Keir Starmer: his blind support for Israel has alienated Labour Party members across the UK. But will they be able to oust him from the party leadership?

Leaders of two Labour-run councils are demanding that Keir Starmer should resign as party leader because his response to the Israel/Gaza crisis is unacceptable.

Starmer infamously backed Israel’s decision to cut off Gaza’s food, water and electricity in response to an incursion into that country by members of Hamas. Hamas and Gaza are not the same, and Israel’s decisions are rightly regarded as war crimes.

When UK Muslims, including Labour Party members, abandoned Starmer’s party in response, he tried to say he was listening to their concerns, but has still refused to support a ceasefire.

Now councillors in Burnley and Pendle have called on their leaders to tell Starmer they have had enough and he should quit:

The statement (above) states: “The call on behalf of Labour councillors… follows hundreds of Labour councillors and MPs calling on the leader to put pressure on the government to call for a ceasefire to prevent any further loss of innocent lives in Gaza.

“Cllr Afrasiab Anwar said… ‘Sadly Keir Starmer has not stood up for Labour values hence why we are calling upon him to step down. Blindly following the position of Rishi Sunak is not acceptable to us and our residents who we represent.’

“Cllr Asjad Mahmood added… ‘He has failed to listen and we ask he consider his position and resign to allow someone to lead our party who has compassion and speaks out against injustice and indiscriminate killing of innocent human beings.'”

Starmer himself seems to be in denial. The BBC reports him responding as follows:

“My focus is on alleviating the awful suffering of all of those that are caught up in the situation that has developed over the last few weeks.

“Whatever the individual positions of members of my party, that is not my focus.”

Amazingly, it seems a leadership challenge may be on the cards!

Underwhelmingly, it seems to be coming from the right of the party:

The last thing the UK needs right now is a Labour Party that is turning even further to the political right; already Starmer has dragged it further right than Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives – and they are fascists in all but name (look up the 14 descriptors of fascism and you’ll see this).

But politics is unpredictable.

Hopefully more councils will follow the lead of Burnley and Pendle.

If so, who knows what may happen?