The Labour party was plunged into crisis over Keir Starmer’s stance on the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, with the Labour leader under mounting pressure to call for a ceasefire.
As Rishi Sunak joined calls for a “pause” in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow aid into Gaza, and hostages and British nationals out - Sir Keir continued to grapple with the fallout of his own approach to the crisis.
The Labour leader is facing growing upset among backbench MPs, with dozens having signed a motion urging the British government to call for an immediate ceasefire.
And more than 150 Muslim Labour councillors signed a joint letter to Sir Keir and his deputy Angela Rayner urging him to back an immediate ceasefire.
Sir Keir also held crunch talks with a group of Muslim Labour MPs on Wednesday to address anger at his handling of the crisis, including comments appearing to back the restriction of power and water to the city’s 2 million inhabitants.
On a tumultuous day for Sir Keir’s leadership of the Labour Party:
- Keir Starmer held crunch talks with a group of Muslim MPs to address growing anger at his stance on Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
- The Labour leader got a telling off from 150 Muslim councillors, who called for him to back an immediate ceasefire
- MPs spoken to by The Independent said a majority of Labour MPs want the party to back a ceasefire
- A shadow minister became the second frontbencher to break ranks in calling for a ceasefire
At a meeting of around a dozen Muslim Labour MPs and peers, Sir Keir was told the pressure to back a ceasefire is now “huge”, according to one MP present.
They said after a “robust” exchange between the MPs and Sir Keir, the Labour leader accepted that there was “work to be done” to win back the trust of Muslim voters.
At the meeting, topics that came up were Sir Keir’s LBC interview, in which he said Israel "has the right" to withhold power and water from Gaza.
He was grilled over why it took more than a week to clarify his remarks, when he argued he intended to say that Israel has the right to defend itself and retrieve the around 200 hostages being held – “within international law”.
And he was questioned over why a Mosque accused him of having “gravely misrepresented” a meeting with Muslim leaders in south Wales over the weekend.
But the MP welcomed “progress” in Sir Keir’s stance, with Labour indicating on Wednesday that it backs Mr Sunak’s call for “humanitarian pauses”.
No 10 said “pauses” in the conflict could help alleviate what many fear is becoming a full-scale humanitarian crisis as water, medical supplies and fuel run out.
Mr Sunak told MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions that the UK has already discussed the idea with other countries at the United Nations.
He said the government wanted Britons to be able to leave the besieged enclave, for hostages to be released and supplies to cross over into Gaza. “And we recognise for all of that to happen there has to be a safer environment, which of course necessitates specific pauses, as distinct from a ceasefire, and we discussed this with partners yesterday evening at the United Nations,” he said.
Sir Keir on Tuesday night said “we welcome Secretary Blinken’s comments last night and we support humanitarian pauses”.
The Labour leader added: “It’s clear that the amount of aid and essential utilities getting into Gaza is completely insufficient to meet the humanitarian emergency on the ground.
“That’s why we have repeatedly said that aid, fuel, water, electricity and medicines must be urgently ramped up both through what can come in through the Rafah crossing and through Israel turning back on the supplies it controls.
“It is incumbent on all parties to make sure that the aid and utilities don’t just get in but reach those who need them. “
But a spokesman for left-wing pressure group Momentum warned the Labour leader risked alienating voters unless the party called for a full ceasefire.
They said: “This mealy-mouthed statement is an utterly insufficient response to the scale of human suffering in Gaza.
“Brief pauses in bombing are not a ceasefire - it is clear that Keir Starmer's Labour is continuing to back Israel's war on Gaza. Warm words about a two-state solution do not change this fundamental truth.
“Nor is Labour's call for aid to reach those who need it credible, as long as it's accompanied by effective support for blanket bombing and forced population transfer.
“Ultimately, the choice is simple. You either back a ceasefire - or you don't.”
A total of 81 MPs from across the House of Commons have signed a motion urging the British government to call for a ceasefire and allow access for medical supplies, food, fuel, electricity and water.
The 150 councillors, members of the Labour Muslim Network, wrote to Sir Keir and Ms Rayner urging Labour to call for an “immediate ceasefire” and an “end to the humanitarian disaster”.
And shadow women and equalities minister Yasmin Qureshi became the second member of Sir Keir’s top team to break ranks in calling for a ceasefire. After Afzal Khan called on the international community to support “de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire”, Ms Qureshi stood up in PMQs to condemn the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people in Gaza for crimes they did not commit”.
She asked Rishi Sunak: “How many more innocent Palestinians must die before this Prime Minister calls for humanitarian ceasefire?”
It comes weeks after terror group Hamas launched surprise attacks on Israel, killing 1,400 people. In response, Israel has launched a total siege of Gaza, cutting off fuel supplies to the city, with a third of its hospitals closed and more set to shut within hours.
But the meeting comes after the South Wales Islamic Centre accused Sir Keir of having "gravely misrepresented" a meeting with Muslim leaders over the weekend.
The Labour leader had shared images of the meeting on Sunday, saying he repeated calls for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and for water and power to be restored.
He said he was "questioned by members" and "made clear it is not and has never been my view that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines. International law must be followed".
But the centre apologised for the "hurt and confusion" caused by hosting Sir Keir.
"We wish to stress Keir Starmer’s social media post and images gravely misrepresented our congregants and the nature of the visit," a statement said.
"There was a robust and frank conversation which reflected the sentiments Muslim communities are feeling at this time.
"Members of the community directly challenged Keir on his statements made on the Israeli Government’s right to cut food, electricity and water to Gaza, warranting war crimes as well as his failure to call for an immediate ceasefire."
A veteran Labour MP told The Independent Sir Keir’s initial comments on the conflict were “not in any way acceptable”, but said he had not “recognised” the mistake.
He also called out an “imbalance of language”, criticising the Labour leader for “condemning” Hamas, while “expressing concern” about Israel’s response.
The MP said a majority of Labour MPs want Sir Keir to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, adding that there is “lots of talk” about it on the back benches.
“The sooner he calls for it, the better. You don’t want to wait for thousands more people to be killed,” he added.
And the MP said it will take time to repair relations with some Muslim voters who have been disappointed by Sir Keir’s response.
Another Labour MP, who served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, said Sir Keir’s comments had to be considered against the context of past criticism of the party’s record on anti-Semitism.
“In the days that have followed Keir Starmer has been absolutely clear that innocent Palestinian civilians are protected as much as is possible from the consequences of the actions of Hamas,” the MP said.
And they said there is not “any great angst” against Sir Keir over his comments.
The MPs who have backed calls for a ceasefire include 37 Labour MPs and former party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Keir has denied he ever backed Israel withholding humanitarian aid from Gaza.
Asked on LBC on October 11 if cutting off power and water was an appropriate response, Sir Keir replied: "I think that Israel does have that right. It is an ongoing situation.
"Obviously everything should be done within international law, but I don’t want to step away from the core principles that Israel has a right to defend herself and Hamas bears responsibility for the terrorist acts."
But he later rowed back the remarks amid concerns within the party that it has angered voters, particularly those in Muslim communities.
On October 2, he told broadcasters: "I know that LBC clip has been widely shared and caused real concern and distress in some Muslim communities, so let me be clear about what I was saying and what I wasn’t saying.
"I was saying that Israel has the right to self-defence, and when I said that right I meant it was that right to self-defence.
"I was not saying that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines."
