Those results in full

Wikipedia gives the full results of the Bradford West by-election. A 50 per cent turn out is lower than that in the general election but is, nevertheless, very high for a by-election in an urban area. I should like to know what proportion of that was not people turning out but using the infamous postal vote system.

There is no question about it: Galloway's victory is spectacular though to call it the most important political victory in British history is hyperbole of the most ridiculous kind. So far as anyone can make out there was a combination of dissatisfaction with the main parties and the internal politicking of a particular minority group. The event is not a happy one for Labour, who were convinced that the seat was theirs (no harm in them learning otherwise) and according to Guido Fawkes, the recriminations and calls for purges have started already. And so I should think.

As it happens, I do not agree with the Boss on EURef: there is no evidence so far that this was a wide-spread "real" rebellion but a refusal by a certain group of people to look beyond their own community and their own so-called leaders. Galloway has benefited from that unofficial apartheid, which has become too settled in some parts of the country. The result may be unpleasant for the main parties but can be dismissed because of that after the initial soul-searching is over.

Had it been UKIP winning the rebellion would have been real and worrying for the political establishment. Alas, UKIP has increased its share of the vote but has not saved its deposit or managed to beat the Lib-Dims. So, that's that. No winners except for the unspeakable Galloway and his friends, the Imams of Bradford West. Whether they or the Muslim community there will benefit from this result is very questionable.