Keir Starmer is losing grip on his Israel problem

Keir Starmer is losing grip on his party’s position on Israel. So far, over 25 Labour councillors have quit over Starmer’s comments on the conflict following the attack by Hamas on 7 October. The Labour leader angered his party when he suggested in an interview with LBC that Israel ‘has the right’ to withhold power and water from Gaza. Starmer has since tried to clarify his comments by meeting with Muslim Labour MPs and calling for a ‘humanitarian pause’ in Gaza to get aid in. However, many in his party want him to go further and call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Nearly a quarter of Labour MPs have publicly called for a halt in fighting in Gaza, while 250 Muslim Labour councillors have urged him to do so. Sadiq Khan has become the most senior Labour politician to call for a ceasefire. In a statement on social media, the Mayor of London said:

‘Thousands of innocent civilians have already been killed in Israel and Gaza. With the humanitarian crisis set to deteriorate even further, I’m calling for a ceasefire.’

It’s not unusual for the Mayor of London to take a different position to Keir Starmer: just look at Khan’s position on Ulez (ultra low emission zones) or his support for free school meals. Both went against the Labour leadership. But Khan speaking out will put pressure on other Labour politicians, including senior MPs, to do the same.

As a case in point, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham have now both followed suit. In a statement on social media, Sarwar said: ‘There have been too many innocent lives lost in Israel and Palestine. We need a ceasefire now’ while Burnham signed a statement – alongside other Greater Manchester leaders – calling for the same.

It comes after Sarwar went further than Starmer this week in criticising Israel, declaring that Israel was ‘breaking international law’ in Gaza. Like Khan, Sarwar and Burnham have some independence from the Labour leadership. But given three senior Labour politicians have now gone public to call for a ceasefire, it will encourage Labour MPs -including frontbenchers – to pressure Starmer to do the same.

Of course the problem with Khan’s call for a ceasefire is that unless Hamas agrees to lay down its arms, a halt to the fighting could simply amount to Israel being asked not to defend itself. Starmer is also keen to stay in line with foreign allies when it comes to his party’s position on backing Israel. His call for a ‘humanitarian pause’ may have come following pressure from his own party, but it’s ultimately just the Labour leadership taking up the position adopted by both the US and UK government.

Labour MPs – and members of the shadow cabinet – are distressed about the backlash they have received so far. There is a growing concern that they are isolating Muslim voters – something that could come back to haunt them in some seats in a general election. The row also raises difficult questions for Starmer. He has long been praised for regaining control of his party by showing that he will discipline those who go off message on issues such as allegations of anti-semitism.

With some frontbenchers on resignation watch, Imran Hussain – the shadow minister for the future of work – has signed an early day motion calling for a ceasefire. Given this is not the Labour leader’s position, it raises questions over whether he will be disciplined.

On the latest episode of Coffee House Shots, former Blair aide John McTernan suggests the answer is yes. The latest interventions add to the pressure on the Labour leader. It also dashes the hopes of some around Starmer that the Labour leader can change the subject and focus on issues such as the cost of living. The internal debate on the party position on Israel and Gaza has some way to go. Starmer’s victory lap after two historic by-election wins last week has ended abruptly: with his authority being challenged by his own side.