SCOTLAND’S First Minister has reacted to Labour’s marginal win in the Batley and Spen by-election.
Labour held the West Yorkshire constituency with a significantly reduced majority, with Kim Leadbeater, the sister of murdered MP Jo Cox, becoming the area’s new MP.
She saw off competition from Conservative candidate Ryan Stephenson by just 323 votes, while George Galloway was third with 21.9% of the overall vote share.
READ MORE: Batley and Spen by-election: Labour's Kim Leadbeater beats Tories
Galloway entered the by-election race following a disappointing result for his All for Unity party in the Scottish Parliament election, where they received less than 1% of the vote.
He intended to capitalise on Labour’s perceived weakness on the issue of Palestine and targeted Muslim voters in a campaign to topple Keir Starmer. A giant poster in the constituency showed Galloway in fighting position alongside the words “Starmer OUT”.
The run-up to the by-election was bitter and divisive, with reported clashes between Galloway’s Workers Party and Labour supporters as they battled for votes in the constituency’s Asian communities.
READ MORE: Batley and Spen results: George Galloway says he'll challenge outcome in courts
Leadbeater was also confronted by a man who challenged her over the situation in Kashmir and her stance on LGBT education in schools amid what he said were concerns from Muslim parents.
Following the result, Galloway said he would take legal action to get Labour’s win set aside, claiming his election effort had been damaged by a “false statement” that he had laughed while Leadbeater was abused on the campaign trail.
On Twitter, the SNP leader gave her take on the overall by-election. “You don’t have to be a Labour supporter to be pleased that Kim Leadbeater [below] has been elected as MP for her late sister’s constituency,” she wrote.
“Observing from afar, the campaign has looked ugly at times – made so by deliberate tactics from some quarters. It is good to see that defeated.”
Galloway was accused of stirring up a “toxic” atmosphere in the constituency.
Tracy Brabin, former MP for the area, said she was leafleting with "colleagues, volunteers, campaigners" in the Whitaker Street area of Batley on Sunday when they "were followed, verbally abused and physically assaulted by a group of young men".
The mayor said: "The group I was with included young people and the elderly. I witnessed them being egged, pushed and forced to the ground and kicked in the head".
She added: "We know why tensions are rising in our streets. Those who want to sow division are not welcome in our community.”
Labour MP for Halifax , Holly Lynch, commented: "There has been a series of increasingly serious and violent attacks in recent days and this is absolutely unacceptable.
"Lawless thugs are seeking to intimidate and attack those involved in the proper democratic process."
She added: "George Galloway's campaign has created a toxic environment that is suffocating democracy and drowning out the voices of local people."
Galloway rejected any suggestions of wrongdoing on behalf on his campaign.
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