received 18,341 votes - a 56% share. |
| Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman said the results were "disappointing". | Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman said the results were "disappointing". |
| At the 2010 General Election, Labour's Marsha Singh, who resigned on health grounds, won with a majority of 5,763 . | At the 2010 General Election, Labour's Marsha Singh, who resigned on health grounds, won with a majority of 5,763 . |
| 'Bradford spring' | 'Bradford spring' |
| The party had held the West Yorkshire seat since 1974, except for a brief period in the 1980s when the sitting MP defected to the SDP. | The party had held the West Yorkshire seat since 1974, except for a brief period in the 1980s when the sitting MP defected to the SDP. |
| Labour candidate Imran Hussein came second with 8,201 votes as the party's share of the vote was 20% down on its 2010 figure. | Labour candidate Imran Hussein came second with 8,201 votes as the party's share of the vote was 20% down on its 2010 figure. |
| Conservative candidate Jackie Whiteley was third, with 2,746 votes. Jeanette Sunderland, of the Liberal Democrats, secured 1,505 votes. | Conservative candidate Jackie Whiteley was third, with 2,746 votes. Jeanette Sunderland, of the Liberal Democrats, secured 1,505 votes. |
| Mr Galloway, who co-founded the anti-war Respect Party after being expelled by Labour because of comments he made as part of his opposition to the Iraq war, said the result represented the "Bradford Spring". | Mr Galloway, who co-founded the anti-war Respect Party after being expelled by Labour because of comments he made as part of his opposition to the Iraq war, said the result represented the "Bradford Spring". |
| He said the "mammoth majority" and "mammoth vote" represented a "total rejection" of the three major parties in the British political system. | He said the "mammoth majority" and "mammoth vote" represented a "total rejection" of the three major parties in the British political system. |
| Mr Galloway urged his former party to turn away "decisively" from the course set by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. | Mr Galloway urged his former party to turn away "decisively" from the course set by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. |
| He said Labour "must stop imagining that working people and poor people have no option but to support them if they hate the Tory and Liberal Democrat coalition partners. | He said Labour "must stop imagining that working people and poor people have no option but to support them if they hate the Tory and Liberal Democrat coalition partners. |
| George Galloway's victory is the first time an independent or minor party candidate has won a Parliamentary by-election from another party in Britain since March 1973, when Dick Taverne won the Lincoln by-election (taking it from Labour). | |
| It is also the first time since the May 2000 Romsey by-election (when the Conservatives lost to the Lib Dems) that the main Opposition party has lost a seat in a by-election. | It is also the first time since the May 2000 Romsey by-election (when the Conservatives lost to the Lib Dems) that the main Opposition party has lost a seat in a by-election. |
| Bradford West is not a typical seat. In the great Labour landslide of 1997, when the Conservatives suffered their worst result since 1832, Bradford West swung their way, although it did stay Labour. | Bradford West is not a typical seat. In the great Labour landslide of 1997, when the Conservatives suffered their worst result since 1832, Bradford West swung their way, although it did stay Labour. |
| In the 2010 general election, when there was a national swing of 5.1% to the Conservatives, and a regional swing of 6.8% to the Conservatives in West Yorkshire, Bradford West swung 2.7% to Labour. | In the 2010 general election, when there was a national swing of 5.1% to the Conservatives, and a regional swing of 6.8% to the Conservatives in West Yorkshire, Bradford West swung 2.7% to Labour. |
| This does not detract from Mr Galloway's remarkable victory, nor lessen Labour's embarrassment at losing its seat but it prompts the need to be cautious about reading great national trends into this result. | This does not detract from Mr Galloway's remarkable victory, nor lessen Labour's embarrassment at losing its seat but it prompts the need to be cautious about reading great national trends into this result. |
| "They have to stop supporting illegal, bloody, costly foreign wars because one of the reasons why they were so decisively defeated this evening is that the public don't believe that they have atoned for their role in the invasion and occupation of other people's countries and the drowning of those countries in blood." | "They have to stop supporting illegal, bloody, costly foreign wars because one of the reasons why they were so decisively defeated this evening is that the public don't believe that they have atoned for their role in the invasion and occupation of other people's countries and the drowning of those countries in blood." |
| The Respect politician was mobbed by supporters as he left the count. | The Respect politician was mobbed by supporters as he left the count. |
| Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman told the BBC that the result was "very disappointing" and the party had not seen it coming. | Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman told the BBC that the result was "very disappointing" and the party had not seen it coming. |
| "It was quite a last-minute phenomenon," she told Radio 4's Today programme. "It was a real bandwagon." | "It was quite a last-minute phenomenon," she told Radio 4's Today programme. "It was a real bandwagon." |
| Ms Harman said Labour would "learn lessons" but would not "jump to swift conclusions" about the result. She also denied it was symptomatic of a wider problem with the party's economic message or Ed Miliband's leadership. | Ms Harman said Labour would "learn lessons" but would not "jump to swift conclusions" about the result. She also denied it was symptomatic of a wider problem with the party's economic message or Ed Miliband's leadership. |
| "The evidence is that this is a particular problem in Bradford. It is a serious problem that we need to address". | "The evidence is that this is a particular problem in Bradford. It is a serious problem that we need to address". |
