Impacts of the Israel–Hamas war
British politics
### British politics

[thumb\|210px\|Pro\-Palestinian protester criticising Labour leader [Keir Starmer](/wiki/Keir_Starmer "Keir Starmer"), 28 October 2023](/wiki/File:Starmer_Embraces_War_Crimes_%2853335090705%29.jpg "Starmer Embraces War Crimes (53335090705).jpg")
As a result of the conflict, [British politics](/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_Kingdom "Politics of the United Kingdom") has been affected. Labour MP [Andy McDonald](/wiki/Andy_McDonald_%28politician%29 "Andy McDonald (politician)") had the whip suspended after he made a speech at a pro\-Palestinian rally. He later sued Conservative MP [Chris Clarkson](/wiki/Chris_Clarkson_%28politician%29 "Chris Clarkson (politician)") over his response to his comments.
[thumb\|Pro\-Palestinian rally in London, 28 October](/wiki/File:View_of_pro-Palestine_protest_in_London%2C_28_October.jpg "View of pro-Palestine protest in London, 28 October.jpg")
In October 2023, Conservative MP [Paul Bristow](/wiki/Paul_Bristow "Paul Bristow") wrote a letter urging Prime Minister [Rishi Sunak](/wiki/Rishi_Sunak "Rishi Sunak") to support a "permanent ceasefire" in the [Israel–Hamas war](/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_war "Israel–Hamas war") for humanitarian reasons. In further comments on his [Facebook](/wiki/Facebook "Facebook") page, he said Palestinians "should not suffer collective punishment for the crimes of [Hamas](/wiki/Hamas "Hamas")." Bristow co\-chairs the [all\-party parliamentary group](/wiki/All-party_parliamentary_group "All-party parliamentary group") on British Muslims. He was fired as [Parliamentary Private Secretary](/wiki/Parliamentary_Private_Secretary "Parliamentary Private Secretary") at the [Department for Science, Innovation and Technology](/wiki/Department_for_Science%2C_Innovation_and_Technology "Department for Science, Innovation and Technology") for his comments as they diverged from the government's position and "not consistent with the principles of [collective responsibility](/wiki/Collective_responsibility "Collective responsibility")". Bristow was the first Conservative MP to diverge.

Dozens of [Labour Party](/wiki/Labour_Party_%28UK%29 "Labour Party (UK)") councillors resigned due to [Leader of the Labour Party](/wiki/Leader_of_the_Labour_Party_%28UK%29 "Leader of the Labour Party (UK)") [Keir Starmer](/wiki/Keir_Starmer "Keir Starmer")'s decision not to push for a ceasefire in the [Israel–Hamas war](/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_war "Israel–Hamas war"). [Oxford City Council](/wiki/Oxford_City_Council "Oxford City Council") became under [no overall control](/wiki/No_overall_control "No overall control"). By 25 October, 31 councillors had resigned from the party. All eighteen Labour members of [Slough Borough Council](/wiki/Slough_Borough_Council "Slough Borough Council") publicly defied Starmer calling for a ceasefire.

The relatives of [First Minister of Scotland](/wiki/First_Minister_of_Scotland "First Minister of Scotland") [Humza Yousaf](/wiki/Humza_Yousaf "Humza Yousaf") and [Liberal Democrat](/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_%28UK%29 "Liberal Democrats (UK)") MP [Layla Moran](/wiki/Layla_Moran "Layla Moran") were stranded in the [Gaza Strip](/wiki/Gaza_Strip "Gaza Strip").

On 8 November 2023, [Imran Hussain](/wiki/Imran_Hussain_%28British_politician%29 "Imran Hussain (British politician)") resigned as Shadow Minister because of Keir Starmer's refusal to call for a ceasefire. Hussain said he wanted to be a "strong advocate for the humanitarian ceasefire", but could not do that as a frontbencher "given its current position".

On 15 November 2023, Keir Starmer suffered his largest defeat as leader when 56 of his MPs defied a three\-line whip to vote for a SNP motion to support a ceasefire in Gaza. This included ten frontbenchers; [Jess Phillips](/wiki/Jess_Phillips "Jess Phillips"), [Naz Shah](/wiki/Naz_Shah "Naz Shah"), [Afzal Khan](/wiki/Afzal_Khan_%28British_politician%29 "Afzal Khan (British politician)"), [Yasmin Qureshi](/wiki/Yasmin_Qureshi "Yasmin Qureshi"), [Sarah Owen](/wiki/Sarah_Owen "Sarah Owen"), [Rachel Hopkins](/wiki/Rachel_Hopkins "Rachel Hopkins"), [Andy Slaughter](/wiki/Andy_Slaughter "Andy Slaughter"), [Paula Barker](/wiki/Paula_Barker "Paula Barker"), [Mary Foy](/wiki/Mary_Foy_%28politician%29 "Mary Foy (politician)") and [Dan Carden](/wiki/Dan_Carden "Dan Carden").

