Phil Colley: ‘Responsibility to Humanity’
Phil Colley is a long-time resident of and campsite owner in Brede. He is widely travelled, speaks eight languages and claims a “deep understanding” of global politics. His allegiance to the Workers Party of Britain (WPB), under whose banner he is contesting the current election, stems no doubt from its stance on the issue of Gaza.
The WPB was formed by George Galloway in 2019. Labour MP for a Glasgow seat for 16 years, Galloway was expelled for his vociferous opposition to the party’s stance on the Iraq War. He has subsequently been elected as MP for Bethnal & Bow between 2005 and 2010 (standing for the Respect Party), for Bradford West between 2012 and 2015 (also Respect), and for Rochdale since a by-election in February this year (as WPB leader). Each of these constituencies has a large Muslim population, and Galloway’s electoral successes followed campaigns that highlighted policy issues regarding the Middle East (Iraq, Israel and Gaza) at odds with mainstream party narratives.
Hastings & Rye has a quite different electorate ethnically, but Colley has confirmed that his primary reason for standing as WPB candidate is the “genocide in Gaza”. As he describes it: “This is not a normal election. It is taking place during a genocide which the main political parties in this country have supported all the way. The horrors we are witnessing as thousands of Palestinians are slaughtered, starved and maimed are the most appalling things I have seen in my lifetime.”
He regards the behaviour of the Israeli government and its Defence Force as “facilitated by political decisions made here in the UK by British politicians. I’m sure both the Labour and Conservative party candidates would rather stay silent on this utterly shameful reality, but I’m here to remind them of their responsibility to humanity and international humanitarian law.”
As regards issues closer to home, Colley advocates for policies “that support working people” including withdrawal from NATO and opposition to “endless wars”, thus releasing money “to serve the UK economy”.
Specifically, Colley would like to see local authorities funded to tackle “the acute and urgent housing crisis”; the renationalisation of the water industry; improvement of infrastructure; and promotion of economic justice – fair wages, job security, and the rights of workers.
“We are so tired in Hastings of accepting the inadequate: a water company that trashes our seas and floods our town; no or low-quality housing that makes kids sick; low wages that people can barely scrape by on, and contracts which leave everyone insecure. The people of Hastings and Rye deserve better. The Workers Party is not offering empty words, it’s offering meaningful change for social justice and equality.”
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