In a sharp rebellion against party leadership, over 20 senior Labour politicians, including Oxford City and Stroud District councillors, have tendered their resignations following Keir Starmer’s comments endorsing Israel’s right to self defence.
The fallout showcases a growing internal discord over the Labour Party’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, exacerbated by similar remarks from shadow cabinet members.
The resigning officials, many of whom announced their departures on X (formerly Twitter), have condemned what they see as Starmer’s failure to challenge the “collective punishment of Palestinians,” terming it a gross violation of international law.
However others have accused the rebels of sympathising with Hamas terrorists.
Among the notable resignations are Oxford City councillors Shaista Aziz and Amar Latif, alongside Jessie Hoskin from Stroud District.
They, along with others, have criticised both local and national Labour leadership for what they see as a passive stance against international law violations and have called for Israel to surrender to Hamas.
This internal crisis highlights the ongoing divisions inside the Labour Party on fundamental values.
