In the June European Parliament elections, the progressive unity coalition Respect, running former Labour MP George Galloway as its lead candidate, obtained an average of 1.7% of the vote across England and Wales. This modest result, however, includes a number of spectacular results from individual boroughs.
In the London borough of Tower Hamlets, for example, Respect scored the highest vote of any party with more than 20%, and more than 10,000 votes. In Newnham, another London borough, Respect scored 21%.
In 10 Birmingham inner-city wards Respect polled between 18% and 39% of the vote. The average in these ten wards was 24%.
Respect also contested the Greater London Assembly election also held on June 10, and polled just under 5%, narrowly missing out on getting a candidate elected to the GLA.
From Green Left Weekly, June 23, 2004.
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