George Galloway’s comments on Afghanistan during a Bradford West by-election debate have been branded “shameful, derogatory and out-of-touch”.

Speaking during the televised debate with six of the candidates, Mr Galloway said he believed British soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan “died in vain”.

Now his words have been criticised by his opponents ahead of Thursday’s by-election.

During the debate Mr Galloway said: “The idea that we should stay and shed more blood because of the blood we have already shed is simply ridiculous. They have died in vain. They shouldn’t have been sent there. They were sent there to their deaths by Tony Blair and George W Bush and the Tories and the Liberals are keeping them there.”

The Liberal Democrat’s Jeanette Sunderland, who also took part in the debate, said: “Barely a week after the brave men of the Yorkshire Regiment were repatriated, George Galloway is telling their parents, relatives and friends that they died in vain.

“Did he give any thought to how his comments would be received by the parents of the soldiers? What he said was shameful, derogatory and out-of-touch. It was thoughtless and showed a complete lack of sensitivity.”

Labour candidate Imran Hussain said at the debate: “We can’t have extremists doing what they are doing across the world and those problems need to be sorted.

“I support getting rid of extremism, wherever that may be, and I certainly support our boys now coming home.”

A spokesman for the Conservative Party added: “Soldiers’ lives are not a political football. All sides need to show respect.”

Mr Galloway responded by saying: “The war in Afghanistan has been a pointless disaster. I want our troops home, alive and well, before more of them are killed and more Afghans killed to save the face of the politicians who sent them there. Many service personnel and their families agree, as do two thirds of the British public.”

l Candidates standing are: Neil Craig (Democratic Nationalists); George Galloway (Respect); Alan ‘Howling Laud’ Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party); Imran Hussain (Labour); Dawud Islam (Green Party); Sonja McNally (UK Independence Party); Jeanette Sunderland (Liberal Democrat); Jackie Whiteley (Conservative).George Galloway’s comments on Afghanistan during a Bradford West by-election debate have been branded “shameful, derogatory and out-of-touch”.

Speaking during the televised debate with six of the candidates, Mr Galloway said he believed British soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan “died in vain”.

Now his words have been criticised by his opponents ahead of Thursday’s by-election.

During the debate Mr Galloway said: “The idea that we should stay and shed more blood because of the blood we have already shed is simply ridiculous. They have died in vain. They shouldn’t have been sent there. They were sent there to their deaths by Tony Blair and George W Bush and the Tories and the Liberals are keeping them there.”

The Liberal Democrat’s Jeanette Sunderland, who also took part in the debate, said: “Barely a week after the brave men of the Yorkshire Regiment were repatriated, George Galloway is telling their parents, relatives and friends that they died in vain.

“Did he give any thought to how his comments would be received by the parents of the soldiers? What he said was shameful, derogatory and out-of-touch. It was thoughtless and showed a complete lack of sensitivity.”

Labour candidate Imran Hussain said at the debate: “We can’t have extremists doing what they are doing across the world and those problems need to be sorted.

“I support getting rid of extremism, wherever that may be, and I certainly support our boys now coming home.”

A spokesman for the Conservative Party added: “Soldiers’ lives are not a political football. All sides need to show respect.”

Mr Galloway responded by saying: “The war in Afghanistan has been a pointless disaster. I want our troops home, alive and well, before more of them are killed and more Afghans killed to save the face of the politicians who sent them there. Many service personnel and their families agree, as do two thirds of the British public.”

  • Candidates standing are: Neil Craig (Democratic Nationalists); George Galloway (Respect); Alan ‘Howling Laud’ Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party); Imran Hussain (Labour); Dawud Islam (Green Party); Sonja McNally (UK Independence Party); Jeanette Sunderland (Liberal Democrat); Jackie Whiteley (Conservative).