George Galloway defends comments on gay people as he launches Workers Party campaign
01.06.2024 - 17:19
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
George Galloway doubled down on controversial remarks about people who identify as homosexual after launching his party's campaign in Tameside. The Workers Party of Britain leader became MP for Rochdale in January's by-election and is standing for re-election on July 4.
He told a gathering of dozens outside Ashton Town Hall on Saturday (June 1) he was one of 326 Workers Party candidates who will campaign for votes nationwide in the next five weeks. Mr Galloway has 'high hopes' across Greater Manchester, following his win in Rochdale and the unseating of Labour's deputy council leader in Manchester last month.
But the region is home to one of the country's largest LGBTQ+ communities - and last month, Mr Galloway drew criticism for comments he made to Novara Media, when he suggested gay relationships were 'not normal'. His remarks were blasted as 'blatant homophobia' by left-wing campaign group Momentum.
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And gay veteran Labour MP Chris Bryant tweeted that his 'sense of deep unease has increased significantly recently with moments like this'. Asked if he recognised the upset his comments had caused, Mr Galloway told the Manchester Evening News: "It hasn't upset any of my constituents. You can take your question round, I'll give you the wards to go to.
"No, I am a family values man, I believe in mum, dad and the kids as the way forward for society. I fully respect other lifestyle choices, I fully respect other orientations, but if we run out of mums, dads and kids, we run out of humanity altogether, and that's all I said in that interview.
"The norm in Britain, nine out of 10 people in Britain and indeed in society across the world - because it seems that we've