George Galloway taunted BBC reporter Nicholas Watt in an awkward moment captured on television cameras after racking up a convincing victory in the Rochdale by-election.
And the Workers Party of Britain candidate – who has vowed to be “Labour’s worst nightmare” – also claimed Sir Keir Starmer had no interest in stopping the “slaughter in Gaza”.
Mr Galloway sealed victory by racking up 12,335, giving him a majority of more than 6,000 votes.
Mr Watt approached him seconds after the announcement, saying: “You’ve said that you’ve crushed your former party, and that this is a crisis for Keir Starmer.
“But he’s calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
“He’s saying he’s saying that a Rafah offensive by the Israelis would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe. What is Kier Starmer doing wrong?”
Mr Galloway replied: “You’re so sad about the result because I’ve been watching you on television this evening. All that I can say is cry more.”
Mr Watt interjected: “I think you’ll I think you’ll find that at 10.30pm I was predicting your victory.”
Mr Galloway replied: “Cry more.
“If you believe that Kier Starmer is genuinely seeking an end to the slaughter in Gaza I’ve got a bridge in London I can sell you.”
As he walked away, Mr Watt said: “Thank you very much but he’s been calling for an immediate humanitarian.
“Do you disagree with Do you disagree with Sir Keir Starmer calling for a two state solution?”
In his victory speech, Mr Galloway began by focusing on Palestine, saying: “Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza.
“You have paid, and you will pay, a high price for the role that you have played in enabling, encouraging and covering for the catastrophe presently going on in occupied Palestine in the Gaza Strip.”
He vowed to put Rochdale councillors “on notice” that he intended to form a “grand alliance” to “clean the town hall up” at the local elections in May.
His majority of 5,697 votes amounted to 18.3 percent of the total, on a turnout of 39.7 percent, slightly higher than the two recent by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood.
The surprise runner-up was David Tully, a local businessman and independent candidate, who secured more than 6,600 votes.
Labour withdrew support for its candidate, Azhar Ali, after a recording emerged in which he claimed Israel was complicit in the terrorist attacks of October 7, seeing Mr Galloway become the firm favourite for the seat.
