Labour frontbencher Jess Phillips has argued Israel’s military action against Hamas will only end in “death and destruction” as she called for the negotiation of “peaceful political solutions”.
The MP argued on Thursday that Israel’s retaliatory action on Gaza will kill tens of thousands of people and will not lead to long-term security for the Israeli people.
Her comments deepen the frontbench revolt against Sir Keir Starmer’s stance of only calling for a humanitarian “pause” in the fighting, as he backs Israel’s “right to self-defence”.
The Labour leader has been resisting calls from senior figures within his own party to demand a ceasefire as he battles to maintain discipline.
Ms Phillips, the shadow domestic violence and safeguarding minister, directly challenged the notion that Israel is defending itself by going after Hamas for its October 7 atrocity.
“I personally don’t see killing hundreds, and what will turn out to be tens of thousands of people, within a few short weeks, as a military objective that leads to any sort of long-term status of security for Israeli people,” she told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme.
“I maintain there has got to be peaceful political solutions negotiated to try and bring an end to the killing.”
I will not turn a blind eye to thousands, and potentially my own constituents who are currently running out of water, being collateral damage— Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley
The MP for Birmingham Yardley became emotional during the interview as they discussed her efforts in helping to secure the release of some of her constituents from Gaza.
“I cannot turn a blind eye, and I will not turn a blind eye to thousands, and potentially my own constituents who are currently running out of water, being collateral damage,” she said.
“It would be wrong of me to consider that, so I continue to push for political solutions. I don’t see where the military solution ends other than in death and destruction.”
She argued “whether we call it a ceasefire or whether we call it a pause… has become semantics, because it isn’t happening”.
Frontbenchers Alex Cunningham, Yasmin Qureshi and Imran Hussain are among those calling for an end to the fighting.
Sir Keir has also been at odds with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, with mayors including Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan, and with Labour-led councils across England.
I put (collective responsibility) in the context of understanding what is driving people in the call for a ceasefire, which is in my judgment not the call that we should be making as things stand— Sir Keir Starmer
In a speech defending his position on Tuesday, Sir Keir said he recognised he has to address “collective responsibility”, the principle that his shadow ministers must adopt a unified position.
“It matters and I take that duty extremely seriously, but I put it in the context of understanding what is driving people in the call for a ceasefire, which is in my judgment not the call that we should be making as things stand,” he added.
At this stage in the conflict, he argued that Hamas would be “emboldened” by a ceasefire and start preparing for future violence immediately.
A humanitarian pause is the “only credible approach” that would see “the urgent alleviation of Palestinian suffering”, Sir Keir said.
