Despondency and Gaza dominate election in northern England’s Rochdale

Voters in the northern English town of Rochdale say they have little enthusiasm for an election this week dominated by political disputes over the Gaza war and paving the way for leftist firebrand George Galloway to return to parliament. Britain's opposition Labour Party, riding high in the polls nationally, had been the clear favourite to retain the seat until its candidate Azhar Ali was recorded espousing conspiracy theories about Israel, forcing the party to ditch him. He remains in the race as an independent, leaving Labour with no official candidate, and giving the impetus to the veteran left winger.