| A Liberal Democrat spokesman said the party was "clearly disappointed" with the result while David Ward, Lib Dem MP for Bradford East, said Mr Galloway still spoke for the old Labour Party. | |
| "This was the Asian community within Bradford, really, who are in some ways punishing the Labour Party for abusing them and using them in the past," he said. | |
| But Salma Yaqoob, the Respect Party leader, said it was "patronising" to suggest that Mr Galloway - a critic of the UK's mission in Afghanistan - had been dependent on support from Muslims for his victory. | |
| She told Radio 4's Today programme: "Look at the result...Over 50% of the vote. That is not just one community coming out to vote. That is young, old people, people across all areas. In fact in every area across the constituency, Respect won." | |
| George Galloway was carried out of the sports centre where the votes had been counted, on the shoulders of his supporters. | |
| "Galloway! Galloway!" they screamed jubilantly. | |
| A small of convoy of cars, covered in Respect posters and flags, then completed a celebratory lap around an otherwise deserted football field, at 3am. | |
| Why did George Galloway win here? | |
| Firstly, he appears to have galvanised some who feel ignored, even disenfranchised by the main political parties. | |
| An element of that is due to a specific local issue, the regularly delayed renovation of the city centre. | |
| For others, in a multi-ethnic constituency, the call for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan was appealing. | |
| For others still, this was a mid-term by-election. | |
| It wasn't about choosing the next government, but sending a powerful message, selecting a noisy, high profile advocate to represent them. | |
| Handing George Galloway a 10,000 vote majority certainly does that. | |
| Conservative Party co-chair Baroness Warsi said Mr Galloway had clearly "connected" with the electorate and suggested the result was disastrous for Labour. | Conservative Party co-chair Baroness Warsi said Mr Galloway had clearly "connected" with the electorate and suggested the result was disastrous for Labour. |
| "If Ed Miliband can't get his act together after a week like this when is he going to get his act together?" she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "If Ed Miliband can't get his act together after a week like this when is he going to get his act together?" she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "This is a Labour seat, has been for many, many decades and last night they lost it in spectacular fashion." | "This is a Labour seat, has been for many, many decades and last night they lost it in spectacular fashion." |
| BBC Yorkshire political editor Len Tingle said there had effectively been two campaigns in the seat - one with the three main UK parties focused on the economy and jobs, and the other run by Mr Galloway which had his party's anti-war message at its forefront. | BBC Yorkshire political editor Len Tingle said there had effectively been two campaigns in the seat - one with the three main UK parties focused on the economy and jobs, and the other run by Mr Galloway which had his party's anti-war message at its forefront. |
| Turnout in the by-election was just over 50%, compared with 64.9% in the 2010 general election. | |
| Bookmakers said they had taken a lot of money on Mr Galloway in the days leading up to the poll and had slashed the odds on him winning. Ladbrokes said they faced paying out up to £100,000 in winning bets. | |
| It is the second time Mr Galloway has upset the political odds - he pulled off one of the most memorable results of the 2005 General Election when he overturned a large Labour majority in London's Bethnal Green and Bow to become the Respect Party's first MP. | It is the second time Mr Galloway has upset the political odds - he pulled off one of the most memorable results of the 2005 General Election when he overturned a large Labour majority in London's Bethnal Green and Bow to become the Respect Party's first MP. |
| His win in Bradford West is a remarkable comeback after disappointing showings at the 2010 General Election and the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections. With a different candidate, Respect only came fifth in Bradford West in the 2010 general election. | His win in Bradford West is a remarkable comeback after disappointing showings at the 2010 General Election and the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections. With a different candidate, Respect only came fifth in Bradford West in the 2010 general election. |
| Prior to Bradford West, there had been five by-elections in England and Scotland since the start of the current Parliament - Oldham and Saddleworth, Barnsley Central, Leicester South, Inverclyde and Feltham and Heston - with Labour retaining all five seats. | Prior to Bradford West, there had been five by-elections in England and Scotland since the start of the current Parliament - Oldham and Saddleworth, Barnsley Central, Leicester South, Inverclyde and Feltham and Heston - with Labour retaining all five seats. |
| The full result (with vote share and change since 2010 in brackets): | The full result (with vote share and change since 2010 in brackets): |
| George Galloway (Respect) 18,341 (55.89%, +52.83%) | George Galloway (Respect) 18,341 (55.89%, +52.83%) |
| Imran Hussain (Lab) 8,201 (24.99%, -20.36%) | Imran Hussain (Lab) 8,201 (24.99%, -20.36%) |
| Jackie Whiteley (C) 2,746 (8.37%, -22.78%) | Jackie Whiteley (C) 2,746 (8.37%, -22.78%) |
| Jeanette Sunderland (LD) 1,505 (4.59%, -7.08%) | Jeanette Sunderland (LD) 1,505 (4.59%, -7.08%) |
| Sonja McNally (UKIP) 1,085 (3.31%, +1.31%) | Sonja McNally (UKIP) 1,085 (3.31%, +1.31%) |
| Dawud Islam (Green) 481 (1.47%, -0.85%) | Dawud Islam (Green) 481 (1.47%, -0.85%) |
| Neil Craig (D Nats) 344 (1.05%) | Neil Craig (D Nats) 344 (1.05%) |
| Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 111 (0.34%) | Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 111 (0.34%) |
| Do you live in Bradford West? Did you vote for George Galloway? Send us your comments using the form below. | Do you live in Bradford West? Did you vote for George Galloway? Send us your comments using the form below. |