Labour calls for 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire' in Gaza ahead of key vote
Labour has called for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza for the first time ahead of a crunch Commons vote.
Keir Starmer gathered his Shadow Cabinet today to agree the party's shift in stance and demanded both Israel and Hamas "lay down their arms". The top team discussed an SNP-led motion - set to be put to a vote on Wednesday - urging for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Middle East conflict.
Instead, Labour has put forward its own amendment "mirroring the language" used by the leaders of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand as the party seeks to avoid another damaging rebellion.
A Labour Party spokeswoman said: “Our amendment calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, in line with our allies. We need the hostages released and returned. We need the fighting to stop now. We need a massive humanitarian aid programme for Gaza. And any military action in Rafah cannot go ahead.
They added: “There needs to be an end to violence on all sides. Israelis have the right to the security that the horror of October 7th cannot happen again. We want the fighting to stop now. We also have to be clear on how we prevent the violence starting up again. There will be no lasting peace without a diplomatic process that delivers a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state.”
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Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the BBC's World at One that the situation in Gaza was "intolerable". Over 28,000 Palestianians have so far been killed with Israel also threatening to expand its military offensive to the southern city of Rafah in the coming weeks.
Labour, which has warned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over the move, is seeking to avoid a repeat of last year's damaging rebellion which led to the resignations of eight shadow ministers and 56 Labour MPs defying the whip. In November when the vote was held, the party was pushing for "humanitarian pauses" rather than a ceasefire. In recent weeks Labour has shifted its stance to call for an end to the fighting and a "sustainable ceasefire" - but had stopped short of demanding an "immediate" ceasefire.
It came as dozens of aid charities urged all MPs to back the SNP motion demanding an immediate ceasefire. They said the conflict has resulted in "unfathomable death and destruction". The 54 organisations, including some with teams operating in the war zone, warned the delivery of vital aid "is not possible under bombardment".
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who put forward the motion calling for an "immediate ceasefire" has written to all MPs urging them to back it. He said: "I'm sure you will agree, this is a defining vote for any MP. I am therefore urging each and every one of you to vote with your conscience for an immediate ceasefire. I hope Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will find the courage to change their position and do the only right thing but, if they won't, it falls to us, MPs of all parties, to show we demand a ceasefire now."
Jess Phillips, who quit Labour's frontbench last year to vote for a ceasefire, earlier said: "This isn't an issue of contention between the SNP and the Labour Party. The Labour Party wants an immediate ceasefire, the SNP want an immediate ceasefire, why on Earth wouldn't we work together today to show unity in the face of horror and crisis, and then all vote for the same motion together?
"Hope springs eternal that that will happen, and by hope I mean I doubt there's any chance, but that's what I would be seeking to do." She added: "It would be good if the Labour Party and the SNP came out today with an agreed set of words that we wished Parliament to be tested against, and not the MPs to be tested against, but Parliament, the British representatives and how we feel about this situation."
The full text of Labour's amendment
"That this House believes that an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences and therefore must not take place; notes the intolerable loss of Palestinian life, the majority being women and children; condemns the terrorism of Hamas who continue to hold hostages; supports Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s calls for Hamas to release and return all hostages and for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which means an immediate stop to the fighting and a ceasefire that lasts and is observed by all sides, noting that Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence and that Israelis have the right to the assurance that the horror of 7th October cannot happen again; therefore supports diplomatic mediation efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire; demands that rapid and unimpeded humanitarian relief is provided in Gaza; demands an end to settlement expansion and violence; urges Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures; calls for the UN Security Council to be meet urgently; and urges all international partners to work together to establish a diplomatic process to deliver the peace of a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state, including working with international partners to recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to rather than outcome of that process, because statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and not in the gift of any neighbour."
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