THE biggest loser of the Rochdale by-election was British democracy.
Dominated by a conflict over 2,000 miles away, the ugly, often farcical, contest exposed the extremism that now poisons our politics.
In parts of the country traditional liberal values of freedom, tolerance and mutual respect that built our Parliamentary governance are giving way to intimidation and sectarianism.
It was perhaps fitting that George Galloway, one of the most notorious demagogues ever to stand for office, should emerge as the victor from this cesspit of division.
He is the embodiment of the dark side of our fractured political system, fomenting discord and revelling in conspiracy theories.
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Even Nick Griffin, ex-leader of the BNP, backed him.
By winning his fourth different Parliamentary seat, he equals the record held by Winston Churchill.
But there the similarity ends.
Churchill was a patriot, whereas Galloway has spent much of his career denouncing the West and prostrating himself before our enemies.
But his shameful record should not conceal the reality that he is a brilliant speaker and cunning operator.
Recognising Rochdale’s large Muslim population created fertile ground for a pro-Palestinian stance, he exploited Middle East turmoil for his political ends.
His propaganda material in the colours of the Palestinian flag branded him “Gaza George”.
In the febrile atmosphere he helped generate his victory became inevitable.
He was allowed to take command because the two main parties effectively deserted the field.
Labour did so through incompetence by choosing completely unsuitable candidate Azhar Ali — caught indulging in anti-Semitic tirades about Gaza.
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When Labour finally suspended him it was too late to select a new candidate.
So it could not officially stand in a seat it won in 2019 with more than half the votes.
Such ineptitude does not bode well for a future Labour government under Sir Keir Starmer.
Cesspit of division
Just as weak were the Tories, hamstrung by unpopularity and permanently on the defensive.
Engulfed by accusations of Islamophobia, Rishi Sunak struggled to go on the attack over Labour’s splits on Gaza.
This was the first time in modern political history neither the Tories nor Labour finished in the top two.
In the scathing words of Galloway, Starmer and Sunak are “two cheeks of the same backside which got well and truly spanked”.
The biggest lesson of Rochdale is neither of the two leaders seems to have what it takes to inspire the country at a time of global crisis.