George Galloway has said his surprise victory in the Bradford West by-election showed the “alienation” of voters from the main political parties.

The Respect Party politician said his win also reflected concerns about jobs and the economy – and was not just based on the support of Muslim voters.

Labour’s Ed Miliband said the loss of the seat was “incredibly disappointing”

He said “local factors” were partly to blame but pledged to “learn lessons” from the defeat.

But the BBC’s chief political correspondent Norman Smith said the poll, coming at the end of a difficult week for the coalition government, should have been a “stroll in the park” and that there were questions whether the Labour leadership could connect with its core supporters.

Mr Galloway, expelled by Labour in 2003, won the by-election by 10,140 votes, in the process of overturning a Labour majority of more than 5,000 at the 2010 general election.

‘Tidal wave’
He told the BBC that his win represented a “peaceful democratic uprising” against the established political parties and their leaders.

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Analysis

Chris Mason
Political reporter

George Galloway was carried out of the sports centre where the votes had been counted, on the shoulders of his supporters.

“Galloway! Galloway!” they screamed jubilantly.

A small convoy of cars, covered in Respect posters and flags, then completed a celebratory lap around an otherwise deserted football field, at 3am.

Why did George Galloway win here?

Firstly, he appears to have galvanised some who feel ignored, even disenfranchised by the main political parties.

An element of that is due to a specific local issue, the regularly delayed renovation of the city centre.

For others, in a multi-ethnic constituency, the call for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan was appealing.

For others still, this was a mid-term by-election.

It wasn’t about choosing the next government, but sending a powerful message, selecting a noisy, high profile advocate to represent them.

Handing George Galloway a 10,000 vote majority certainly does that.

Analysis: What does Galloway win mean?
“It was a bit of tidal wave and it was one waiting to break all over the country,” he told Radio 4’s World At One.

“There are very large numbers of people completely disenchanted and alienated from the political process and from the mainstream political parties…There is no difference between the Tories, the Lib Dems and New Labour, or at least not a sufficient difference for anyone to notice or care.”

He said he had focused his campaign on tackling Bradford’s economic problems, suggesting the city had “gone backwards” during Labour’s years in government.

“There is a great deal of concern about mass unemployment, poverty, poor educational statistics, poor health and a general sense of abandonment in post-industrial cities like Bradford,” he said.

SOURCE: BBC NEWS