LABOUR parliamentary candidate Naz Shah was victorious in a hustings involving the Bradford West candidates tonight, according to an exit poll.

The event, organised by the University of Bradford Students' Union, was open to students and staff, and with a younger audience than previous events, most questions aimed at the candidates were focused on issues important to young people.

Chaired by Professor Donna Lee, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the two-hour event saw the audience submitting ballot forms afterwards, indicating who they thought had been most impressive. Mrs Shah came out on top, with Green Party candidate Celia Hickson second. Respect candidate George Galloway, who is hoping to retain his seat, finished in third.

Among the issues raised were tuition fees, the poor quality of student housing in Bradford and the Government's "prevent" counter-terrorism agenda.

At one point Harry Boota (Ukip) was asked about his party's policy on disability equality. He stopped mid-sentence and asked for the issue to be passed over to the next candidate, saying he had had a "breakdown" in his train of thought.

Discussing his legacy as Bradford West MP, Mr Galloway said: "When I came here there was a hole in the ground called Westfield, now there is a Westfield being built. Labour would have left it as a hole."

Several people jeered that comment, and others that he had saved the Odeon and the National Media Museum, but he responded: "Some people don't like to hear it, but everyone in Bradford knows it is the case."

Alun Griffiths, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said: "It is being built because of the economic recovery. Westfield aren't a charity, they are building it because they now think they can make money from it."

Mr Galloway said he had tabled more motions and asked more questions in Parliament than the other four Bradford MPs combined.

Independent candidate James Kirkaldy said the country was suffering a "crisis in the party political system".

George Grant (Conservative) said: "Some people look to the Government for answers to everything. The Government is there to create the conditions where people can achieve things on their own." He highlighted the jobs created by the current Government while in office.

During a debate about Muslims being unfairly targeted by Government terrorism policy, Mr Galloway listed terror legislation he had voted against while an MP.

Mr Grant responded: "When you never have to take any real responsibility in Government then voting against things is easy to do."

Mrs Shah also made several jabs at Mr Galloway, saying: "I live here and unlike others I will still be here if I don't win the election."

She ended by saying: "The people of Bradford don't need a one-man messiah to tell us what to do."