Sir Keir Starmer was warned he risks “plunging Labour into crisis” ahead of a crunch meeting with MPs to discuss the party’s position on Israel and Gaza amid a growing rift in the party on its stance.
The Labour leader sparked fury among left-wing and Muslim members of the Labour Party over his refusal to call for a ceasefire and comments suggesting Israel had the “right” to cut off water and electricity to millions in the Gaza strip.
As Sir Keir ducked the issues at prime minister’s questions, more than 150 Muslim Labour councillors signed a joint letter to Sir Keir and his deputy Angela Rayner urging an immediate ceasefire.
And Ms Rayner, Sir Keir met Muslim Labour MPs and peers after PMQs on Wednesday to address anger at his comments and the party’s stance on the crisis, which have sparked the resignation of a slew of councillors.
Oxford councillor Imogen Thomas – who quit the Labour Party last week in protest – told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday that there is “responsibility on a leader who could be the next prime minister to be entirely unambiguous on this”.
She said she did not believe Sir Keir was advocating for the breaking of international law, but accused him of “not talking about some of the atrocities we are seeing”.
Pressed on what she wanted Sir Keir to say, Ms Thomas called for him to stand “unequivocally” against what she described as Israeli war crimes and said the leadership “should be calling for a ceasefire”.
A spokesman for left-wing pressure group Momentum warned the Labour leader risked alienating voters unless the party called for a ceasefire.
They told The Independent: “With 89 per cent of Labour voters in favour of a ceasefire and just 3 per cent sharing the leadership’s opposition, it’s clear Labour is horribly out of touch with our own voters. If Keir Starmer refuses to budge, he risks alienating hundreds of thousands of Labour’s own supporters, plunging the party into crisis.”
A total of 81 MPs from across the House of Commons have signed a motion urging the British government to call for a ceasefire and allow access for medical supplies, food, fuel, electricity and water.
The 150 councillors, members of the Labour Muslim Network, wrote to Sir Keir and Ms Rayner urging Labour to call for an “immediate ceasefire” and an “end to the humanitarian disaster”.
And shadow women and equalities minister Yasmin Qureshi became the second member of Sir Keir’s top team to break ranks in calling for a ceasefire. After Afzal Khan called on the international community to support “de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire”, Ms Qureshi stood up in PMQs to condemn the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people in Gaza for crimes they did not commit”.
She asked Rishi Sunak: “How many more innocent Palestinians must die before this Prime Minister calls for humanitarian ceasefire?”
It comes weeks after terror group Hamas launched surprise attacks on Israel, killing 1,400 people. In response, Israel has launched a total siege of Gaza, cutting off fuel supplies to the city, with a third of its hospitals closed and more set to shut within hours.
Labour frontbencher Darren Jones insisted Tuesday’s meeting with MPs was “routine”.
The shadow chief secretary to the Treasury told Times Radio: “It is perfectly normal for MPs, we all represent different constituencies around the country, to want to speak to the leader of our party.
“I’m sure it is the same in other political parties where there are issues that constituents are raising with us. And the meeting this afternoon is another example of that.”
But the meeting comes after the South Wales Islamic Centre accused Sir Keir of having “gravely misrepresented” a meeting with Muslim leaders over the weekend.
The Labour leader had shared images of the meeting on Sunday, saying he repeated calls for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and for water and power to be restored.
He said he was “questioned by members” and “made clear it is not and has never been my view that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines. International law must be followed”.
But the centre apologised for the “hurt and confusion” caused by hosting Sir Keir.
“We wish to stress Keir Starmer’s social media post and images gravely misrepresented our congregants and the nature of the visit,” a statement said.
“There was a robust and frank conversation which reflected the sentiments Muslim communities are feeling at this time.
“Members of the community directly challenged Keir on his statements made on the Israeli Government’s right to cut food, electricity and water to Gaza, warranting war crimes as well as his failure to call for an immediate ceasefire.”
A veteran Labour MP told The Independent Sir Keir’s initial comments on the conflict were “not in any way acceptable”, but said he had not “recognised” the mistake.
He also called out an “imbalance of language”, criticising the Labour leader for “condemning” Hamas, while “expressing concern” about Israel’s response.
The MP said a majority of Labour MPs want Sir Keir to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, adding that there is “lots of talk” about it on the back benches.
“The sooner he calls for it, the better. You don’t want to wait for thousands more people to be killed,” he added.
And the MP said it will take time to repair relations with some Muslim voters who have been disappointed by Sir Keir’s response.
Another Labour MP, who served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, said Sir Keir’s comments had to be considered against the context of past criticism of the party’s record on anti-Semitism.
“In the days that have followed Keir Starmer has been absolutely clear that innocent Palestinian civilians are protected as much as is possible from the consequences of the actions of Hamas,” the MP said.
And they said there is not “any great angst” against Sir Keir over his comments.
The MPs who have backed calls for a ceasefire include 37 Labour MPs and former party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Keir has denied he ever backed Israel withholding humanitarian aid from Gaza.
Asked on LBC on October 11 if cutting off power and water was an appropriate response, Sir Keir replied: “I think that Israel does have that right. It is an ongoing situation.
“Obviously everything should be done within international law, but I don’t want to step away from the core principles that Israel has a right to defend herself and Hamas bears responsibility for the terrorist acts.”
But he later rowed back the remarks amid concerns within the party that it has angered voters, particularly those in Muslim communities.
On October 2, he told broadcasters: “I know that LBC clip has been widely shared and caused real concern and distress in some Muslim communities, so let me be clear about what I was saying and what I wasn’t saying.
“I was saying that Israel has the right to self-defence, and when I said that right I meant it was that right to self-defence.
“I was not saying that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines.”
