George Galloway has been snubbed by Tory MP Sir David Davis over being sworn in to Parliament. The newly-elected Rochdale MP, who leads the Workers Party of Britain, boasted that the former Brexit secretary would accompany him when he takes his seat in the House of Commons today.
But Sir David changed his mind after Mr Galloway’s deputy Chris Williamson refused to condemn Hamas’s terror attack on Israel.
Mr Davis told the Daily Mail: “I was happy to introduce George because I’m a believer in free speech.
“But his deputy was trying to justify the October 7 attacks and that crosses the line.”
New arrivals in the Commons are flanked by two MPs when they are sworn in, which is the process of making an oath of allegiance to the Crown.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who sits as an independent after losing the whip in an antisemitism row, has already agreed to accompany Mr Galloway.
It is expected that Father of the House Peter Bottomley, who is the longest-serving MP, will also now take part after Sir David pulled out.
Mr Galloway, who won last Thursday’s by-election, had told Sky News: “David Davis is one of the great parliamentarians of today and this age.”
But his deputy Mr Williamson, an ex-Labour MP, sparked outrage on Friday for refusing to condemn Hamas’s barbaric October 7 onslaught.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “You can’t expect to live in a situation where people have been oppressed for 75 years and not expect a reaction.”
Mr Galloway, a former Labour and Respect MP, swept to victory in Rochdale after a campaign heavily focused on Gaza in the by-election that was marred by controversy and division.
