Imran Hussain, the Labour MP for Bradford East, has resigned from the shadow ministerial team due to a disagreement with Keir Starmer over Gaza. Hussain, who was shadow minister for the New Deal for Working People, expressed his desire to “strongly advocate for a ceasefire” in Gaza. However, Starmer has called for humanitarian pauses, but not a ceasefire at this time. In his resignation statement, Hussain said that while he remained committed to the Labour Party’s agenda, his position on Gaza differ “substantially” from Starmer.
Hussain stated that he wants to be a “strong advocate” for a ceasefire alongside the UN and multiple charities, calling it “essential to ending the bloodshed”, and believes that every country has the right to defend itself. He went on to say that it should “never become a right to deliberately violate international law on protecting civilians or to commit war crimes”. He also stated that “human rights are universal and that it is our duty to call out all those who violate international law”.
Hussain expressed that the situation in Gaza was “beyond that of a humanitarian catastrophe” and that a ceasefire would aid the passage of aid into the territory and the safe return of Israeli hostages. He was also “deeply troubled” by an LBC interview where Starmer defended Israel’s actions in Gaza. He believed that the party “needs to go further and call for a ceasefire”.
According to BBC News, some senior Labour figures, including London mayor Sadiq Khan, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, and Scottish leader Anas Sarwar, as well as more than 60 MPs and 250 councillors, have backed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. But in a speech last week, Starmer argued that supporting a ceasefire would not be the “correct position” at present as it would leave Hamas’s infrastructure intact, allowing them to carry out future attacks
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