Starmer faces leadership test over Muslim criticism of his line on Hamas

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure and facing one of the defining crises of his leadership of Labour so far, with Muslim MPs, councillors and activists criticising his robust stance on the Middle East crisis.

This afternoon Starmer, along with his deputy Angela Rayner, met with a group of Muslim MPs who called for him to back a ceasefire and condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza. A Labour spokesperson called the meeting “constructive”.

Last night, a mosque that Starmer visited on Sunday voiced “dismay” in a statement at the way in which a tweet from the Labour leader “misrepresented the nature of the visit.”

Starmer tweeted: “I was grateful to hear from the Muslim community of the South Wales Islamic Centre. I repeated our calls for all hostages to be released, more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, for the water and power to be switched back on, and a renewed focus on the two-state solution.”

On the contrary, the SWIC said: “We affirm, unequivocally, the need for a free Palestine. We implore all those with political authority to uphold international law, and to end the occupation of Palestine.”

The row originated at Labour party conference. When he was asked in an LBC interview shortly after Hamas’s terror attack whether he supported Israel’s blockade of Gaza, Starmer said: “I think that Israel does have that right… It is an ongoing situation. Obviously, everything should be done within international law.” Starmer has since tried to soften that claim, saying: “It is not and has never been my view that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines. International law must be followed.”  

His position on the conflict has been almost identical to the government’s. Today, a Starmer spokesperson said he would back Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s desire for “specific pauses” to let aid in and hostages out rather than a ceasefire. Starmer’s aim to place himself firmly as a Prime Minister-in-waiting has meant he has tried to take a tough line. Can he hold that line? He is beginning to feel the pressure. 

Today, over 150 Labour councillors signed a letter from the Labour Muslim Network condemning Starmer and the party’s stance on Gaza. Twenty-three Labour councillors have resigned, eight of whom in Oxford where Labour has lost its majority on the council. 

At PMQs, shadow equalities minister Yasmin Qureshi strayed from the party line citing the “collective punishment” of Gazan civilians for “crimes they did not commit”. “How many more innocent Palestinians must die before this prime minister calls for humanitarian ceasefire?”, Qureshi asked.

Uneasy relations with British Muslims would represent an electoral headache for Starmer with the next general election approaching. In 2019, 80 per cent of Britain’s 3.3 million Muslims voted for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour. In comparison, only a fifth of 271,000 British Jews voted for Labour, a figure that has been consistent for the past three elections. 

Keir Starmer released a statement after today’s meeting emphasising the importance of aid to Gaza in a clear attempt to placate his critics. It reads: “It’s clear that the amount of aid and essential utilities getting into Gaza is completely insufficient to meet the humanitarian emergency on the ground.”

“That’s why we have repeatedly said that aid, fuel, water, electricity and medicines must be urgently ramped up both through what can come in through the Rafah crossing and through Israel turning back on the supplies it controls.”

“In the long term there can only be a political solution to this crisis which is why we need to restart the hard work of talks for a two-state solution of a viable Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel.”

If there is a pro-Gaza breakaway from Labour, it could cost Labour a few seats but also set up a damaging story that runs through the campaign.

The London mayoral election next year, on the 2 May, will also be worrying the Labour leadership. Incumbent mayor Sadiq Khan is not far ahead in the polls. A challenge from a pro-Gaza, anti-Israel party or individual candidate could split the Labour vote and give the Tories victory.

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