2012 Bradford West by-election

2012 Bradford West by-election
29 March 2012 (2012-03-29)

Bradford West constituency
Turnout50.8% ( 14.7 pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Candidate George Galloway Imran Hussain Jackie Whiteley
Party Respect Labour Conservative
Popular vote 18,341 8,201 2,746
Percentage 55.9% 25.0% 8.4%
Swing 52.8 pp 20.3 pp 22.7 pp

MP before election

Marsha Singh
Labour

Subsequent MP

George Galloway
Respect

A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Bradford West was held on 29 March 2012, following the resignation of incumbent Labour Party MP Marsha Singh on health grounds. It was won by George Galloway of the Respect Party in what was considered a major upset, defeating Labour candidate Imran Hussain.

Galloway referred to the result as the "Bradford Spring", saying it was Bradford's "peaceful democratic uprising" version of the riots which swept through England in August 2011. Respect's increase in its share of the vote, 52.8%, was the second-highest in recorded British parliamentary by-election history.