It’s defection season, and the Tories aren’t the only political party in the UK seeing their members swap allegiances. George Galloway confirmed on Sunday that a long-serving Labour councillor has joined him in the Workers Party of Britain.
Labour politician switches to George Galloway party
Galloway himself has touted the move as seismic, claiming that the political plates ‘are now shifting’. Amrit Mann’s defection comes shortly after he had the whip suspended, following more than 30 years of service for Labour.
The Heston East Councillor, who had previously served as the Mayor of Hounslow, recently stated that he will remain a councillor until the next Borough Council Elections in May 2026. A by-election is being held in the borough in just over a month’s time.
Who is Amrit Mann?
This will be hailed as a major coup for WPB. Mr. Galloway, a deeply controversial figure in British politics, returned to Parliament as an MP earlier this month, following his dramatic victory in the Rochdale by-election.
George Galloway gets involved in spate of defections
Mann’s cross-bench transfer follows a series of other high-profile defections in recent weeks. Lee Anderson, the former Deputy Chair for the Conservatives, joined Reform after his comments about Sadiq Khan landed him in hot water.
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Dan Barker, the Conservative candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester, also defected to the Reform Party – after he accused his former party of ‘giving up’ on the north of England.
The right-leaning Reform are polling at around 10-15% as we head towards a General Election, with the Tories losing voters – and politicians – to the Richard Tice-led group. It remains to be seen if the Workers Party will pose a similar threat to Labour.