Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the UK Labour Party, emphasized the need for a lasting ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict during his address at a Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow.
This statement came shortly after the conference endorsed a motion for an immediate halt to the hostilities in Gaza.
The Labour Party faces renewed scrutiny over its position on the conflict, especially with an upcoming vote in the Commons, led by the SNP, advocating for an immediate ceasefire. This follows a previous occasion where 56 Labour MPs supported an SNP motion for a ceasefire three months prior.
Sir Keir articulated the universal desire for a permanent end to the conflict, stressing the importance of stopping the fighting immediately without specifically mentioning an “immediate” ceasefire, a term preferred by the SNP.
David Lammy, speaking on behalf of Labour, indicated the party’s intention to review the SNP’s motion carefully, highlighting the necessity for a resolution that ensures lasting peace.
He also noted the limitations of UK parliamentary votes in effecting a ceasefire and pointed out that a genuine agreement would require the involvement of Hamas, the Israeli government, and international peace partners.
Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour’s leader, found the SNP’s motion for an immediate ceasefire to be entirely reasonable, reflecting the sentiment of Scottish Labour members who had voted in favour of such a motion at their conference.
Despite this, the broader Labour Party maintains that a ceasefire must be sustainable, leading to a division within the party, evidenced by the resignation of 10 frontbenchers who had supported the SNP’s previous motion, contrary to the party leadership’s stance.
