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Left-wing Labour MPs are looking to secure a vote on a ceasefire “by hook or by crook” in the coming weeks, Sky News has been told.

Sir Keir Starmer‘s party has been split by tensions on the Middle East conflict, with more than a dozen frontbenchers defying the leadership’s stance on the conflict.

But the pressure is set to ratchet up further on the Labour leader from next week, with some in his own party determined to secure a vote which could lead to further divisions.

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Israel-Gaza latest: Casualties after IDF attack on ambulance

A figure on the left of the party said: “We are looking to secure debates and votes on this, by hook or by crook. We are looking at all potential routes, no stone will be unturned.”

One option is to use an opposition day debate from the Scottish National Party – which backs a ceasefire – which could generate a non-binding vote. Although, Labour could tell its MPs to abstain or refuse to take part.

The SNP see an emergency debate was the most likely avenue, and they could apply to the Speaker for one as early as next Wednesday.

An SNP source said: “Our constituents will be expecting us to have a say and if the government won’t bring forward a vote we will try and do so as soon as the first two days of the King’s Speech debate have ended.”

Another is to use a tactic deployed by Labour and Conservative rebels during Brexit, by triggering an emergency debate, under rules called Standing Order 24. It would have to be allowed by the Speaker.

Nearly 100 MPs from all parties have signed a motion from Labour MP Richard Burgon, which condemns the massacre of Israelis and taking of hostages in the 7 October attacks but also calls for “an immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities”.

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Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson defends Labour’s stance on Middle East

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The MPs pushing for a vote will consult House of Commons experts next week and think it is most likely to take place later in November, as the start of the month will be dominated by the King’s Speech.

Starmer set out in a speech focused on the Middle East this week that he does not support a ceasefire, which he says would mean “Hamas would be emboldened and start preparing for future violence immediately”.

But so far 16 Labour shadow ministers and aides have tweeted their support for a one, including Jess Phillips, Naz Shah and Imran Hussain – who represent the party on home affairs and business. None of them have been disciplined by the party.

Today, answering questions after a speech in County Durham, Starmer rejected the idea of “great division” within Labour, saying the party was united on wanting to alleviate suffering and get more humanitarian aid in.

Some Labour councillors have resigned their posts, and two council leaders, in Burnley and Pendle, today issued a call for Starmer to resign.

A Labour source said the party would respond to a vote “depending on what the proposition is, which party is behind it and what form it takes.” They added that the rebels or other parties may not secure one, and that “the situation on the ground is not fixed”.

The government, the Labour leadership and other Western allies including the US have called for a “humanitarian pause” to allow aid into Gaza but said Israel has a right to defend itself by attacking Hamas.

Read more: Which countries are calling for a ceasefire?

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The Conservative MP for Peterborough, Paul Bristow, was told to resign as a parliamentary aide to a cabinet minister after he called for a ceasefire to “save lives”.

Health minister Maria Caulfield said today: “The trouble I think Sir Keir has is that while he seems to agree with the government, the rest of his party are in complete turmoil on this. At times like this, when it’s such a sensitive issue in the Middle East, you actually do need a governing party that is united.”

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‘Shameful’ that black boys in London more likely to die than white boys, says Met Police chief

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'Shameful' that black boys in London more likely to die than white boys, says Met Police chief

It is “shameful” that black boys growing up in London are “far more likely” to die than white boys, Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley has told Sky News.

The commissioner told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that relations with minority communities “is difficult for us”.

Sir Mark, who came out of retirement to become head of the UK’s largest police force in 2022, said: “We can’t pretend otherwise that we’ve got a history between policing and black communities where policing has got a lot wrong.

“And we get a lot more right today, but we do still make mistakes. That’s not in doubt. I’m being as relentless in that as it can be.”

He said the “vast majority” of the force are “good people”.

However, he added: “But that legacy, combined with the tragedy that some of this crime falls most heavily in black communities, that creates a real problem because the legacy creates concern.”

Sir Mark, who also leads the UK’s counter-terrorism policing, said it is “not right” that black boys growing up in London “are far more likely to be dead by the time they’re 18” than white boys.

