Keir Starmer: considering his fondness for Israel and recent u-turn over the recognition of Palestine, how do you think he’ll respond to calls for MPs who support a pro-Palestine activist group to be expelled from Labour?

Keir Starmer is apparently under pressure to expel four Labour MPs who may have links to the group Palestine Action, that organises activities to shut down Israeli arms manufacturers like Elbit Ltd.

According to the Express, Starmer is facing these calls after six members of Palestine Action were arrested on suspicion of planning to “shut down” the UK stock exchange by locking themselves together, by the neck, at the front entrance to the building, preventing workers from getting inside.

That really doesn’t seem particularly extreme.

If Starmer gives in to the pressure, he will open himself up to criticism – and more – from his political opponents. For example:

And who are the threatened Labour MPs?

The Express mentions Ian Byrne, who spoke in 2021 at the same event as Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action; former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, who in the same year shared Palestine Action’s tweet in support of their activists on the roof of a factory in Leicester; and Kim Johnson, who also attended a protest alongside Ms Ammori.

This is a situation that warrants monitoring.