George Galloway and Wife Stopped at UK Airport in Counter-Terrorism Check
Counter-Terror Officers Detain Ex-MP and Wife
Former MP George Galloway and his wife, Putri Gayatri Pertiwi, were stopped by counter-terrorism officers at a UK airport last Saturday morning, the Workers Party of Britain (WPB) has confirmed. The duo were returning from Indonesia via Abu Dhabi when they were held under Schedule 3 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2019. This law allows officers to detain and search travellers suspected of hostile activity at UK ports.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “On Saturday, counter-terrorism officers stopped a man in his 70s and a woman in her 40s under Schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2019. Neither were arrested and they were allowed on their way.”
Workers Party Slams ‘Political Intimidation’
The WPB slammed the stop as a tactic to intimidate political opponents pushing for peace. The party issued a fierce statement:
“There was never any chance of an offence. We were obstructed from providing legal support, and the conduct of the affair has been designed to intimidate political opponents of the drive towards war with Russia and China.”
No Charges But Questions Remain
The couple were released without charge the same day. The party insists no wrongdoing occurred. It is unclear if police demanded access to phones or passwords during the incident.
Galloway’s Political Comeback and Controversy
George Galloway, 71, served as a Labour MP until 2003 before representing various constituencies as an independent and Respect Party MP until 2015. In March 2024, he made a comeback as the first MP for the Workers Party of Britain by winning a Rochdale by-election, though he lost the seat in the last general election.
