The Labour Members of Parliament opposed Starmer’s stance, which advocates for a “credible, diplomatic, and political approach” to achieve a peaceful two-state resolution between Israel and Palestine. The SNP proposal, however, demanded an instant ceasefire.
The uprising indicates that the disagreements about perspectives on the Israel-Hamas conflict could cause significant rifts within the Labour party. This issue will likely be a source of difficult inquiries for Starmer as the nation prepares for a general election within the next year.
The most notable individual to step down from the leading position was Phillips, who declared in a statement of resignation: “In this instance, I must align my vote with the wishes of my constituents, my logical reasoning, and my emotions … I cannot see any path where the current military intervention achieves anything other than jeopardizing the prospect of peace and stability for all in the region presently and in the future.”
The United Nations has urged for a halt in fighting after more than 11,000 individuals in Gaza have lost their lives since the start of Israel’s airstrikes. This came after Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7th, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 240 individuals being held captive.
Starmer expressed regret that some of his colleagues were unable to support the position during the vote. However, he wanted to make his stance clear and reaffirm his commitment to it.
Three members of the Labour frontbench stepped down right before the vote, following Starmer’s statement that those who voted in favor of the ceasefire amendment would be dismissed from their positions.
At the entrance of parliament, a significant protest in favor of a truce had individuals shouting “shame on you” at members of parliament who declined to heed the demand for an immediate halt to the conflict.
On Wednesday evening, the House of Commons voted against a motion for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Keir Starmer, the leader of Labour, encountered a significant rebellion over his decision to not support a ceasefire. A total of 56 Labour MPs and eight shadow frontbenchers went against Starmer’s stance.
Jess Phillips, a prominent member of Starmer’s team, was the first to resign in the midst of a potential division within Labour before the anticipated general election in the upcoming year.
Demonstrators advocating for a halt in the Israel-Hamas conflict were removed from the viewing area of the House of Representatives, while a sizable pro-Palestinian rally took place outside of parliament. Attendees could be heard shouting “shame on you” towards members of Parliament.
The number of deaths in Gaza due to Israeli bombing has exceeded 11,180, prompting the United Nations security council to pass a resolution urging a temporary ceasefire and increased assistance for delivering humanitarian aid to the war-torn region.
This concludes my updates for Wednesday’s UK politics live blog. Thank you for reading and I’ll catch you next time.
Labour MPs rejected Starmer’s position, which calls for a “credible, diplomatic and political process” to deliver a peaceful two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. The SNP motion instead called for an immediate ceasefire.
The uprising demonstrates how the disagreements regarding opinions on the Israel-Hamas conflict could divide the Labour Party – a contentious issue that Starmer will be challenged on as the country prepares for a general election within the next year.
The most prominent person to step down from their leadership position was Phillips, who stated in their resignation message: “In this situation, I must align my vote with the wishes of my constituents, my logical reasoning, and my emotions… I cannot see any path where the ongoing military intervention does anything other than jeopardize the prospect of peace and safety for all individuals in the area, both presently and in the long run.”
The United Nations has urged a halt to the violence, as the death toll in Gaza has reached 11,000 since Israel initiated its bombing campaign in response to the 7 October attacks by Hamas in Israel. These attacks resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 240 individuals being held captive.
Following the vote, Starmer expressed his regret that certain colleagues were unable to back the decision tonight. However, he also emphasized his stance and his commitment to it.
Three members of the Labour frontbench stepped down just before the vote, following Starmer’s statement that anyone supporting the ceasefire amendment would be dismissed.
At the same time, a significant protest in favor of a ceasefire took place outside of the parliament gates, with demonstrators shouting “shame on you” at the MPs who refused to call for an immediate end to the conflict.
Gaza.
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125 ayes, 294 noes.
It is anticipated that the Conservatives, holding the majority in the Commons, will secure a victory. However, information on which Labour members opposed Starmer will be disclosed shortly. It appears that more than 50 Labour MPs went against Starmer’s position.
The list of Members of Parliament who have voted will be released soon.
A resolution in the House of Commons demanding an urgent halt to the fighting in Gaza.
Recently, Afzal Khan has stepped down from his role as shadow minister for exports, Paula Barker has resigned from her position as shadow minister for devolution and the English regions, and Yasmin Qureshi has resigned as shadow minister for women and equalities.
“I acknowledge that you do not believe a ceasefire is the appropriate action at this time. Due to our disagreement on this matter, I do not feel capable of continuing as a shadow minister,” said Khan in a statement shared on X/Twitter.
They were at risk of losing their jobs from Labour leader Keir Starmer if they supported an SNP proposal during the king’s speech that advocated for a ceasefire, which goes against Labour’s stance.
