Starmer urged to back Gaza ceasefire as Sadiq Khan becomes most senior Labour figure to join rebellion

Keir Starmer is under intensifying pressure over his stance on the Israel-Hamas war after Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan and the party’s leader in Scotland both broke ranks to call for a ceasefire.

Mr Khan and Anas Sarwar are the most senior Labour figures to rebel against their leader’s position on Gaza.

But some 49 Labour MPs – almost a quarter of the 199 Labour members in parliament – have now defied the leader’s position and publicly called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The party’s MPs have also been offered security advice, as they come under pressure from their constituents over Sir Keir’s comments on the conflict.

Joining the rebels in a statement on Twitter / X, Mr Khan said: “Thousands of innocent civilians have already been killed in Israel and Gaza. With the humanitarian crisis set to deteriorate even further, I’m calling for a ceasefire.”

Labour’s London mayor said a ceasefire would “stop the killing” and “allow vital aid supplies to reach those who need it in Gaza” in a video message.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has also called for a ceasefire in a video on social media, saying: “We are all so desperate for peace and are desperate to see the end of violence…

“The immediate cessation of violence, with an end of rocket fire into and out of Gaza. And let me be clear, that means a ceasefire right now.”

Sir Keir has joined Rishi Sunak in backing “humanitarian pauses” to deliver aid to Gaza as it faces airstrikes from Israel ahead of a ground invasion, but has not backed a longer-lasting ceasefire.

The Labour leader is still trying to ease anger within the party about appearing to back the cutting of power and water in Gaza in an LBC interview a few days after the Hamas terror attack.It is understood the mayor spoke to Sir Keir before he made the ceasefire call.

Labour frontbencher Steve Reed defended Sir Keir’s position on Friday – insisting that doing the “right” thing was the priority rather than worrying about votes.

Asked if the row could have an impact at the ballot box, the shadow environment secretary told LBC: “I think (it) won’t because and the reason I think that is in politics, you should do the right thing, not the electorally expedient thing.”

But senior Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan, the former shadow minister for mental health, put further pressure on Sir Keir to demand a ceasefire.

“Of course Israel has the right to defend itself … But what we are seeing in retaliation is collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.Mr Khan is thought to have spoken to Sir Keir before releasing his video. Mr Anas has also talked to the Labour leader a number of times this week.

In an apparently conciliatory response, a Labour Party spokesperson said: “Of course, we understand why people want to call for a ceasefire. The Palestinian people are not Hamas, and they are suffering terribly. That’s why we support humanitarian pauses so that aid, fuel, water electricity and medicines can urgently get to those who need it.

“We also have to recognise Israel was subject to a vile terrorist attack. Israel has a right and a duty to defend itself, rescue the hostages and stop Hamas from being able to carry out that sort of terrorist attack ever again.

“Hamas are currently firing rockets into Israel and have built the infrastructure, including tunnels, from which to carry out further attacks, so that military operation is ongoing. That must be done within international law and aid must get in quickly, safely, and regularly to halt a humanitarian disaster.”

The row intensified as Labour chief whip Alan Campbell wrote to the party’s MPs to offer security advice, acknowledging that they “may have heightened security concerns”.

Mr Campbell said Labour MPs should take special care if attending any “protests and demonstrations” about the Gaza conflict.

Xural.com