Galloway talk causes exodus at rally for Eurosceptics
Audience furious with choice of politician as speaker at cross-party Grassroots Out meeting
AN ANTI-EU rally ended in a dramatic walkout last night after more than a hundred people left in protest at the guest speaker, George Galloway.
One man was bundled from the packed London auditorium by security guards as activists shouted “antiSemite” at Mr Galloway, the leader of the Respect party, who was introduced by Nigel Farage.
Scores of angry people left after waiting hours to hear from a secret special guest at the Grassroots Out launch event. One man told The Daily Telegraph: “This has ruined it as far as I’m concerned.” Another called Mr Galloway “disgusting” and “an anti-Semite”.
Furious activists streamed out of the venue as Mr Galloway took to the stage to deliver the evening’s keynote address, with one woman saying that the decision to invite him was “a disgrace”. The Ukip MEP Tim Aker was among those to leave as Mr Galloway got up to speak.
The rally, organised by the cross- party anti-EU campaign group Grassroots Out, featured speeches from Labour MP Kate Hoey, Ukip leader Mr Farage and Conservative MP David Davis.
Mr Galloway, a controversial figure who has been accused of holding extreme views on Israel and the West. He has always denied accusations of antiSemitism.
The Respect leader was the guest speaker at the event in Westminster, but many activists had been expecting the cabinet minister Chris Grayling to address the crowd and launch the leave campaign.
In his speech, which was received warmly by those remaining in the hall, he talked of the need for trade deals and reconnecting with the Commonwealth as major factors to leave.
Mr Farage, who won a standing ovation from the audience, introduced Mr Galloway as a “towering figure”. The new campaign group is battling to win the role of official “Out” group from the Electoral Commission along with Vote Leave and Leave.EU.
A spokesman for Ukip said the grassroots group, funded by major Ukip donor Arron Banks, now has political support from almost every party, compared to Vote Leave which is mainly backed by Conservatives.
The Commission will decide which of the groups becomes the official leave campaign.
Mr Farage was preceded on stage by Ms Hoey, who gave a speech on the need for the UK to stand alone and break away from the EU group.
Ms Hoey, one of the founding members of the group, was also deeply critical of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell for their stance on the EU referendum.
Both men have previously been vocal about their scepticism for the 28member bloc, but since becoming Labour leader Mr Corbyn has toned down his views and broadly welcomed David Cameron’s plan to renegotiate the UK’s relationship with the EU.
She told the audience: “It’s so incredibly disappointing that somehow, somewhere within the Labour machinery, Jeremy and John have been stifled.
“Now, maybe we will see that – in the next week or two, in the next month or two – they might break out.”
Ms Hoey added that party members expect the Labour leader to challenge the way the EU affects British workers, rather than accept the deal negotiated by the Prime Minister. She warned that Mr Corbyn would “live to regret” his stance on Europe, adding that “voting to leave is the progressive and safe op- tion”. The veteran Labour MP also added that the deal won by David Cameron was not good enough, claiming he has “capitulated to the EU”.
Other speakers included the former Conservative shadow home secretary Mr Davis, who was locked outside the venue and had to be let in by security guards.
He joked that the “health and safety police” had kept him out and called on voters to back the Grassroots Out cam- paign to give Britain greater control. It was also revealed that a major trade union will reveal its support for the Grassroots leave campaign on Monday, after details of Mr Cameron’s deal emerged late last night. A number of large unions are understood to be deeply wary of the EU and the way its laws impact on British workers.
Nigel Farage and the Conservative MP Peter Bone both said the evening was a success, despite the walkout.
‘It’s so incredibly disappointing that somehow Jeremy and John have been stifled’