Two years on from the Bradford Spring, George Galloway's anti-war party walked away empty handed at local elections which left Labour in overall control - and the Tories licking their wounds, blaming 'Asian' clan politics for their poor show

Labour has gained full control of Bradford council after winning seats from the Tories and Lib Dems and fighting off attacks from Ukip, which took just one spot in the West Yorkshire administration.



George Galloway's Respect party made no gains in the city, despite Galloway touring the city in an open top bus in support of his eight candidates. He later blamed the poor result on "biradari" clan politics among the Pakistani community.

Respect has no representatives in Bradford's town hall since its five sitting councillors – elected in the euphoric aftermath of Galloway's byelection win in 2012 – quit the party last year. They now sit as an Independent grouping.

The biggest majority in Bradford was won by Labour's Imran Hussain in the Toller ward, who lost so catastrophically to Galloway in the Bradford West byelection. But on Friday, after polling 4,850 votes to Respect's 660, Hussain vowed to fight Galloway again in next year's general election -if selected as Labour's parliamentary candidate (and if Galloway choses to stand once more).

Hussain said: “The Respect party in Bradford West is finished. George Galloway came to town two years ago and made a load of false promises. He hasn't delivered and he's never here. People have realised they want local representation. On the doorstep people have been asking me to stand in 2015 and I think I can be a strong voice for the city.”

Dave Green, the Labour leader of the council, said: “I think this election shows that the people of Bradford have rejected Respect. George Galloway and his cronies are a busted flush. Politics in Bradford will be better without them.”

Galloway did not attend the count, but wrote on Twitter: “It's with regret I inform you that feudal reactionary 'biradari' Labour politics is back in power in Bradford City Council. God help us. Thanks to the thousands who voted Respect yesterday and the candidates who braved foul weather and worse. We lost but we'll be back.”

After winning Bradford West in what he later dubbed the Bradford Spring, Galloway claimed to have “smashed” clan-based bloc voting.

At the count, politicians from both Labour and the Conservatives claimed clan politics were still very much in operation in Bradford. Barry Whitaker, chair of Bradford Tories, blamed his party's woeful showing on "Asian politics". The Conservatives managed to lose control of Bradford's Bowling and Barkerend ward by more than 2,200 votes, polling a risible 249 to Labour's 2, 532. In 2010, Tory Zameer Hussain Shah won with 2,357 votes (36.6% share).

Whitaker said of the loss: "It's Asian politics, I'm afraid. In Bradford we have a lot of politics based on family membership or clan membership."

Despite high hopes of walking away with five or more seats in Bradford, Ukip only gained one, in the Keighley West ward, which it took from Labour with a majority of 166.

The anti-Eu party hoped to dislodge the Conservative opposition leader Glenn Miller, but he clung on to his Worth Valley seat with a 215 majority.

Ukip were also optimistic in Bradford's Queensbury about dethroning Paul Crombie, an ex BNP councillor who left the far-right party in 2011 after becoming a Christian and becoming disillusioned with party politics. He and his wife, also originally elected on a BNP ticket, both turned Independent a few years ago. But on Thursday he increased his majority after vowing to fight purely on local issues.

Labour now has 46 seats on the city council, giving them a majority of one and overall control. They won two seats from the Tories (Thornton and Allerton and Bowling and Barkerend), and one from the Peace party (Heaton), lost Keighley West to Ukip and held the rest.