Keir Starmer must resign over Gaza stance, say two Labour council chiefs

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The leaders of two Labour councils have demanded that Keir Starmer resign as the party's leader due to his unwillingness to support a cessation of hostilities in Gaza.

The heads of Burnley Council and Pendle Borough Council, Afrasiab Anwar and Asjad Mahmood respectively, have expressed their desire for resignation on behalf of fellow council members who are deeply angered by recent events.

Sir Keir is facing increasing pressure from MPs, mayors, devolved leaders, councillors, and members to alter his position. He is scheduled to deliver a speech in County Durham on Friday.

According to Mr. Anwar, Mr. Starmer has failed to defend the values of the Labour Party after the terrorist attack by Hamas and the bombardment of Gaza by Israel.

The leader of Burnley Council said: "We cannot simply agree with Rishi Sunak without considering the needs of our community and the people we serve."

According to Mr. Mahmood, Sir Keir did not pay heed to the Labour's request to endorse a ceasefire in Gaza. This would have helped to avoid the loss of innocent lives.

He stated: "We urge him to reflect on his position and step down, opening the way for an individual to guide our political party with empathy and the willingness to condemn the unjust and random slaughter of innocent people."

There are currently sixteen members of Sir Keir's front bench who have expressed their desire for a ceasefire. They have done so either by making public statements or by sharing the views of others who are calling for a ceasefire on various social media platforms. Some of the front benchers who have done so include Yasmin Qureshi, Jess Phillips, and Imran Hussain.

On Thursday, Ms Phillips expressed her opinion that the military measures taken by Israel against Hamas would only result in "fatality and ruin". She urged the need for finding "peaceful political resolutions" through discussions.

Anas Sarwar, a member of the Scottish Labour party, expressed that he found the actions of Starmer to be painful and upsetting.

During a meeting of MSPs and the Labour Muslim Network, it was revealed that Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar criticized Sir Keir's initial response to Israel's bombardment for being lacking in "empathy" and "humanity," as per a leaked account.

According to the Daily Record, Mr. Sarwar expressed his disagreement with Sir Keir's position regarding a ceasefire and suggested that effort should be made to attract Muslim voters every day until the next general election. He also mentioned that this would require a lot of work to be done.

Peter Mandelson, the strategist behind the New Labour movement, expressed his disbelief at the proposal made by high-ranking members of the Labour party to support a ceasefire. He firmly stated that defeating ruthless killers is our priority and that the idea of stopping our efforts is absurd.

Sir Keir is still refusing to agree to a temporary break in the fighting in Gaza, stating that it could give the terrorist organization Hamas more confidence and power.

Sobia Malik, a council representative of Lancashire County, has become the most recent person to declare her departure from the Labour Party amidst the dispute. She stated that her reason for quitting was due to Sir Keir's incapability to exhibit understanding or concern, and also his inability to censure war crimes. For this reason, she found it unfeasible to remain a member.

At this time, a politician who holds left-wing political views has been suspended from the Labour party due to comments made at a gathering advocating for Palestine that were deemed to be very insulting, according to the party. The suspended individual is now considering taking legal action against a Conservative MP.

Andy McDonald, who represents Middlesbrough in Parliament, has claimed that Chris Clarkson, a Conservative MP, made unfounded and damaging allegations against him. Clarkson accused McDonald of attempting to rationalize Hamas' assault on Israel, something McDonald vehemently denies.

Later on, Sir Keir is aiming to redirect focus onto the Tories by delivering a speech to businesses at the North East Chamber of Commerce.

It is anticipated that he will express the necessity of granting the adequate circumstances for the triumph of businesses, communities, and individuals within this country...The Conservative Party will not be able to accomplish this feat. Rishi Sunak lacks the necessary fortitude to oppose those who impede progress within his own party.

On Thursday, the Bank of England revised its prediction for the economic growth to be zero until 2025. This raises doubts about the Prime Minister's commitment to increase the economy's growth by the end of this year.

Sunak has indicated that the forthcoming King's Speech will emphasize actions to expand the economy, reinforce societal bonds, and uphold public safety, as the overarching objectives of the speech are likely to shape the outlook of the upcoming general election.