George Galloway mobbed during only West Midlands Mayoral campaign appearance

Within minutes of taking the stage the Scottish politician publicly invited Mr Yakoob and Independent candidates standing in the Sandwell, Walsall and Dudley local elections to join his own Workers Party.

He then whipped the crowd into a fervour criticising Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer and West Midlands MPs and told his supporters that on Judgement Day, protesting and voting for Mr Yakoob in the Mayoral Election would count for them.

In an exclusive interview with the Express & Star after the event, he said: "I have not seen such passion, such feeling in a room for a long time, I bet there is not another local election meeting in this country with so many people demanding change.

"You have BC, AD and now there will be AR - After Rochdale, our victory has changed politics in this country. Look how we are giving all these Muslim people a totally peaceful way of protesting and they will make a difference to the ballot box."

He added: "I hope the Independent councillors and candidates in Walsall and across the Black Country will become members of the Workers Party."

Walsall Independent Councillor Aftab Ahmad Nawaz, who resigned from the Labour Party in November over Gaza, said: "It has been wonderful to see so many people interested in politics and here to hear George speak.

"I have been in politics a long time, and I thank George for offer for us to join the Workers Party, it is an interesting proposition."

Mayoral candidate Akhmed Yakoob said: "It was brilliant hearing George speak so passionately, I am so proud he is backing my campaign."

The event at Roshon Banqueting Suite, Aston, was billed as a "meet and greet" and after his speech those who wanted a picture and chat were invited to stage and hundreds of the audience descended on the man in the hat. Despite security being employed to keep the crowd in check and Mr Galloway safe he quickly became mobbed and was escorted out of the building into a waiting car where again he was surrounded by people wanting selfies with the former Big Brother contestant.

Mr Yakoob's campaign organiser, former Tipton Labour Councillor Mohammed Yaseen Hussain, also known as Billa, said: "What a great night, there were people from all communities who wanted to hear what George and Akhmed had to say, white, West Indian, Chinese, Bengali, Pakistani, Sikhs, Kahmiris, Irish, you name it.

"And all ages, it is great to see so many young people caring, they will be our future leaders and councillors. I got bit emotional on stage hearing George speak because he started a movement in Rochdale which the after effects is something I never thought I'd see in Black Country and West Midlands politics."

The West Midlands Mayoral election is attracting attention from across the country and world geo-politics is also taking centre stage. The Independent campaign is telling voters to abandon Labour after Sir Keir Starmer's refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza last year.

Yesterday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sawar was in Birmingham urging Muslim Kashmiri voters to stick with Labour.

Billa said: "Labour have to be scared to bring their Scottish leader to Birmingham to talk about Kashmir, which we do not need to be educated about. But there was no public meeting, George turns up with a record for fighting for Palestine and we pack out the place, Labour are worried."