Keir Starmer, leader of Britain’s Labour Party, speaks during the Prime Minister’s Questions, at the House of Commons in London, Britain November 15, 2023. UK Parliament/Maria Unger/Handout via REUTERS
Under the weight of significant internal dissent, Keir Starmer, the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, faced intensified scrutiny as 56 of his lawmakers, including key members of his policy team, aligned with another opposition party to advocate for a government-backed ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The proposed amendment, seeking a ceasefire in the ongoing violence, did not secure passage, thereby precluding its transformation into law. Nevertheless, the substantial support from Labour lawmakers underscored the palpable unease within the party regarding the Middle East crisis. Nearly a third of Labour’s parliamentary cohort, comprising 198 members, rallied behind the amendment presented by the Scottish National Party.
The amendment explicitly called for the government to collaborate with the international community in urgently urging all parties involved to agree to an immediate ceasefire. Starmer, mirroring the stance of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the United States, and the European Union, advocated for “humanitarian pauses” to facilitate aid delivery to Gaza, rejecting a ceasefire on the grounds that it could potentially enable Hamas to regroup following its October 7 attack.
In a notable act of defiance, eight members of Starmer’s ‘shadow’ ministerial team relinquished their roles to contravene the party’s official position. Jess Phillips, among the dissenters, articulated her decision to vote for a ceasefire in a letter to Starmer posted on X, asserting that she must align with her constituents, her conscience, and her rationale. She expressed skepticism about the current military action, contending that it jeopardizes the prospect of peace and security in the region.
This setback proved challenging for Starmer, who aspires to present a united and disciplined party poised for power ahead of the anticipated national election next year, where Labour appears to be in a favorable position according to opinion polls.
Addressing the dissent within his ranks, Starmer expressed regret that some colleagues couldn’t endorse the party’s position, reiterating his commitment to clarity on his stance.
Within the walls of the British Parliament, lawmakers have been urging Starmer and Sunak to call for a ceasefire to end Israel’s siege of Gaza, where over 11,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since the onset of the conflict a month ago.
Amidst the parliamentary proceedings, a sizable protest by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign unfolded outside Parliament, demanding lawmakers support a ceasefire. Starmer had proposed a competing amendment, elevating the party’s stance to assert that humanitarian pauses “must be longer to deliver humanitarian assistance” — a necessary step toward an enduring cessation of fighting. However, this alternative garnered support from 183 lawmakers, while 290 voted against it.
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