What Happened at Gatwick?
On Saturday, 27 September 2025, George Galloway – now 71 and leader of the Workers Party of Britain – and his wife, Putri Gayatri Pertiwi, arrived at London’s Gatwick Airport after a long flight that took them from Moscow, through Abu Dhabi, and finally back to the UK.
As they approached the arrivals hall, officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter‑Terrorism Command stepped in. The officers were acting under Schedule 3 of the Counter‑Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, a law that lets police, immigration and customs staff stop anyone they suspect might be involved in "hostile activities that threaten national security or the economic wellbeing of the UK".
The couple were asked to step aside, their bags were inspected, and they were told they might need to answer questions about their recent travel. The police made it clear they were not being arrested – no handcuffs, no booking, just a temporary hold while the officers carried out the statutory check.
After a brief interview and a search of their electronic devices, the officers decided there was no ground for further action. Galloway and his wife were escorted back to the public area and allowed to leave the airport without any charges filed.
Reactions and Legal Context
The Workers Party of Britain reacted quickly. In a statement posted on their website, the party described the stop as "politically motivated intimidation" aimed at silencing dissenting voices on foreign policy, particularly the party’s opposition to the UK’s stance toward Russia and China.
According to the party’s press release, the detention left them "obstructed from providing legal support" and seemed designed to "intimidate political opponents of the drive towards war". They also claimed that freedom of expression is being relegated "to the scrap heap".
Metropolitan Police spokespeople, however, stuck to the official line. They said the officers were simply performing their duties under the law and that neither Galloway nor his wife were arrested. The spokesperson confirmed that the stop was carried out under Schedule 3, which gives officers the power to detain, question, and even copy data from electronic devices if they suspect a threat to national security.
Schedule 3 is a controversial piece of legislation. Critics argue it grants overly broad powers, allowing police to demand passwords and to retain, copy, use, or destroy any material found during a search – even if that material is personal or confidential. Supporters claim the law is vital for pre‑empting threats and protecting the nation in an increasingly digital world.
George Galloway’s political career has always been marked by controversy. He first entered Parliament as a Labour MP, later broke away to sit as an independent and then as a member of the Respect Party. After losing his Rochdale seat in the 2024 general election, he founded the Workers Party of Britain in 2019, positioning it as a left‑wing, anti‑war alternative to mainstream parties.
The Gatwick episode adds another chapter to Galloway’s long history of clashes with authorities. Whether the stop was a routine security measure or a targeted action remains a point of debate, but the incident underscores how political figures can become entangled in security procedures that have far‑reaching implications for civil liberties.
Legal experts note that the lack of an arrest or formal charge means the police cannot be held accountable for any alleged overreach unless someone files a complaint or a court challenges the stop. For now, the Workers Party has vowed to monitor the situation and to pursue any legal avenues they deem necessary.
What does this mean for other travellers? In practice, anyone returning from a high‑risk country could face similar checks, especially if their itinerary includes nations currently under scrutiny. The key takeaway is that the Counter‑Terrorism and Border Security Act gives police broad discretion, and those powers can be exercised without leading to an arrest.
As the story develops, both the party and civil‑rights groups are likely to keep the pressure on the police to justify the use of Schedule 3 in cases that appear political rather than security‑driven. For now, Galloway and his wife have returned home, free to speak about the experience, and the broader conversation about security versus freedom continues.
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