A LABOUR MP has reportedly admitted that Keir Starmer’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war is “infuriating” voters.
It comes after Starmer was forced to clarify remarks he made about Israel’s decision to limit supplies to Gaza this week.
On LBC radio he appeared to suggest Israel has the right to cut off power and water to Gaza. Asked if that was appropriate, he said: “I think that Israel does have that right.”
This led to backlash from within the Labour party, with 15 Labour officials in Scotland also resigning this week over party rules about responding to the conflict in Gaza.
Now, a centrist Labour MP has told Politico that Starmer’s handling of the row was “infuriating a lot of people”, with a different Labour MP saying they have received 1000 emails from constituents “the majority of whom were not Muslim voters.”
It comes ahead of what is expected to be a fiery PMQs on Wednesday between the Labour leader and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak followed by a debate on the government’s contentious bill looking to stop public bodies from boycotting Israel.
Politico also reported that Starmer and Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner will meet Muslim MPs and peers at 12.45 pm, straight after PMQs.
A shadow minister told the publication: “It’s united MPs on the left, right and centre of the party … There’s no recognition that we are haemorrhaging Muslim votes massively, enough to lose seats if there was an election tomorrow.”
We previously told how the Labour leader visited the South Wales Islamic Centre in Cardiff at the weekend – a move which was branded an “embarrassing photo-op”.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the centre apologised “for the hurt and confusion” caused by hosting Starmer, and said the intention was to highlight the suffering of people in Palestine.
It also expressed “dismay” over Starmer’s post on Twitter/X in which he said: “I was grateful to hear from the Muslim community of the South Wales Islamic Centre.
“I repeated our calls for all hostages to be released, more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, for the water and power to be switched back on, and a renewed focus on a two-state solution.”
In response, the centre said: “We wish to stress Keir Starmer’s social media post and images gravely misrepresented our congregants and the nature of the visit.
"We affirm, unequivocally, the need for a free Palestine. We implore all those with political authority to uphold international law, and the end to the occupation of Palestine.”
