George Galloway slammed as 'glory seeker who won't make huge difference' in London by-election

Baroness Jenny Jones criticised the leader of the Workers Party of Britain as a “glory seeker” who “just wants attention”.Baroness Jenny Jones of MoulsecoombPA ArchiveBut former Labour and ex-Respect MP Mr Galloway has been hit with a backlash over his move from within his party by the resignation of its deputy leader Chris Williamson.Baroness Jones, a former member of the London Assembly, told The Standard: “He’s a glory seeker. He just wants attention.“He will confuse the voting a bit - but I think not enough to make a huge difference.”Responding to the criticism, a spokesman for the Workers Party of Britain (WPB) said: “The Baroness is hardly qualified to talk on Westminster voting, sitting in the Lords as an unelected life peer having repeatedly failed to get elected as an MP herself.”However, shortly before he threw his hat into the ring for the north London by-election, he signalled that he may be returning to the city.He said: “I might be coming back to Britain because there's a by-election pending in Holborn and St Pancras, and unless the Green Party come to the table and make us an offer we can't refuse, we will be standing.“And if we're standing, it will almost certainly be me that is the candidate.”George Galloway and Zack Polanski who are fighting over the Left-leaning, anti-Labour vote in Holborn and St PancrasGettyRead MoreHowever, he is believed to have been living in “self-imposed exile” in Moscow for the last year after he and his wife Putri Gayatri Pertiwi were detained by counter-terrorism police at Gatwick Airport in September 2025.They are thought to have been returning to the UK from Moscow via Abu Dhabi.Neither of them were arrested and police said they were "allowed on their way".Labour's candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, Sagal Abdi-Wali, speaks to supporters during her campaign launchGettyA WPB spokesman said: “George's home address since moving out of London with his family has been in Scotland. “He was detained along with his wife and party chairwoman Gayatri unjustly by counter terrorism officers at Gatwick airport for nine hours in total, and subsequently released.“This also happened in 2004. In 2004 the Head of Special Branch (Ports) issued a public apology and confirmed he was free to carry on with political campaigning.“We are awaiting a similar message from the police or Home Office so that he can hit the ground in Holborn & St Pancras.”The Standard understands that the Home Office sees no reason why Mr Galloway can not return to the UK.The WPB said its position was based on legal advice and correspondence with the Home Office.Mr Galloway last stood for election in the Scottish Parliament in May, where he polled 0.4 per cent of the vote in Glasgow.