Recently elected MP for Rochdale George Galloway has labelled his constituency a "subdivision of Oldham" during his first Commons speech on returning to Parliament.

The leader of the Workers Party of Britain won the by-election in Rochdale on February 29, gaining 37 per cent of the vote.

The former Labour MP was in the Commons on Tuesday (March 12), where he lamented the lack of public services in Rochdale, which he said was a "subdivision of Oldham".

Mr Galloway said: "What about us in Rochdale? We have a new infirmary that's like a ghost town.

"Do you know, that in Rochdale, you cannot give birth? No one, in the town of Gracie Fields will ever again be able to say they were born in Rochdale, unless, unfortunately in a taxi, on the way to Bury or on the way to Oldham.

"We don't even have a postcode, our postcode is OL - a subdivision of Oldham."

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In his first written parliamentary question to ministers tabled since his return, the Workers Party MP asked if ministers would “have discussions with Royal Mail on the allocation of the RO postcode to Rochdale”, but was told this would be an operational matter for the Royal Mail.

Elsewhere during his speech, Mr Galloway described the budget the Chancellor delivered last week as a "nothing burger" which "all the spices in Rochdale" could not "give flavour to".

Mr Galloway also paid tribute to the former MP for Rochdale, Sir Tony Lloyd, and criticised both the Conservative and Labour parties.