A group of humanitarian organizations, including [Christian Aid](/wiki/Christian_Aid "Christian Aid"), [Global Justice Now](/wiki/Global_Justice_Now "Global Justice Now"), [Oxfam](/wiki/Oxfam "Oxfam"), and [War on Want](/wiki/War_on_Want "War on Want"), stated the UK government was complicit in the "slaughter of innocent civilians taking place every day in Gaza" until it ceased sending weapons to Israel.

In February 2024, four Labour councillors were suspended amid a Green Party motion on the [Gaza War](/wiki/Gaza_War_%282023-present%29 "Gaza War (2023-present)") which called on leader of [Lambeth London Borough Council](/wiki/Lambeth_London_Borough_Council "Lambeth London Borough Council") Claire Holland to write to the [Prime Minister](/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom "Prime Minister of the United Kingdom") and [leader of the opposition](/wiki/Leader_of_the_Opposition_%28United_Kingdom%29 "Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)") to call for "an immediate, negotiated ceasefire by all parties". Three of the councillors, Martin Abrams, Deepak Sardiwal and Sonia Winifred voted for the motion, while a fourth, Sarina da Silva, abstained. It was reported that Abrams, a Jewish councillor for [Streatham St Leonard's](/wiki/Streatham_St_Leonard%27s_%28ward%29 "Streatham St Leonard's (ward)") ward, was given an indefinite suspension. Sonia Winifred later resigned as councillor for [Knight's Hill ward](/wiki/Knight%27s_Hill_%28ward%29 "Knight's Hill (ward)"). In a speech, PM [Rishi Sunak](/wiki/Rishi_Sunak "Rishi Sunak") threatened foreign students with deportation if they engaged in protest, with MP [Caroline Lucas](/wiki/Caroline_Lucas "Caroline Lucas") stating that Sunak's government, "threatening to take visas off protesters and stirring up anti\-Muslim hate", was the "real extremist". MP [Richard Burgon](/wiki/Richard_Burgon "Richard Burgon") stated Sunak's speech was "desperate", that his government had lost the argument over Gaza, and that "the huge peaceful protests over Gaza are not a threat to our democracy".

In the March [2024 Rochdale by\-election](/wiki/2024_Rochdale_by-election "2024 Rochdale by-election") [George Galloway](/wiki/George_Galloway "George Galloway") was elected after the campaign dominated by the [Israel–Hamas war](/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_war "Israel–Hamas war"). In his election speech, Galloway said "[Keir Starmer](/wiki/Keir_Starmer "Keir Starmer"), this is for Gaza. You will pay a high price for the role that you have played in enabling, encouraging and covering for the catastrophe presently going on in occupied Gaza, in the Gaza Strip". The Labour candidate Azhar Ali had been dis\-endorsed for comments he made, and later the former MP [Graham Jones](/wiki/Graham_Jones_%28politician%29 "Graham Jones (politician)") was also disciplined. During the [2024 United Kingdom general election](/wiki/2024_United_Kingdom_general_election "2024 United Kingdom general election"), the Labour Party pledged to recognize the State of Palestine.

In the [2024 United Kingdom general election](/wiki/2024_United_Kingdom_general_election "2024 United Kingdom general election"), Four [independent candidates](/wiki/Independent_candidates "Independent candidates") ([Ayoub Khan](/wiki/Ayoub_Khan "Ayoub Khan"), [Adnan Hussain](/wiki/Adnan_Hussain "Adnan Hussain"), [Iqbal Mohamed](/wiki/Iqbal_Mohamed "Iqbal Mohamed"), [Shockat Adam](/wiki/Shockat_Adam "Shockat Adam")) outright defeated Labour candidates as well as one ([Claudia Webbe](/wiki/Claudia_Webbe "Claudia Webbe")) acting as a spoiler to defeat one in areas with large [Muslim](/wiki/Muslims "Muslims") populations; the results were suggested to be a push\-back against Labour's stance on the [Israel–Hamas war](/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_war "Israel–Hamas war") and [Gaza humanitarian crisis](/wiki/Gaza_humanitarian_crisis_%282023%E2%80%93present%29 "Gaza humanitarian crisis (2023–present)").

Local authorities that have passed ceasefire motions include [Shetland Islands Council](/wiki/Shetland_Islands_Council "Shetland Islands Council"), [Scottish Borders Council](/wiki/Scottish_Borders_Council "Scottish Borders Council"), [Bradford Borough Council](/wiki/Bradford_Borough_Council "Bradford Borough Council"), [Oxford City Council](/wiki/Oxford_City_Council "Oxford City Council"), [Sheffield City Council](/wiki/Sheffield_City_Council "Sheffield City Council"), [Somerset Council](/wiki/Somerset_Council "Somerset Council"), [Burnley Borough Council](/wiki/Burnley_Borough_Council "Burnley Borough Council") and [Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council](/wiki/Calderdale_Metropolitan_Borough_Council "Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council").


Can you explain why Claudia Webbe's campaign may have been a spoiler for Labour in some areas?