Starmer states that the main priority is delivering assistance to Gaza, despite divisions within the Labour party regarding the ceasefire.
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Prominent Member of Parliament Jess Phillips was one of 10 top-ranking officials to resign or be dismissed from their positions as Keir Starmer encountered a significant uprising over his decision not to support a ceasefire in Gaza.
On Wednesday evening, Yasmin Qureshi, Afzal Khan, and Paula Barker stepped down to support an SNP proposal in the King’s Speech that supports a ceasefire.
In a vote, 293 MPs opposed the SNP’s proposed amendment to the King’s Speech, which urged all parties to immediately cease hostilities in Gaza. The majority of 168 voted against the amendment. 56 Labour MPs supported the amendment.
Israel has announced that its military has entered Gaza’s largest hospital, Al Shifa, as part of their ground attack on Hamas.
The Israeli army reported that they had eliminated multiple militants at the beginning of the attack and stated that they had encountered “explosive devices and terrorist groups”.
The hospital complex was surrounded by Israeli forces in recent days, but it continued to function with numerous patients and medical staff inside. Sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard from within the complex.
The country of Israel has made accusations that Hamas is using hospitals to shield their fighters, claiming that Hamas has established their primary headquarters within and beneath Al Shifa hospital. However, both Hamas and hospital employees deny these claims made by Israel.
McDonnell urges Starmer to take note of rebellion and learn from it.
According to Labour MP John McDonnell, the ceasefire vote would not necessarily have long-lasting consequences for Sir Keir Starmer, as long as he takes away important lessons from it.
According to Mr McDonnell, Members of Parliament should have had the freedom to vote as they wished, and he was confused about the reasoning behind Sir Keir’s stance.
He stated on ITV’s Peston programme that he is going against popular opinion and the beliefs within the Labour Party.
John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor (Beresford Hodge/PA)
In case you missed it: Israeli military troops conduct a targeted operation at Gaza’s main hospital.
The Israeli military has initiated a “focused” mission against Hamas within Gaza’s biggest hospital, while Palestinian health authorities reported that troops “invaded” the trapped facility in the early morning.
According to the report by Bel Trew and Chris Stevenson:
The complete report reveals that there is a setback for Starmer as some members of his team have stepped down due to his refusal to support a ceasefire in Gaza.
Ten members of Keir Starmer’s frontbench either resigned or were fired due to a large-scale rebellion against his position on a ceasefire in Gaza.
Jess Phillips and several other members of the Labour party dramatically resigned in order to back an immediate end to the conflict, dealing a significant blow to Sir Keir’s leadership.
Several opposition spokespersons, as well as a group of 56 members from the Labour party, went against their party leader’s stance and supported a motion for a halt in hostilities during a session of Parliament.
Full report:
Eight members of the Labour Party’s frontbench have defied their leadership by voting against a proposed policy or decision.
Eight shadow ministers in total cast their votes in favor of the SNP’s amendment that proposed a ceasefire in Gaza.
They were:
- Paula Barker
- Rachel Hopkins
- Afzal Khan
- Sarah Owen
- Jess Phillips
- Yasmin Qureshi
- Naz Shah
- Andy Slaughter
The amendment was also supported by Dan Carden and Mary Foy, who serve as shadow parliamentary private secretaries.
in 24 hours
Jess Philips is the fourth member of the frontbench to resign within a span of 24 hours.
Jess Philips has become the fourth member of the frontbench to resign due to the Labour party’s stance on Gaza.
The Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley who also serves as the shadow minister for domestic violence expressed that this had been one of the most challenging weeks in politics since she first joined parliament.
She expressed deep sadness as she announced her resignation from her role, stating, “I must prioritize the needs of my voters.”
Three resignations have been made from Starmer’s team following their decision to vote against a ceasefire in Gaza.
Three of Sir Keir Starmer’s top team members have stepped down, following a frontbench revolt against his decision to not support a ceasefire in Gaza.
Three opposition ministers – Yasmin Qureshi, Afzal Khan, and Paula Barker – resigned on Wednesday night, promising to support an SNP proposal in the King’s Speech that advocates for a ceasefire. This occurs as Naz Shah and Helen Hayes, members of the leadership team, are at risk of losing their positions for publicly indicating their intention to vote in favor of a competing amendment.
Members of Parliament cast their votes with 293 against and 125 in favor, resulting in a majority of 168, to dismiss the Scottish National Party’s proposed amendment to the King’s Speech. The amendment urged all political parties to come to a prompt ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Starmer ‘regrets’ that MPs voted for amendment
Keir Starmer expressed remorse over the fact that certain Labour MPs supported the SNP’s ceasefire amendment.
After the vote, the Labour leader released a statement stating that their actions were motivated by the necessity to address the tragic events occurring in both Israel and Gaza.
“I am disappointed that some colleagues did not feel able to stand behind the position tonight,” he stated.
I wanted to ensure my stance is understood now and in the future. Being a leader means making the right choices, and that is what the public deserves and expects from me.
He did not mention if those who supported the amendment would face job loss.
Three Labour shadow ministers have defied their leader, Sir Keir Starmer, by voting differently in the Commons on the issue of Gaza.
Third frontbencher quits
A third member of the Labour frontbench has stepped down.
Paula Barker, the opposition spokesperson for decentralization and the regions of England, stated that she will be voting in accordance with her personal beliefs for a cessation of hostilities.
Please see her complete statement provided below:
Another member of the Labour Party’s senior leadership team has stepped down.
A second member of the Labour Party’s top leadership group has resigned.
Another member of the Labour party’s frontbench has stepped down in order to support the SNP’s proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
According to Afzal Khan, the opposition spokesperson for exports, endorsing a truce is “the bare minimum we can offer.”
“I will be casting my vote today in favor of the proposal urging the UK Government to advocate for a #CeasefireNow in Gaza. With over 11,000 Gazans lost to violence, it is our duty to support a complete and urgent cessation of hostilities,” he stated on X.
“To have the freedom to do so, I have resigned from my position as Shadow Minister for Exports.”
Starmer dealt a blow as a frontbencher steps down due to his rejection of supporting a ceasefire in Gaza for Labour.
Yasmin Qureshi, the shadow women and equalities minister and MP for Bolton South, said: “The scale of bloodshed in Gaza is unprecedented. Tonight, I will vote for an immediate ceasefire.
We must demand an end to the violent killing in order to safeguard innocent lives and put an end to human suffering. Unfortunately, I have resigned from my position as shadow minister for women and equalities.
Full report:
Source: independent.co.uk
