Rochdale MP George Galloway was in Lancashire to support the Independents group ahead of the local elections.

Mr Galloway was joined by a host of speakers including Salma Yaqoob and his Worker’s Party candidate for the town Craig Murray.

The Blackburn Independents North West Conference attracted around 250 people from across the country with some travelling from London and Leicester to be at the event on Saturday.

Independent councillors who had resigned from the Labour Party over the bombing of Gaza were welcomed onto the stage. 

The party also heard from prospective Independent candidates who are contesting a number of wards in Blackburn with Darwen at the elections in May.

Speaking to the audience Mr Galloway condemned the ongoing killing of innocent civilians in Gaza and how the UK government and the main political parties were complicit in the genocide.

He said that the killing of seven aid workers, of which some were British military veterans could have represented the 'opportunity to see change' and Britain would no longer supply weapons to Israel. But this was not to be.

Mr Galloway went on to commend the Independent councillors for ‘taking a stand’ both in Blackburn and in other parts of the UK.

You can view the full list of all candidates for the Blackburn with Darwen Council Elections for all the political parties by clicking here

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Speakers also heard from a range of local and national activists and campaigners including Sabba Shah and Preston’s Michael Lavalette.

Cllr Salim Sidat from the Blackburn Independents group was happy with the turnout at the event which took place at Bangor Street Community Centre.

He said: “It has been absolutely fantastic. We have had some fantastic speakers and a great turn out.

“Everybody has commented on the quality of the speakers.

“We have had a lot of people from outside the town and locally too.”

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Salim said the focus at the event was to the highlight the alternatives for local voters and also to explore how the group would address local and international issues affecting people.

He added: “One of the Q and A sessions I did was how we are going to take this forward.

“For instance what are we going to do for Gaza? What can we do for education, universities, hospitals? Those kind of issues we need to address.”

He continued: “This is the point we are trying to get across to everybody – to say we are a group of independents – we are not a political party as yet.

“We want to concentrate on local issues as well as Gaza.

“The main political parties we feel do not align with us anymore now. Especially, the Muslim community.

“When we spoke to Angela Rayner it was very, very clear it does not matter what people think on Gaza.”

Craig Murray who stood against Jack Straw in Blackburn in 2005 is contesting at the General Election. He said he had been back to visit three times since then.

“I think it is very different to 2005. A lot of eyes have been opened by the position of the Labour Party on Gaza. Particularly to continuing to support arms sales as well as failing to call for a ceasefire.

“It is not only about Gaza but there is much wider disconnect between the Labour Party and people.”