Labour MP quits over Keir Starmer refusal to call for ceasefire
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Bradford East MP Imran Hussain writes a letter to Starmer criticizing him for endorsing and supporting the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and pledges to keep calling for a ceasefire.
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Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer at the Palace of Westminster in London, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. (AP)
UK media outlets reported on Wednesday that Imran Hussain, the Shadow Minister for the New Deal for Working People, has resigned after having been “deeply troubled” by party leader Keir Starmer's refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Bradford East MP wrote a letter to Starmer criticizing him for endorsing and supporting the ongoing genocide, “The cutting of food, water, power, and medicine to Palestinians in Gaza is an act of collective punishment that violates international law... Like many others, I was therefore deeply troubled by the comments you made... You appeared to endorse such actions by the Israeli military.”
Hussain concluded that he would continue to urge for a ceasefire from the backbenches of parliament.
Read next: Keir Starmer asked by Labour members to resign over Gaza stance
This comes as a campaign of resignations takes place in light of Starmer's support for "Israel". For instance, Burnley Council leader Afrasiab Anwar resigned with 10 others, saying that “blindly following Rishi Sunak” was “not acceptable”.
He described his departure from the Labour Party as a "tough decision."
Anwar and a group of ten other councilors have issued a statement announcing their collective decision to depart from the party, citing their memberships as "unsustainable" due to the leadership's failure to call for a ceasefire in the Middle East.
'Starmer cheerleader of war crimes'
Pendle Borough Council leader Asjad Mahmood condemned Starmer because he had “failed to listen” to calls for a ceasefire to “stop the innocent loss of lives”, and asserted that he resign to “allow someone who has compassion to lead our party.”
Before officially declaring her departure from the Labour Party, Kensington and Chelsea Councilor Mona Ahmed said remarks from both the governing Conservatives and her party had been highly condemnable, as cited by Anadolu news agency.
When discussing Keir Starmer's reaction to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ahmed remarked, “Nobody will forget how Starmer chose to be a cheerleader of war crimes and collective punishment. He could have called for de-escalation, but instead he contributed to the chorus of voices which enabled the genocide we are now seeing. Arab and Muslim communities will not forget this.”
Despite government threats to shut down and rebuke pro-Palestine rallies, they have continued to call for a ceasefire by taking on the streets of London.
Read more: UK accused of separating British children from mothers in Gaza
No. 10’s spokesperson relayed that Sunak considers the upcoming rally in London on Armistice Day, which is on November 11, as “provocative and disrespectful” in light of the government's opposition.
Meanwhile, the UK government is expected to hold an emergency committee to consider the local impact of the war on Gaza, as the spokesperson stated that it intends to tackle issues around “community cohesion”.
UK officials are even proposing to broaden the definition of extremism to constitute anyone who “undermines” the UK's institutions and values - unsurprisingly amid pro-Palestine protests in London.