“The level of violence in Gaza is unmatched. This evening, I will cast my vote in favor of an immediate ceasefire,” stated Qureshi. “We must demand an end to the massacre in order to safeguard innocent lives and put an end to human suffering.”
More to come.
While the voting is taking place, there is a protest outside of parliament by individuals demanding an immediate end to the conflict in Gaza.
The Stop the War Coalition shared several images on X/Twitter.
The individual perished in the House of Commons, not due to an explosion, but potentially due to limited availability of nourishment and medical care.
The health ministry in the besieged territory of northern Gaza has reported that all hospitals are currently unable to operate due to fuel shortages and ongoing combat. This statement was made on Monday by the ministry, which is run by Hamas.
I informed my fellow Members of Parliament in the House of Commons that we plan to vote in favor of an immediate ceasefire. It is anticipated that many other members of parliament will also support this decision.
Shah stated that, despite potential risks to our individual positions, we must do what is morally correct.
During the evening segment of the broadcast, Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary for Labour, appeared on the Andrew Marr show to defend Starmer’s decision not to support the amendment.
Reynolds stated that the vote is not optional and there is a shared accountability. She clarified that it is not necessarily about individuals being fired, but rather the potential of losing their positions. If a parliamentarian has decided they cannot support the collective decision, they would not be a part of the frontbench.
£140m already paid, Home Office officials “could not deny the fact that they are looking at paying Rwanda yet more money for this,” says LBC political editor Natasha Clark on the Andrew Marr show.
Clark asks, “How much additional compensation will we have to give them for a deal that may not result in any flights before the election?”
here.
Request a European Union-wide agreement for the return of asylum seekers who enter Britain.
Jem Bartholomew will be managing the blog for the next few hours. You can send tips and stories via email or X/Twitter.
The majority of respondents in a recent survey believe that Rwanda’s policy needs to be completely revised. 29% suggest that the government should consider another country as an alternative, while 14% have a different solution in mind. The remaining participants were unsure of what should be done.
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I am finished for the evening. My coworker Jem Bartholomew will now be taking the lead.
What did Rishi Sunak have to say?
According to Adam Payne of Politics Home, similar reports have been received.
The House of Commons is currently led by a more confident and outspoken individual, the newly appointed home secretary James Cleverly. Conservative Members of Parliament who are observing this may be impressed by his performance.
However, Sunak’s success can be attributed, in part, to his clever use of language. Throughout the day, many hardline MPs have been calling for “emergency legislation”, with the intention of allowing the UK to disregard the European Court of Human Rights. (For example, Suella Braverman at 4:27pm.)
Sunak plans to provide them with “emergency legislation,” but it does not align with the strict “notwithstanding” approach favored by Braverman and other prominent Brexit supporters. Instead, it simply declares Rwanda as a safe country. This aligns with Boris Johnson’s request (as seen at 4:07pm), who suggests that secondary legislation under schedule 3 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 is sufficient.
Sunak should have recognized by now that relying on a Johnson strategy to solve a complex issue typically leads to disappointment, which may also be the result of this plan. Can we really trust that the courts will accept Rwanda as a safe country just because parliament says so?
Sunak confidently stated that he would prevent a foreign court from halting these flights. However, his statement was not entirely clear and in his final response (see 5:10 PM), he suggested that the newly implemented treaty and “emergency legislation” would eliminate the need for withdrawing from the ECHR. It is doubtful that Braverman will concur with this.
Sunak made a commitment that flights to Rwanda will commence in the upcoming season. However, due to potential legal challenges, it may prove difficult to successfully deport individuals under the newly established treaty. As a result, it is unlikely that any flights will be able to take off before the end of May. The possibility of a significant number of deportations occurring by that time appears highly unlikely. This could pose a risk for Sunak as he has generated expectations that may be difficult to fulfill.
Is the European Court of Human Rights preventing flights to Rwanda?
Sunak claims that he has already achieved advancements regarding rule 39 orders, which are temporary injunctions granted by the European Court of Human Rights. One such order was utilized to prevent the only scheduled flight to Rwanda.
According to him, the UK has been in discussions with the court regarding this matter. On Monday, it put forth suggestions for restructuring these proposals.
The individual states that the appointed judges will be identified (currently they are not), nations will have the opportunity to express their opposition to the injunctions, and the court will only utilize them in rare situations.
He expresses certainty that, once the agreement is established and his proposed legislation is enacted, the UK will fulfill its duties under the European Convention on Human Rights.
He will not permit a foreign court to restrict flights to Rwanda once the parliament has legally declared it a secure nation.
The press conference has come to a close.
Source: theguardian.com
