Grassroots anger simmers at Starmer stance

Labour leader in line with Biden and PM-despite anger within his party

- Rachael Burford

SIR Keir Starmer was today facing a simmering grassroots rebellion over his stance on the Israel-Gaza crisis amid warnings that more councillors could quit to support independent candidates at the general election.

The Labour leader may have defused, at least temporarily, a revolt among his shadow ministers over his position on the Middle East conflict. But local politicians said there was still “enormous anger” at the way he had handled the wake of the brutal October 7 terror attacks on Israel and its response. More than 1,400 people were killed in southern Israel by Hamas and some 240 people taken as hostages to Gaza.

Israel has unleashed a military onslaught on Gaza, aiming to destroy terror group Hamas, but more than 8,700 people in the largely-besieged strip have lost their lives, according to local health officials.

Sir Keir has backed a “humanitarian pause” to allow desperately-needed aid into Gaza, rather than a ceasefire as demanded by dozens of Labour MPs and hundreds of party councillors.

The Labour leader infuriated many members in an interview with LBC on October 11 when he said Israel had “the right” to cut power and water from Gaza when defending itself from Hamas. The words sparked a wave of anger with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar acknowledging that they had “hurt” Muslims and “peace-loving” people.