George Galloway's Labour opponent in Bradford West Amina Ali resigns as candidate ahead of general election

Ms Ali cited the 'disruption' of moving her children to Bradford as her reason for standing down just four days after she was selected

The Labour candidate due to stand against George Galloway in the general election has been forced to stand down because she doesn’t want to move the Bradford.

She was selected from an all-female shortlist that included local candidates, but the councillor in London’s Tower Hamlets said that fighting for a seat 200 miles away in Yorkshire would have too great an impact on her children’s schoolwork.

Ms Ali, who would have become the first ever British-Somali MP if she could have beaten Mr Galloway, said in a statement: “It is an honour and privilege to have been selected by members of Bradford West as the Labour candidate for the General Election.

“However, I am the mother of two children and despite my best efforts to make arrangements to bring them to Bradford for the next 70 days, particularly as one of them is doing her GCSEs, this would have caused massive disruption at a critical time. I would not be able to do justice to the members of Bradford West CLP and the people of Bradford.

“Bradford West needs a candidate who is going to live in Bradford and be involved in the campaign for every moment of every day and I am unable to fulfil this commitment despite a strong wish to support the Labour Party to victory.”

Mr Galloway has responded to the news on Twitter by calling Labour in Bradford “a supernova shambles”. He added: “Didn't want to send her kids to New Labour run schools in #Bradford apparently…”

Mr Galloway won the seat following a huge swing from Labour at a 2012 by-election, achieving a majority of more than 10,000.

He was expelled from the Labour party in 2003 after being found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute.