Four Labour shadow ministers ‘on resignation watch’ over Starmer’s Gaza stance

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Keir Starmer is struggling to persuade his fellow Labour MPs that he has adopted an appropriate position regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas. It was reported last night that as many as four members of the shadow cabinet are ready to resign if they do not agree with his stance.

The head of the Labour party is encountering an increasing amount of unease within his party members, with many signing a formal request imploring the UK government to demand an instant halt to the fighting.

Sir Keir had no choice but to have urgent discussions with a group of Muslim Labour MPs in order to address their frustration regarding his approach to the crisis. This included his statement that seemed to support the termination of power and water supply to Gaza.

The Times reported that up to four frontbenchers, including Sarah Owen who serves as shadow minister for faith, and Rachel Hopkins who is the shadow Cabinet Office minister, are contemplating leaving their positions.

Yasmin Qureshi, who holds a prominent position in the Labour Party and works as a shadow minister for equalities, has gone against the leadership's directions by advocating for a halt to the ongoing conflict during Prime Minister's Questions. It is currently unclear whether she will face any consequences for her actions, as no official statement has been made by a spokesperson for the party.

Over 150 councillors from the Muslim Labour community expressed their support for a letter sent to Sir Keir, calling for an endorsement of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

The leader of the Labour party has expressed support for Mr. Sunak's proposal to have "humanitarian pauses" as a means of providing aid to Gaza, which is currently being bombarded by Israel in anticipation of a possible land invasion.

However, Sir Keir has not supported the idea of a ceasefire that will last for a long time. He is currently working on reducing the dissatisfaction within the party members regarding his comments during a LBC interview where he seemed to support the cutting off of power and water in Gaza after the Hamas terror attack on 7 October.

The remarks, which he has now retracted, resulted in the resignation of various Labour councillors and provoked the ire of MPs.

Keir Starmer pays a visit to the Islamic Centre mosque situated in South Wales.

Various individuals present at the Wednesday gathering – which included Sir Keir, his assistant Angela Rayner, and approximately 12 Muslim MPs, including shadow minister Afzal Khan – depicted the event as a positive experience in which complaints were expressed and discussed.

A Member of Parliament who attended the gathering stated that Sir Keir was attentive and willing to hear feedback. MPs were able to express their concerns and emotions during the meeting. The overall atmosphere was considered to be mostly respectful, yet also assertive.

All parties involved agreed that a ceasefire should be put into effect. However, the Member of Parliament (MP) expressed doubt that it will happen soon. According to the MP, they have yet to reach a decision as the situation is still developing and they need to gather more support. Even though the concept of a pause has been suggested, there is still a need to come to a consensus.

According to a long-time member of the Labour Party who has a lot of experience, Sir Keir's first statement on the conflict was unacceptable, but he hasn't completely understood the mistake he made. This statement was given to The Independent.

According to the MP, most Labour MPs are requesting Sir Keir to ask for a stop to the fighting in Gaza. He also mentioned that this topic is being widely discussed among the members who do not hold official positions. He believes that it would be beneficial if Sir Keir were to make the call sooner rather than later because we don't want any more people to die unnecessarily.

Members of Parliament (MPs) are referencing a survey conducted by YouGov on October 19th. The poll found that over 75% of people in Britain would support an instant stopping of hostilities.

The Islamic Centre in South Wales has accused Sir Keir of giving an incorrect representation of his discussions with Muslim leaders when he visited the mosque over the weekend.

The leader of the Labour Party caused annoyance when he uploaded pictures of the discussion on X, stating that he had conveyed that he never believed or supported the notion that Israel had the authority to withhold necessities such as water, food, fuel or medications.

On Wednesday, Sir Keir voiced his concern about the lack of aid and essential items reaching Gaza. He stated that the current amount is not enough and urged for an immediate increase in supplies to the area.

Khalid Mahmood, a member of the Labour Party attending the meeting, thought it went well. He mentioned on BBC Radio 4's PM programme that resigning from the party is not necessary, as they are united by a common goal. He added that if one resigns from the party, they lose their ability to voice their opinion, so he would not recommend that anyone take this step.

A group of 150 councillors wrote a letter expressing their concerns about the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. These councillors represented various regions including Barking and Dagenham, Birmingham, Bradford, Blackburn, Bolton, and Glasgow. They believe that no group should have to suffer as a result of the actions of a few individuals.

Sir Keir was interviewed on LBC on 10 October and was questioned about Israel potentially halting the supply of power and water to Gaza, where over two million Palestinians reside. In response, he stated that he believes Israel has the authority to take such action, citing the ongoing circumstances.

He waited until October 20th to make his position clear. He explained to reporters, "When I said Israel has the right to self-defense, I meant they have the right to defend themselves. I did not mean they have the right to deny their opponents access to basic necessities such as water, food, fuel, or medicine."