“That’s, I think, shameful for the city,” he admitted.

The Met Police chief’s admission comes two years after an official report found the force is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic.

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Police chase suspected phone thief

Baroness Casey was commissioned in 2021 to look into the Met Police after serving police officer Wayne Couzens abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard.

She pinned the primary blame for the Met’s culture on its past leadership and found that stop and search and the use of force against black people was excessive.

At the time, Sir Mark, who had been commissioner for six months when the report was published, said he would not use the labels of institutionally racist, institutionally misogynistic and institutionally homophobic, which Casey insisted the Met deserved.

However, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who helped hire Sir Mark – and could fire him – made it clear the commissioner agreed with Baroness Casey’s verdict.

After the report was released, Sir Mark said “institutional” was political language so he was not going to use it, but he accepted “we have racists, misogynists…systematic failings, management failings, cultural failings”.

A few months after the report, Sir Mark launched a two-year £366m plan to overhaul the Met, including increased emphasis on neighbourhood policing to rebuild public trust and plans to recruit 500 more community support officers and an extra 565 people to work with teams investigating domestic violence, sexual offences and child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Watch the full interview on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips from 8.30am on Sunday.

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Unite votes to suspend Angela Rayner over Birmingham bin strike

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Unite votes to suspend Angela Rayner over Birmingham bin strike

Labour’s largest union donor, Unite, has voted to suspend Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner over her role in the Birmingham bin strike row.

Members of the trade union, one of the UK’s largest, also “overwhelmingly” voted to “re-examine its relationship” with Labour over the issue.

They said Ms Rayner, who is also housing, communities and local government secretary, Birmingham Council’s leader, John Cotton, and other Labour councillors had been suspended for “bringing the union into disrepute”.

There was confusion over Ms Rayner’s membership of Unite, with her office having said she was no longer a member and resigned months ago and therefore could not be suspended.

But Unite said she was registered as a member. Parliament’s latest register of interests had her down as a member in May.

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The union said an emergency motion was put to members at its policy conference in Brighton on Friday.

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Unite is one of the Labour Party’s largest union donors, donating £414,610 in the first quarter of 2025 – the highest amount in that period by a union, company or individual.

The union condemned Birmingham’s Labour council and the government for “attacking the bin workers”.

Mountains of rubbish have been piling up in the city since January after workers first went on strike over changes to their pay, with all-out strike action starting in March. An agreement has still not been made.

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Rat catcher tackling Birmingham’s bins problem

Ms Rayner and the councillors had their membership suspended for “effectively firing and rehiring the workers, who are striking over pay cuts of up to £8,000”, the union added.

‘Missing in action’

General secretary Sharon Graham told Sky News on Saturday morning: “Angela Rayner, who has the power to solve this dispute, has been missing in action, has not been involved, is refusing to come to the table.”

She had earlier said: “Unite is crystal clear, it will call out bad employers regardless of the colour of their rosette.

“Angela Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cuts.

“The disgraceful actions of the government and a so-called Labour council, is essentially fire and rehire and makes a joke of the Employment Relations Act promises.

“People up and down the country are asking whose side is the Labour government on and coming up with the answer not workers.”

SN pics from 10/04/25 Tyseley Lane, Tyseley, Birmingham showing some rubbish piling up because of bin strikes
Image:
Piles of rubbish built up around Birmingham because of the strike over pay

Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said the government’s “priority is and always has been the residents of Birmingham”.

He said the decision by Unite workers to go on strike had “caused disruption” to the city.

“We’ve worked to clean up streets and remain in close contact with the council […] as we support its recovery,” he added.

A total of 800 Unite delegates voted on the motion.

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Binance’s CZ threatens to sue Bloomberg over Trump stablecoin report

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Binance’s CZ threatens to sue Bloomberg over Trump stablecoin report

Binance’s CZ threatens to sue Bloomberg over Trump stablecoin report

Binance co-founder CZ has dismissed a Bloomberg report linking him to the Trump-backed USD1 stablecoin, threatening legal action over alleged defamation.

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