Keir Starmer’s had a torrid fortnight, but the big picture is bleakest for Rishi Sunak The double whammy of byelection humiliations for the Tories matters more than Labour’s horror show in Rochdale The Guardian - UK · Feb 18, 2024
Starmer allies gripped by fear of Labour complacency amid byelection triumphs Despite victory in two Conservative safe seats, a Labour government is not a foregone conclusion, say party hawks The Guardian - UK · Feb 18, 2024
Those who attack Jews in the UK are not striking a blow for Palestine: they are behaving as antisemites always have Tropes in a Labour meeting, antisemitism incidents up 589% – try to imagine what it is like to be Jewish in Britain right now, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland The Guardian - UK · Feb 16, 2024
Starmer Faces Biggest Leadership Test In Upcoming Gaza 'Immediate Ceasefire' Vote Starmer is facing his biggest leadership test yet as a parliamentary motion that calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel looms. International Business Times UK · Feb 16, 2024
OPINION - The Standard View: Labour is on course for power, but is the party ready to govern? After what was widely acknowledged to be one of the worst weeks of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership — in which Labour once again became embroiled in antisemitism and the leader himself was accused of indecision over Rochdale candidate Azhar Ali — the mood has suddenly switched. Evening Standard · Feb 16, 2024
Why has UK’s Labour Party suspended two election candidates over Gaza war? The party has become embroiled in yet another row over anti-Semitism amid Israel’s war on Gaza. Al Jazeera · Feb 16, 2024
Learn this from the Rochdale debacle: society faces peril when smart people believe dumb things Azhar Ali’s parroting of anti-Israel conspiracy theories is not a warning just for Labour – there’s a lesson in it for everyone, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff The Guardian - UK · Feb 16, 2024
Labour overturns 18,000 Tory majority to win Wellingborough byelection Gen Kitchen takes seat for party for first time since 2001 general election to temper fears after testing week The Guardian - UK · Feb 16, 2024
A lesson and a wake-up call from Rochdale: Labour has become too complacent about its big poll lead There is no disputing that this episode has been damaging. Hopefully it will prompt Keir Starmer into an overdue rethink, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle The Guardian - UK · Feb 15, 2024
Azhar Ali case demonstrates difficulty of selecting suitable would-be MPs Pressure is mounting on Labour to overhaul its vetting to avoid damaging its relationships with communities The Guardian - UK · Feb 14, 2024
Starmer facing test of authority as ‘immediate’ Gaza ceasefire vote looms Labour leader already under fire over handling of two candidates who made derogatory remarks about Israel The Guardian - UK · Feb 14, 2024
Labour’s difficulties on Israel, Gaza and antisemitism Letters: Readers respond to the crisis engulfing the party over remarks made by parliamentary candidates in Rochdale and Hyndburn The Guardian - UK · Feb 14, 2024
OPINION - The speed with which Keir Starmer has transformed Labour is both his greatest success and clearest weakness The Ship of Theseus paradox is perhaps best demonstrated by the 2000s pop band, Sugababes (see: hit, after hit, after hit). The three original members, Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy each eventually left the group to be replaced in turn by a new singer, until none of the… Evening Standard · Feb 14, 2024
SNP vote on Gaza ceasefire threatens to rip open divisions among Labour MPs SNP plan to push another Gaza ceasefire motion after they failed to get one passed in November Evening Standard · Feb 14, 2024
The Guardian - UK · Feb 14, 2024 Labour’s cynical handling of the Azhar Ali affair will come back to haunt it in government The Rochdale fiasco offers profound lessons about the leadership’s way of doing business – and its use of factionalism, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones
Evening Standard · Feb 14, 2024 Who is Graham Jones and what did he say? Second Labour MP suspended over Israel comments The Labour Party has suspended a second parliamentary candidate in the same week for comments about Israel
Evening Standard · Feb 14, 2024 Report any antisemitism you hear, Labour members told as hate speech row deepens Calls for others to be suspended if they failed to intervene at meeting where two parliamentary candidates abused Israel
International Business Times · Feb 14, 2024 UK's Labour Vows Action As Anti-Semitism Scandal Reemerges Britain's main Labour opposition vowed Wednesday to act decisively over allegations of anti-Semitism, after suspending a second prospective MP over "unacceptable comments" about Israel.
The Guardian - UK · Feb 14, 2024 Starmer urged to suspend councillors at meeting that heard Israel comments Labour leader under pressure over claims Rochdale candidate Azhar Ali’s remarks went unchallenged at event
The Guardian - UK · Feb 14, 2024 Wednesday briefing: How the Rochdale furore exposed claims of factionalism in Labour’s handling of antisemitism In today’s newsletter: The party has disowned candidate Azhar Ali following his remarks about Israel and Gaza, with accusations of hypocrisy over antisemitism levelled at Starmer’s door
The Guardian - UK · Feb 13, 2024 The grassroots Labour meeting at centre of party turmoil Gathering of councillors in north-west England has resulted in suspensions of candidates Azhar Ali and Graham Jones
The Guardian - UK · Feb 13, 2024 The Guardian view on Labour’s Rochdale mess: factionalism is damaging the party Editorial: Sir Keir Starmer may think his electoral coalition is large enough to take a hit over his Gaza policy. But his colleagues do not
Evening Standard · Feb 13, 2024 Labour suspends second parliamentary candidate for anti-Israel comments For the second time in 24 hours the Labour Party has suspended a parliamentary candidate over allegations of making disparaging remarks about Israel
Evening Standard · Feb 13, 2024 Is this Sir Keir Starmer’s biggest crisis as Labour leader? ...The Standard podcast Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s judgement has come under fire over a delay in withdrawing his party’s support for its Rochdale by-election candidate, Azhar Ali, over remarks he made about Israel.
The Guardian - UK · Feb 13, 2024 Labour suspends second parliamentary candidate over Israel comments Withdrawal of backing for Graham Jones, candidate for Hyndburn, follows Starmer’s action against Azhar Ali in Rochdale