In a surprise twist, the Respect Party candidate and controversial politician George Galloway, has grabbed the so called safe Bradford West parliamentary seat from Labour and won the by election with a landslide 56% of the votes. His vote winning strategies, of immediate British troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, a fight back against the job crisis and his man on the ground electioneering style appealed to the Muslim voters.

This remarkable turnaround for Galloway follows years in the political wilderness following his expulsion from labour in 2003 after he criticised the Iraq war and seemed destined to be a celebrity star ex politician.

In his acceptance speech Galloway said it was a most sensational victory in by election history by an independent candidate.