Rochdale voters will go to the polls today for a by-election unexpectedly besieged by political controversy and media scrutiny.
In the run-up to polling day, both Labour and the Greens have withdrawn support for the candidates they originally put forward over disputes relating to the Israel-Gaza conflict. This leaves Labour with no real way to win the seat which they have held since 2010.
Controversial candidates George Galloway and Simon Danczuk will also appear on the ballot.
Here’s your guide to all eleven candidates standing in Rochdale:
Azhar Ali, “Labour”
Although Azhar Ali’s name will still appear as a Labour candidate on the ballot, the party has withdrawn its support for him. Following Mr Ali’s high-profile suspension, he would be considered an independent MP in parliament should he win today’s by-election.
Mr Ali was suspended from the party following allegations of anti-semitism. At a meeting of other Labour members, Mr Ali said that Israel had “allowed” the 7 October attacks to mandate the country’s invasion of Gaza. He later apologised for the comments.
Labour moved to withdraw support on 12 February, after being criticised for inaction, but this was too late for them to stand another candidate.
However, should Mr Ali win it is unlikely he would remain in this position much longer than 6-10 months. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated his intention to call a general election towards the end of the year when the seat will go to the polls once more.
This gives Labour the opportunity to select a new candidate for Rochdale.
Mr Ali is originally from Brierfield, a town in Pendle, Lancashire – 45 minutes away from Rochdale. He joined Pendle Borough Council in 2000 at 24, becoming council leader in 2003. In 2013, Mr Ali joined Lancashire County Council, becoming leader in 2017.
In 2015 and 2019, he stood as Labour’s parlimentary candidate for Pendle. In 2020, Mr Ali was awarded an OBE for his services to the community in the North West.
Mark Coleman, Independent
Reverend Mark Coleman is a long-time climate campaigner and Just Stop Oil activist, who has twice been jailed for non-violent direct action. The 64-year-old worked as a vicar in Rochdale until his retirement due to Parkinson’s disease.
Rev Coleman continues to serve as a Church of England priest and is running on a platform of climate-related policies.
Simon Danczuk, Reform UK
On 1 February it was revealed that former Labour MP for Rochdale Simon Danczuk would stand as a candidate for Reform UK, aiming to regain the seat he held from 2010 to 2017.
In 2015, Simon Danczuk was suspended from the Labour party after allegation he exchanged sexually explicit text messages with a teenager. He was barred from reselection by the party for the 2017 general election.
Mr Danczuk nevertheless stood as an independent candidate, coming fifth with 1.8 per cent of the vote.
“He had an unwise relationship with a young lady but nothing illegal and he accepted what he did was daft and unwise,” said Reform UK leader Richard Tice.
“He has an excellent track record of integrity and being brave enough to call out the grooming gangs in Rochdale”.
Iain Donaldson, Liberal Democrats
Iain Donaldson is a retired administrator for the University of Manchester, and has 19 years of experience as a councillor in the area. He hopes to regain Rochdale for the Lib Dems, who held the seat from 2005 to 2010.
Paul Ellison, Conservative
The Conservative’s candidate for Rochdale, Paul Ellison, is a businessman and campaigner who owns and operates a landscaping company in the area. His campaign messaging emphasises his local roots, stating that he has been a political campaigner in the area for over 30 years.
George Galloway, Workers Party
George Galloway is a former Labour and Respect Party MP, who is now leader and founder of the Workers Party of Britain. He has said he is running to “teach Labour a lesson”.
His party, formed in 2019, aims to build a “new working class politics in Britain”. Its 10-point programme includes bringing an end to imperialist wars” and rebuilding British industry. Mr Galloway has said the main focus of his campaign will be to acheive a resolution to the conflict in Gaza.
Mr Galloway has been a mainstay in the UK political landscape since the late 80s, first becoming a Labour MP for Glasgow Hillhead in 1987. He was expelled from the Labour Party in 2003 by Tony Blair for prominent opposition to the Iraq War.
In 2004 he joined Respect, winning the seat of Bethnal Green and Bow for the party in the 2005 general election. Mr Galloway remained in this seat until 2010. He was Respect MP for Bradford West for one term from 2012 to 2015, and has not been an MP since – despite various campaigns.
Michael Howarth, Independent
Michael Howarth is a businessman from Rochdale who owns several bars in the borough, as well as living and working in the town. He is running on a platform of local town and business improvement, vowing to open empty shops and improve street safety.
William Howarth, Independent
“Billy” Howarth is a local campaigner and co-founder of the support group Parents Against Grooming UK. His campaign is centred on tackling issues around grooming in the wake of Rochdale’s grooming gang scandal. He raised his £500 registration fee by fundraising.
“After 30 years of child abuse cover-ups, two tired leaderships accompanied by failures to protect the town’s constituents, I have decided that this town needs to be independently represented,” reads Mr Howarth’s GoFundMe campaign.
Guy Otten, “Green”
Like Labour, the Greens have also withdrawn support for their Rochdale candidate, Guy Otten over comments made on Twitter.
The retired solicitor called the posts “regrettable,” confirmed he had “decided to leave the stage” and halted his campaigning efforts from 7 February. His name will still appear on the ballot as a Green Party candidate.
Ravin Rodent Subortna, Monster Raving Loony
Candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, Ravin Rodent Subortna has made a raft of unusual promises on the campaign trail, as has become tradition for the party.
His policies include the introduction of a 99p coin, fairground carousels on roundabouts, and hedgehog homes to “prevent hedgehog homelessness”. Mr Subortna has said his aim is to get “zero votes”
David Tully, Independent
“Born and raised in Rochdale,” David Tully operates a vehicle repair centre in the area. He is running on a platform of community-focused pledges, aiming to halt the “decline” of Rochdale town. He is an avid rugby and football fan, and the only candidate to meet with the local club, Rochdale AFC, on the campaign trail.
