Labour Leader Refuses Demands for Ceasefire
Sir Keir Starmer is facing criticism from scores of Muslim Labour MPs and councillors over his stance on Israel. The Labour leader has refused their demands for a ceasefire but has called for humanitarian pauses to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip.
Shadow Cabinet Ministers Considering Resignation
Two Shadow Cabinet ministers are reportedly considering quitting after Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls to cave in to Hamas and urge Israel to end its bombardment. The Labour leader has been dealing with a growing party crisis since he made controversial comments about Israel's right to cut off water and electricity supplies to Gaza.
Meeting with Angry Backbenchers
Sir Keir Starmer has met with angry backbenchers in response to pressure from over 150 councillors to take a tougher line on Israel. While the meeting was described as generally civilised, some MPs feel that the Labour leader has not yet fully committed to supporting a ceasefire.
Supporting UN Measures for Aid
Instead of calling for a ceasefire, Sir Keir Starmer has backed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's new stance to support UN measures that would allow more aid to be delivered to Gaza. He stated that the current amount of aid and essential utilities getting into Gaza is insufficient to meet the humanitarian emergency on the ground.
Protest Resignations and Community Tensions
A handful of Muslim councillors have already resigned in protest at Labour's position on the war. In an effort to ease community tensions, Sir Keir Starmer visited a mosque in Wales, but leaders at the mosque criticized him for misrepresenting the nature of the visit in his tweets.
