George Galloway detained at Gatwick Airport under the Terrorism Act

His party confirmed the news

The former MP, along with his wife Gayatri, were stopped by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command at London Gatwick Airport today (27 September), but not arrested.

A spokesperson for the Met Police told the Herald: "“We can confirm that on Saturday, 27 September counter terrorism officers at Gatwick Airport stopped a man in his 70s and a woman in her 40s under Schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019."

The Workers Party of Britain said that 71-year-old had been detained with his wife before later being "allowed on their way".

Galloway had reportedly arrived in Gatwick on a flight from Abu Dhabi, after initially travelling to Moscow.

The Workers Party of Britain released a statement on X, although some of the details were not consistent with the police statement.

The party said: “At 11am we were informed by police officers in Gatwick that our party leader George Galloway and his wife have been detained at the airport @sussex_police @BTP.”

Below, the British Transport Police responded: " Hello, BTP don’t police airports nor have we detained anyone at Gatwick today."

The party have since released another statement titled "PARTY STATEMENT ON RELEASE OF GEORGE AND GAYATRI GALLOWAY".

It read: "Our party condemns the attempt to intimidate those who seek amity rather than enmity with the rest of the world.

"Our leader @georgegalloway and our deputy chair @GayatriGalloway have now been released without charge.

"There was never any chance of an offence. We were obstructed from providing legal support and the conduct of the affair has been designed to intimidate political opponents of the drive towards war with Russia and China.

"A fuller account will be given, tomorrow night so be sure to watch and follow."

According to the Investigatory Powers Commissioners Office (IPCO): "Schedule 3 to the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 gives police the power to stop, question, search, and detain a person at a UK port to determine whether they are involved in hostile activity. The powers also allow an examining officer to retain, copy, use and destroy an article which is found during a search.

“The Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPC) may authorise retention and use of an article found during a search. This includes authorising retention and use of a copy of an article that consists of or includes confidential material. The IPC can also authorise destruction of any such articles. The IPC also reviews and reports on the operation of the Schedule.”

Galloway is the leader of the Workers Party of Britain, which he founded in 2019.

Before that he was the leader of the now-defunct Respect Party.

Galloway served as an MP in five different constituencies, first in Glasgow Hillhead and later Kelvin, Bethnal Green, Bradford West and Rochdale.

He lost his seat in Rochdale in the general election in July 2024.