Israel-Hamas war: Ceasefire in Gaza risks more violence, Starmer expected to say in speech

Published

1 year ago

October 31, 2023

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A permanent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine could risk more violence in the region, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to say as he defends his position on the conflict.

The Labour leader will make a speech on Tuesday calling on global leaders to work towards restoring peace in the Middle East.

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But Sir Keir will defend Labour’s calls for a humanitarian pause, rather than a ceasefire, to allow Palestinians to flee the fighting and for aid to be distributed.

He is expected to say that a permanent ceasefire at this stage could leave Hamas with the capability to carry out further attacks in Israel.

Humanitarian pauses typically last for short periods of time with the aim of providing aid and support rather than achieving long-term political solutions, according to the United Nations.

Ceasefires are intended to be long-term and usually seek to allow parties to engage in talks, including the possibility of reaching a permanent political settlement.

Defending Sir Keir’s position ahead of the speech, shadow minister Chris Bryant told Sky News: “I don’t know what a ceasefire would look like… when Hamas’s declared aim is to get rid of the Israeli state and to kill Jews, purely and simply to kill Jews.

“I don’t know how you can have a negotiation with people who engaged in the horrific attacks on completely innocent civilians, as Hamas did.”

However, several senior Labour figures have diverged from the official party line by backing a full ceasefire, including mayors Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and shadow ministers Yasmin Qureshi, Jess Phillips, and Imran Hussain.

The party is not likely to sack its internal critics from frontbench roles, and will instead “continue engaging” with them, shadow science secretary Peter Kyle said on Sunday.

However Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald was suspended from the parliamentary party on Monday, after what a Labour spokesman said were “deeply offensive” remarks made at a speech during a pro-Palestinian rally.

Mr McDonald said: “We won’t rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis and Palestinians, between the river and the sea, can live in peaceful liberty.”

A slogan used by pro-Palestinian demonstrators, “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, has been described as antisemitic by critics, with Home Secretary Suella Braverman claiming that it is “widely understood” to call for the destruction of Israel.

But the senior Labour MP said his reference to it was part of a “heartfelt plea” for peace, while former shadow chancellor John McDonnell called the suspension “nonsensical”.

Sir Keir has previously provoked anger in the Labour party with his position on the conflict, after he appeared to suggest in an LBC interview that Israel had the the right to cut off the supply of power and water to Gaza.

He has since claimed he had only meant to say Israel had a general right to self-defence and he was answering a previous question – though the Labour leadership has acknowledged the comments caused “upset and hurt”.

Israel began a bombing campaign on Gaza after a surprise Hamas attack which saw at least 1,400 people killed and thousands more injured in Israel, and around 200 people taken hostage on 7 October.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry has said more than 8,000 people have been killed in the 25-mile strip since then, with Israel also launching a ground offensive and a blockade on water, food, fuel and other essentials.

Politics

Minister resigns over cut to international aid budget

Published

2 hours ago

February 28, 2025

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Minister resigns over cut to international aid budget

Anneliese Dodds has quit as international development minister over Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to slash the overseas aid budget to pay for an increase in defence spending.

Ms Dodds, who is also women and equalities minister and attends cabinet, said she was resigning from both posts “with great sadness” but would continue to support the government from the backbenches.

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In her resignation letter to the prime minister, she acknowledged there was “no easy path” to fund the boost to defence but claimed there had been a “tactical decision” for the Overseas Development Aid (ODA) budget to “absorb the entire burden”.

She said: “You have maintained that you want to continue support for Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine; for vaccination; for climate; and for rules-based systems.

“Yet it will be impossible to maintain these priorities given the depth of the cut; the effect will be far greater than presented, even if assumptions made about reducing asylum costs hold true.”

Ms Dodds said the cut will likely lead the UK to pull-out from numerous African, Caribbean and Western Balkan nations, as well as a withdrawal of commitments to international banks and a reduced voice in the G7 and G20.

“Ultimately, these cuts will remove food and healthcare from desperate people – deeply harming the UK’s reputation,” she added.

“I know you have been clear that you are not ideologically opposed to international development. But the reality is that this decision is already being portrayed as following in President Trump’s slipstream of cuts to USAID.”

Around £6bn per year will be taken out of the aid budget and transferred over to pay for defence.

That amounts to a reduction in aid spending from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3%.

In a letter responding to Ms Dodd’s resignation, Sir Keir said the decision to cut foreign aid “was a difficult and painful decision and not one I take lightly”.

“However, protecting our national security must always be the first duty of any government and I will always act in the best interests of the British people,” he said.

The resignation comes after a key meeting between Sir Keir and Mr Trump on Thursday, during which the US leader praised the defence sending decision and also touted the prospect of a tariff-free trade deal.

Ms Dodds marks the loss of a fourth minister from the new Labour government, after Louise Haigh and Tulip Siddiq resigned and Andrew Gwynne was sacked.

Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell, who was the international development minister under Rishi Sunak, said Ms Dodds had “done the right thing”.

He posted on X: “Labour’s disgraceful and cynical actions demean the Labour Party’s reputation as they balance the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world. Shame on them and kudos to a politician of decency and principle.”

Resignation of Dodds shows Starmer’s ruthless side

Liz Bates

Political correspondent

@wizbates

She was one of his closest allies, but today Anneliese Dodds has quit Keir Starmer’s government with a stark warning about the direction of travel.

It’s been quite a journey since she got the top job in his opposition cabinet.

When he took over as Labour leader, she was appointed shadow chancellor and seen as a key player in his team.

Since that time, Starmer has shown himself to be a pragmatic, sometimes ruthless, operator when it comes to both policy and political friendships.

This resignation once again shows that side.

Not only is he pushing through deep cuts to foreign aid – a move he previously condemned – but in doing so, he has also cast aside one of his most loyal and long-standing colleagues.

Former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood also praised the decision as “courageous and principled”, saying that national security is “not just about hard power” but tackling threats like disease and extremism.

However, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch backed Sir Keir’s decision.

She said: “I disagree with the PM on many things BUT on reducing the foreign aid budget to fund UK defence? He’s absolutely right.

“He may not be able to convince the ministers in his own cabinet, but on this subject, I will back him.

“National interest always comes first.”

Sir Keir announced the decision to cut the aid budget on Tuesday, saying it would fund and increase defence spending from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5% in 2027. Labour’s manifesto had pledged to reach this target but it was not clear when that would be achieved or how it would be funded.

The prime minister admitted the inauguration of Mr Trump – who has made clear he no longer wants to bankroll NATO’s defence- “accelerated” his decision but said it had been three years in the making, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He said the reduction in foreign aid is “not a renouncement I’m happy to make”.

Asked about it during the Convention of the North conference, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said: “I’m sorry to hear she’s resigned, it was a really difficult decision that was made.”

However, she said it was “absolutely right” that the cabinet endorse the prime minister’s actions to spend more money on defence.