PM shines after dark day for democracy

BRITISH politics can often be peculiar and tumultuous. Yesterday that was doubly so.

Dawn broke with a by-election triumph for one of the country’s most poisonous and divisive political figures. And as the sun set, the Prime Minister made a plea for unity.

Make no mistake. This was a dreadfully dark day for democracy.

Nine years after he last left parliament, George Galloway – an odious Left-wing demagogue who worshipped at the feet of Saddam Hussein – is an MP again.

The firebrand swept to victory in Rochdale after a deliberately and dangerously sectarian campaign, marred by reported death threats and violence, which exploited fury among Muslim voters over Gaza.

He was, of course, helped by Labour leaving a vacuum in one of its safest seats after disowning its candidate Azhar Ali for peddling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

Mr Galloway’s toxic brand of politics risks worsening the racism, disruption and criminality seen on Britain’s streets since Hamas’s October 7 massacre in Israel.

So speaking in Downing Street, Rishi Sunak was right to say: Enough is enough.

Announcing a crackdown on extremism, the PM gave a supremely powerful, personal and statesman-like address – one the nation was crying out to hear.

With the police supine, militant activists have become ever bolder. There have been threats to MPs’ safety, intimidation and a rising tide of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim hatred. ‘Democracy itself is a target,’ warned Mr Sunak.

Senior officers, he said rightly, must police marches, not just manage them. His pledges to boost support for antiextremism programmes and cancel visas for those spewing hatred are also welcome. He must now turn words into action.

Britain is proud of its values, tolerance and freedoms. By vowing to protect them from zealots, Mr Sunak has shown the leadership the country wants and deserves.