Monty Panesar to stand for Galloway’s party in the election
Former England cricketer hopes to topple Labour incumbent in Ealing Southall for Workers Party
‘My aspiration in politics is to one day become Prime Minister’
FORMER England cricketer Monty Panesar has confirmed he will stand for George Galloway’s party at the next general election.
The 42-year-old is set to run against the Labour incumbent in Ealing Southall, London, as a candidate for the Workers Party of Great Britain, which aims to scupper Labour’s chances in dozens of seats in protest against its stance on the Middle East.
Mr Galloway made a shock return to the House of Commons at the start of March after he stormed to victory in the Rochdale by-election.
He secured a majority of more than 5,500 after running a campaign relentlessly focused on the war in Gaza and openly appealed to the substantial Muslim vote in the Lancashire constituency.
News of Panesar’s candidacy was confirmed yesterday morning by Mr Galloway, who told LBC: “Monty, of course, was a great left arm spinner and so we could do with him.” Panesar went on to confirm to The
Telegraph he will be on the ballot for the Workers Party in Ealing Southall, which has been represented by Vivendra Sharma, a Labour MP, since 2007.
In an article for The Telegraph, Mr Panesar said his aspiration in politics is “to one day become Prime Minister” and that he was passionate about investing in the NHS, introducing a wealth tax and curbing illegal migration.
The 2021 Census showed the borough of Ealing had a Muslim population of almost 19 per cent. Almost a third (30 per cent) of its population is Asian, while a further 26.5 per cent is made up of non-white ethnic groups.
In Rochdale, Mr Galloway’s leaflets rebranded him as “Gaza George” and he aggressively attacked Sir Keir Starmer’s party over its stance. Labour initially refused to call for an immediate ceasefire in the region, something it has since demanded alongside the release of Israeli hostages.
Mr Galloway has come under fire over his claims that Israel is committing “genocide” and is an “apartheid state”.
Panesar played for England between 2006 and 2013, taking 167 Test wickets during his career and playing a major part in the success of the 2009 Ashes campaign.
After retiring, he became a freelance journalist, writer and broadcaster having studied sports journalism at St Mary’s University, London.
Earlier this month, Panesar filmed a video in support of the Show Racism the Red Card campaign in which he talked up the benefits of immigration. He said: “I think with migration, Britain is a stronger country, especially with some of the jobs that maybe the people who’ve been living in this country for generations, it’s difficult for them to do.
“But we have people coming from other parts of the world who are willing to work hard, willing to make a success [of ] their lives. They see Great Britain as a place of opportunity.”
It came as Tahir Ali, the Labour MP for Birmingham Hall Green, categorically denied an LBC report that he was in talks with Mr Galloway about defecting to the Workers Party from Labour.