Labour has suffered a surprise by-election defeat in east London as grassroots anger at Sir Keir Starmer's stance on a ceasefire in Gaza continued.
Sophia Naqvi, who quit her Labour membership last month, won the Plaistow North ward on Newham council at Thursday night's election.
She gained 46% of the vote to Labour's 27%. There are now four Independents on Newham council.
Ms Naqvi said: "A few weeks ago I was still a Labour Party member desperately trying to get our Mayor and councillors to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Labour leader’s disgraceful comments to LBC was for me the final straw...like many others I left the Labour Party and as a result was persuaded by Newham Independents to be their candidate in the Plaistow by-election.
"We fought a campaign on local issues. People are fed up of record council tax bills, crumbling infrastructure and the filthy state of our streets."
Ms Naqvi's win follows Newham councillor Zuber Gulamussen quitting Labour earlier this week to become an Independent.
Nationwide polls by YouGov show that the row has not changed the party's national vote share, with Labour about 20 points ahead of the Conservatives.
It comes as a temporary ceasefire appears to be holding in the fighting in Gaza.
Israel was expected to free 150 Palestinian prisoners, with women and children the first to come out on both sides.
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron will meet with Palestinian leaders and commit a further £30 million in aid for people in Gaza following the announcement.
