A week is a long time in politics: Panesar quits Workers Party after seven days

Monty Panesar attends a news conference with George Galloway (right) in Parliament Square last week. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

The former England cricketer Monty Panesar has pulled out of standing for George Galloway’s Workers Party of Great Britain after just one week, after admitting he needs more time to “mature and find my political feet ”.

Panesar had been selected to contest the Ealing Southall seat, currently held by Labour with a majority of 16,084 last Tuesday. But after a series of interviews where he displayed a sketchy understanding of the party’s policies he announced that he would no longer stand.

“I’m a proud Brit who has had the honour to represent my country at the highest level of cricket,” Panesar wrote on the social media platform X. “I now want to do my bit to help others but I recognise I am at the beginning of my journey and still learning about how politics can help people.

“So today I am withdrawing as a General Election candidate for The Workers Party. I realise I need more time to listen, learn and find my political home, one that aligns with my personal and political values.”

“I wish The Workers Party all the best,” he added. “But look forward to taking some time to mature and find my political feet so I am well prepared to deliver my very best when I next run up to the political wicket.”

Panesar had appeared alongside Galloway last Tuesday, having only met him for the first time a day earlier, where the Workers Party leader announced that they would have 500 candidates at the general election. “We are here – now a national force. For Britain, for Gaza, for the working class,” added Galloway, who said he hoped to take more seats off Labour.

But Galloway, who has supported dictators such as Saddam Hussein and Vladimir Putin in the past, quickly caused more outrage last week by saying that homosexual relationships aren’t “normal”.

Speaking to the Guardian last week, Panesar appeared uneasy when confronted with some of Galloway’s comments. “We don’t have to agree on everything,” he said. “I have a mission to help the working class people of this country who have been let down by both Labour and the Tories. I’m not an expert. But I’m learning on the job.”

That learning is still continuing – only without the job of being a parliamentary candidate.