Rochdale hustings “affront to democracy” as handful of candidates invited to debate issues

Date published: 23 February 2024

The Rochdale hustings has been labelled “an affront to democracy” by the public after just a handful of candidates were invited to the event at Wardleworth Community Centre on Thursday (22 February).

The event was opened by the organisers saying: “This event has been organised by a group of local community volunteers and activists who want to ensure our communities have the opportunity to quiz key candidates in this election.

“This event has not been organised by any particular organisation or any charity. This is a group of friends who have come together, local community members who want to have the opportunity, and provide the opportunity, to others in Rochdale to quiz candidates in this type of format.”

However, just a few of the 11 candidates standing in next week’s by-election were cherry-picked to attend the non-selective hustings and answer questions put to them by the public.

Selective hustings can be intended to promote one candidate or party over another, whilst non-selective hustings invite all candidates and give them the opportunity to speak and be questioned, unless there are "impartial reasons" for doing so.

The Electoral Commission says impartial reasons can include: resources and other practicalities that limit the numbers of people you can invite, for example time or space; security concerns; local prominence of some parties or candidates over others; the number of elected representatives at the local or national level; and recent election results in the area.

 

 

Those invited to Thursday's hustings included George Galloway (Workers Party of Britain), Azhar Ali (formerly Labour but now denounced), Paul Ellison (Conservative), Iain Donaldson (Liberal Democrats) and Guy Otten (the former Green candidate, who has now been denounced), with only the Lib Dem and Workers Party candidates attending the event.

The invitation selection means none of the independent candidates – Mark Coleman, Michael Howarth, William Howarth or David Tully – were invited to participate in the event, with the shunned candidates also including Simon Danczuk (Reform UK) and Ravin Rodent Subortna (Official Monster Raving Loony Party).

The reasoning given on the night for inviting "the three main parties and the Workers Party" was "based on a number of factors, including inviting parties which were more prominent, those parties that have local elected representatives on the council and individuals which may be able to respond effectively to issues of concern, being raised predominantly in the Asian and Muslim communities in Rochdale."

They added it was "unviable" to host all 11 candidates, but acknowledged a number of the independent candidates were "disappointed" to not be on the stage and would have an opportunity to speak for two minutes from the audience "should they wish to choose it" at the end of the two-hour event.

Mr Coleman is understood to be the only independent candidate who attended the event as an observer, whilst Mr Danczuk attempted to join the panel but was refused.

Mr Coleman spoke at the end of the meeting for two minutes, introducing himself and requesting "listen to me for democracy," noting how only a few candidates had been invited.

 

 

In his two minutes - met with a round of applause - he spoke about "politics being broken," Awaab Ishak, damp and mould in social housing, the climate crisis, the genocide in Gaza.

However, security and organisers at the event refused to let Mr Danczuk into the meeting or join in the debate, despite there being empty chairs on the platform. 

Mr Danczuk protested but they still refused him the chance to speak on the panel; he is believed to have been offered the chance to speak at the end, which he refused.

Of being excluded, Mr Danczuk said: “This sham hustings was organised to try and make Galloway look good, the organisers didn’t want his main challenger speaking and questioning Galloway’s Gaza agenda. How can a candidate look good if he refuses to debate?”

He continued: “I explained to the organisers that basic concepts of British democracy meant that all candidates should have the opportunity to address the public, but they still refused me entry.

“And all they wanted to do was debate Gaza in the corridor. It’s clear that their idol, Galloway is now running scared and cannot cope with scrutiny. This is the Galloway circus in action, shutting down debate, refusing to discuss the issues facing this town.”

The organisers are understood to have denied Mr Danczuk entry for failing to have registered for the event, as others in the audience had.

Addressing Mr Danczuk, organisers said: “Despite not being invited as a speaker, and not registering for the event (as over 135 people did), Mr Danczuk was still offered a seat in the hall and assured of a speaking slot at the end.

“He decided not to take up the offer and left.

“The event was promoted for over 10 days. At no point in this period, did the Danczuk campaign reach out to the organisers to protest not being invited, nor to request a seat either on stage or in the audience.”

Reform has been contacted to clarify if the team did reach out to organisers.

The organisers clarified that the event was “not organised by the George Galloway campaign team,” adding: “The event was organised by a group of local community volunteers and activists. It was not organised by any political party, charity or any other type of organisation.”

Addressing the candidates chosen to participate, they said: “The guidance relating to non-selective hustings on the Electoral Commission websites makes clear that all candidates do not necessarily have to be invited to a hustings.

“Non-invited candidates were informed that they could make a brief statement to the audience at the end of the hustings - as Independent candidate Rev. Mark Coleman did.”

 

 

However, the hustings isn’t the only recent event which has faced criticism for hand-picking select candidates.

BBC Radio Manchester had been due to host a live debate on Thursday afternoon (22 February) but excluded the independent candidates and the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.

Speaking on air, the BBC’s political journalist explained that six candidates – Azhar Ali, Iain Donaldson, Paul Ellison, George Galloway, Simon Danczuk and Guy Otten – had been selected to “keep a debate of this size manageable.”

The other five candidates – the five independents and the Official Monster Raving Loony Party – were invited to submit ‘a minute manifesto’ recording instead.

The live debate was cancelled after two candidates withdrew in the last 24 hours before airing, leaving only Mr Galloway and Mr Danczuk, with the radio station broadcasting a short interview with Danczuk, followed by a short soundbite from Galloway.

Independent candidates Mark Coleman and William Howarth have expressed their disgust at being excluded.

Mark Coleman said: “Independent candidates, especially in this chaotic election should be allowed to participate in the same way as others, and given a fair hearing.

“I live in the town and yet I’m not allowed to take part in person. I think the voters should be able to hear from the independent candidates so they can decide who to vote for.”

Of the radio debate, his election agent Jane Touil said: “The BBC is a public service broadcaster. It’s not serving the public if it excludes candidates from fully contributing.

“People are telling us on the street that they have lost faith with the political parties and want to vote for an independent candidate.”

 

 

William Howarth said: “I’m livid; how can there be a debate about Rochdale that doesn’t include the independents, the only ones from Rochdale!

“I have, because of this, boycotted and cancelled anything I’ve done with the BBC for this by-election and will continue to do so.

“I was asked by the BBC last night what would I do if up to me and I replied that I would hold two debates. How dare they eliminate the independents. I’m glad it has been cancelled; well done candidates.”

Addressing the local hustings, he said: “I rang up and was told I was not invited.  

“How is this fair? How is this democratic? All the independents are gutted.

“I feel like it’s election tampering or creating Gaza-only headlines.”

Michael Howarth, a local businessman who runs several town centre bars and venues, is also standing as an independent. He said they “should all have had the right to speak,” adding: “I really do feel this is the whole problem in this country. We all paid the same to enter [the by-election]. We should all have the right to speak.

“It didn't seem a fair crack of the whip and all candidates should have been given the opportunity to speak to constituents and answer their questions in that setting. Even if it wasn't designed to be biased, that's the impression people have taken away from speaking to others on my canvassing and from reading social media.”

David Tully and Ravin Rodent Subortna have also been contacted for comment.