Galloway ran his campaign from a Suzuki car dealership, which is both darkly funny, and a metaphor for the way in which democracy can feel like another glib consumer choice. Do you want a car and a dream? Or just a car? I stood outside the dealership, and looked at the tiny pictures of Galloway hung on the railings, and thought, as I always do when covering a Galloway campaign: did your mother pay any attention to you at all?
I went out with Galloway canvassers: they are drawn to him, they said, for socialism. The Labour Party, “isn’t a home for socialists,” one said. “It’s more like a trap for socialists.” I am assured that Galloway’s plan for Israel involves nothing murderous, and that if you have less than half a million pounds he is on your side. He brings real trouble for Starmer, who, though well ahead in the polls, now faces a threat from the left of his party. Galloway will galvanize them from inside parliament and inspire independent pro-Palestine candidates to stand against Labour in Muslim areas across the country.
Danczuk told me Galloway is, “a chancer and a grifter and he should go back to wherever he’s come from.” It didn’t happen. I viewed a death threat posted on Danczuk’s Facebook page. “If you guys ever see this bald motherfucker, I’m going to fucking put one in his head,” it said. The man lived two doors from where Reform campaigners were staying. He posted under his real name and was arrested. Danczuk hired security and his wife left the constituency.
I went on the Reform bus in the rain. Danczuk took the mic and handled it like a comic: perhaps his levity was too much? “Hello young man,” he said, “good to see you, get your steps in, hello, have a good day, take care, goodbye, good to see you, enjoy your school day.” He waved at schoolchildren, who waved back. “You alright, sir? Have a good day. Take a right here, Trev. Hello sir, give us a wave!”
When we drove past the Galloway HQ in the second-hand car dealership, Galloway supporters waved too. Danczuk stopped broadcasting and told me, happily: “This is real campaigning!”
I’m not so sure. We were driving at speed past people, which is not the same as listening to them. Galloway listened fiercely — and was rewarded.
