A councillor is standing as the Bolton North East candidate for Rochdale MP George Galloway's party.

Syeda Kazmi who represents Queensgate ward on Burnley Council is standing in the General Election for the Workers Party of Britain.

She was one of 11 Labour councillors to quit Labour in November over Sir Keir Starmer’s decision not to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Cllr Kazmi is still on the authority’s website as a member of the Burnley Independent group of councillors which is running the council in partnership with the Liberal Democrats and Greens as the Co-operative Alliance.

Now she has said if she will represent the Workers Party of Britain not the Burnley Independent Group on her return to Burnley Council chamber.

Cllr Kazmi said: “If I win the seat I will remain on Burnley Council as well so I can serve my community.

“But I will sit on Burnley Council for the Workers Party of Britain after the General Election.

“It is party that allows you to speak out.

“George Galloway is a great leader and a great man.

“The workers party is a socialist party.

“It is about fairness, equality and justice for all not just about Gaza.

“I resigned from the Labour Party over the leadership’s attitude to the conflict but this is not about religion it is about humanity. children are dying there.

“I would hope to work closely with the Burnley Independent Group councillors.”

Burnley Council Labour group leader Cllr Mark Townsend said: “Cllr Kazmi can do what she wants. She is welcome to join George Galloway’s mob and good luck to her.

“But she should not be sitting as a Burnley Independent Group member.

“I cannot understand why Cllr Afrasiab Anwar – its leader and leader of the council, has not kicked her out if the hasn’t al;ready resigned.”

Cllr Anwar said: “Cllr Townsend profoundly misunderstands the Burnley Independent group. We are a group not a party and do not have a whip.

“We will work with Cllr Kazmi as we do with the Liberal Democrats and Greens.

“There is a large Bangladeshi community in Burnley and Cllr Townsend would be better off addressing his leader Sir Keir Starmer’s disgraceful recent remarks about Bangladeshis.”