In the
2021 United Kingdom local elections, the party stood more than 40 candidates for local elections in England.[citation needed] The WPB contested its first parliamentary seat at the
2021 Batley and Spen by-election, with Galloway as its candidate.[15] Galloway gained 8,264 votes (21.9%) and came in third, behind the winning Labour candidate
Kim Leadbeater and second placed
Conservative candidate Ryan Stephenson. The
Lib Dems came in fourth place, as they did in the previous election.[19] Galloway concentrated on the issues of the
Palestinian territories, the
Kashmir conflict, criticism of Labour leader Keir Starmer, the suspension of a teacher for showing a cartoon of
Muhammad at
Batley Grammar School, and the reopening of a police station in Batley.[20][21][22] The campaign received considerable media attention due to incidents of harassment during its final days.[23][24][25][26] The
Jewish Labour Movement called the result a "triumph for hope and decency" over Galloway's "toxic politics". Galloway vowed to challenge the result on the basis of an alleged "false statement" made about him by Leadbeater and Starmer, which he said tipped the result of the by-election.[27][28]
In July 2023, the Workers Party announced former Labour MP,
Chris Williamson had joined the team,[31] and an article in The Guardian in March 2024 stated Williamson had joined the party "last year".[32] The party has defended Williamson, who was suspended from the
Labour Party for his comments about
antisemitism allegations in the Labour Party, and
Ken Livingstone, who left the party following allegations of antisemitism.[33]
At the party's Congress in December 2023, Galloway was re-elected party leader. Three deputy leaders were elected – Chris Williamson, Andy Hudd (Vice President of the
ASLEF) and
Peter Ford (former
Ambassador to
Bahrain and
Syria).[34][32]
2024
On 29 February 2024, Galloway won the
2024 Rochdale by-election.[35] The
Israel–Hamas war dominated the campaign. In his election speech, Galloway said: "
Keir Starmer, this is for Gaza. You will pay a high price for the role that you have played in enabling, encouraging and covering for the catastrophe presently going on in occupied Palestine, in the Gaza Strip."[36][37] Galloway won almost 40% of the vote and overturned a previous Labour majority of 9,668. Turnout at 39.7% was much lower than the 60.1% for the 2019 general election.[38] Labour had withdrawn support for its candidate when it became known he had suggested that Israel was complicit in the
2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.[39] Following the by-election, it was announced that the Workers Party has 59
prospective parliamentary candidates for the
2024 United Kingdom general election.[40]
During the week of Galloway's by-election win, a Workers Party delegation was taking part in the
Kremlin-sponsored
World Festival of Youth in Russia.[41]
In March 2024, the party gained its first councillor when the former mayor of
Hounslow, Amritpal Mann, defected to the Workers Party.[42]
On 30 April 2024, Galloway announced that the party intended to stand in every seat at the next general election. He said that 500 had been selected, and dozens were named, including cricketer
Monty Panesar (who subsequently withdrew[43]), former Conservative/UKIP politician
Amjad Bashir, former diplomats
Peter Ford and
Craig Murray, and Wayne Adlem is one standing in Bournemouth East, and Khalil Ahmed, a previous Labour
candidate expected to stand in
Wycombe. Galloway said the party was targeting Labour seats (describing the party as their "number one enemy").[44][45]
The party identifies as a socialist, working class party, which aims for "a redistribution of wealth and power in favour of working people".[50] It describes itself as "economically radical" and "committed to class politics".[51][52] It has expressed support for a
planned economy. The party's platform is outlined in its 10-point plan, in which it advocates "rebuilding British industry", universal "decent housing", "free or cheap" public transportation and an end to NHS waiting lists.[50] It advocates for
referendums on
net zero emissions policies and the future of
the monarchy. Its manifesto states: "The transition to a Green economy should be at a pace that matches the ability of our population to afford it. We will not be seduced by the more apocalyptic
Green hysteria that floods our media but we will seek rational debate centred on democratically aligned outcomes beneficial to workers".[53][non-primary source needed]
The party is opposed to
NATO and
European Union membership, with a policy of withdrawing Britain from NATO.[56][50] In a statement it said it "is unequivocal in its support for the
Palestinian liberation struggle and opposition to
Zionism as a violently racist ideology".[57][58] Its website states that the party will "withdraw all military support from war zones".[53]
The party has been referred to as "climate sceptical" and as "strongly downplaying the human impact of two hundred years of industrialisation and greenhouse gas emissions" in terms of its stance regarding how to respond to
climate change.[59]
Monty Panesar, former England cricketer. Planned to contest the
Ealing Southall constituency at the next general election,[64] but soon withdrew as a candidate.[43]
*
Co-operative Party candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party. †Sinn Féin have elected members and offices at Westminster, but as
abstentionists do not take their seats.