The Guardian reports from Bethnal Green and Bow:
The fact that the Tories were runners-up last time brought the singer and campaigner Billy Bragg out in support of the sitting MP when he played her a benefit gig last week.
Introducing Ms King to a largely New Labour audience, her agent, Graham Taylor, said: “The East End has a strong sense of history and tradition. In the past we have seen off a moustachioed demagogue who formed a party in his own image and around his own ego. We did it in 1936, we will do it in 2005.”
…..After his gig, Bragg admitted that lending his support to a pro-war MP had been a compromise.”I am not here to fight George Galloway. I am here to fight Tories. If people think that just voting for George is going to send a message to the government, they are wrong”.
One local resident summed up the dilemma facing voters: “Oona is a Blair patsy and supports the war, but I don’t trust George either; he comes across as a self-promoter and I am not sure he will support the local area. I have been thinking hard about it. But I still have to make up my mind.”
I think Labour should make sure everyone in Bethnal Green and Bow is aware of what kind of ‘work’ Galloway did for the local area he represented in the past year.
According to They Work For You he failed to turn up for 97% of the votes in parliament.