With airstrikes on Houthi rebels, are the US and UK playing fast and loose with international law?

THE CONVERSATION
Published: February 7, 2024 

The US and UK have over the past few weeks carried out a number of joint military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The strikes have been in response to attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels on both commercial and state vessels in the Red Sea since conflict broke out in Gaza on October 7 2023.

The US and UK have justified their strikes by invoking the right of self-defence, as enshrined in article 51 of the United Nations’ charter. The same right is also found within customary international law.

Together, the two sources provide that the right exists “if an armed attack occurs” against a state and that any action taken should be both “necessary” and “proportionate”

On the face of it, this justification might seem relatively straightforward. But the reality is that the justification advanced by these states is far from clear and the applicable law not settled.

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The Houthis are in control of much of Yemen. But they don’t (yet, at least) represent the legally recognised government. While there is today much support for the argument that armed attacks that permit a state to act in self-defence can be perpetrated by non-state groups such as the Houthis, this is not a settled position.

Many states, commentators and even the International Court of Justice still require that such attacks be perpetrated by states or at least be attributable to a state through its effective control over attacks by non-state armed groups.

Whether Iran had this level of control over these particular attacks is not clear. But in any case, the US and UK response took place on the territory of Yemen, not Iran.

Read more: Iran: with a tanking economy and an election in weeks, the Islamic Republic tries to rally support by acting tough

The US and UK both invoked Houthi attacks on their naval warships to justify self-defence. And, in principle, attacks on these types of targets can give rise to this right. Yet the number of attacks on naval vessels were relatively small in relation to the overall number of attacks launched by the Houthi rebels.

There are also question marks over whether the Houthi attacks were of sufficient gravity to justify an argument of self-defence. Indeed, the reported damage was relatively small and no deaths have been reported.

While the International Court of Justice has held that self-defence is reserved for responses to attacks which are of a particular “scale and effects”, some scholars and states – including the US – do not believe that such a threshold exists, or should exist. But there is a theory that even if a single attack does not reach the required gravity threshold for an armed attack, several smaller attacks might be taken together in gauging whether that threshold has been met.

Anger: protests against US-led strikes in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, on February 2. 

EPA-EFE/Yahya Arhab

Yet this so-called “accumulation of events theory” is something that has only been given tentative support by the International Court of Justice and is rarely expressly invoked by states. It arguably remains – at present at least – just a theory.

Threat to global trade

The majority of the Houthi attacks have occurred against commercial or merchant vessels. The right of self defence would arguably be available to a state to protect those vessels sailing under its flag. But even then, the majority of commercial vessels struck by the Houthis have not been sailing under the flag of either the US and UK.

Whether these states have the right to act in “collective self-defence” of the states whose flagged vessels have been struck is not entirely clear. But in any case, a request for such assistance would need to have been made by these states. And there’s no evidence that such a request was formally made.

A significant and problematic aspect to the justification advanced by the US and UK was that they were acting to protect the “free flow of commerce”. National governments don’t have the unilateral right to resort to military force in self-defence to protect commercial interests – either their own or more generally – or simply to enforce international law.

Confusing the issue here is that the day before the first wave of military action by the US and UK on January 11 2024, the UN security council seemingly provided its blessing to this aspect of the justification in resolution 2722 (2024). Among other things, this noted the rights of states to defend their vessels from attacks that undermine navigational freedoms.

Adding to the muddle here is the question of why the security council appeared to provide such a vague and open endorsement of the right of self-defence in this context – rather than authorising the states concerned to take military action, which the council is entitled to do to under chapter VII of the UN charter.

Of course, we are not privy to any behind-the-scenes discussions between members of the security council. Yet, while the acting states will no doubt prefer the greater flexibility that operating under the right of self-defence appears to provide, it arguably would have been in the interests of other member states to have instead authorised the action within a more regulated mandate.

There is already a great deal of concern regarding the use and abuse of the right of self-defence by the United States and its vague limitations. So for the security council to seemingly give the nod to an invocation of the right in this way to protect broader interests could set a precedent that may have unforeseen circumstances.

The simple fact that the US and UK felt the need to legally justify their actions has to be welcomed. But picking the justifications apart reveals their somewhat muddled nature – and that the acting states were testing the limits of this branch of international law.

Author

Christian Henderson
Professor of International Law, University of Sussex

UK

Asda Gosport strike: GMB union workers strike for 48 hours

7 hours ago
By Curtis Lancaster

BBC News

The walk-out, originally planned for January, was suspended but GMB said "no improved offer materialised" from Asda

Workers at an Asda superstore have begun two days of strike action.

GMB union said members at Gosport in Hampshire were in dispute with bosses over a "toxic" work culture, wage errors and health and safety concerns.

The walk-out, originally planned for January, was suspended but GMB said "no improved offer materialised" from Asda.

Asda said it was "disappointed" over the decision and added it had "taken reasonable and practical action to address the GMB's concerns".

Workers initially voted to take action in December.

They rejected Asda's recent offer and voted a second time to take strike action, according to GMB.

Nicola Nixon, GMB regional organiser said: "Counter proposals have been made to the company to settle the dispute but Asda has failed to come back with any improvements.

"We originally gave Asda until Tuesday as a show of goodwill but no improved offer materialised and so our strike will now go ahead.

"Our members are determined to stand up to Asda and their management, and say enough is enough.

"They should be able to come to work without threat of bullying or putting their health, safety and well-being at risk."
'Open as usual'

An Asda spokesperson said: "We are disappointed the GMB have taken this course of action and can reassure our customers that the Gosport store will open as usual this weekend.

"The majority of colleagues in store are not affiliated with the GMB and will continue to work as normal during this period.

"Over the course of several weeks, we have taken reasonable and practical action to address the GMB's concerns.

"This includes undertaking a full health and safety review at the store, and providing additional training for colleagues where required.


"We have also asked the GMB on multiple occasions to share details of the alleged bullying in store so these claims can be investigated. The GMB have not yet provided this information."

UK

Junior doctors to strike over five days, BMA says

7 hours ago
By Aurelia Foster

BBC

Health reporter

PA MediaJunior doctors joined pickets outside hospitals during a recent strike in January

Junior doctors in England will strike on five days from 24 to 28 February, in an ongoing dispute with the government about pay.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents junior doctors, wants a 35% pay increase - a proposal previously rejected by ministers.

Many routine hospital services are likely to be disrupted or cancelled.

The government said it wanted to find a "reasonable solution" and is prepared to "go further" on a pay offer.

Junior doctors received a pay rise averaging nearly 9% this financial year - and during talks at the end of 2023, the option of an extra 3% on top of that was discussed.

But those talks ended in early December without a deal being reached.

'Credible offer'

The BMA said the government had "failed to to meet the deadline to put an improved pay offer on the table".

Junior doctors committee co-chairs Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said:  "We have made every effort to work with the Government in finding a fair solution to this dispute whilst trying to avoid strike action."

They added that they believed the forthcoming strike could still be called off if a "credible offer" was made.

The BMA previously said the pay increase it was calling for would make up for what it said had been below-inflation rises since 2008.

Health secretary Victoria Atkins said: "This action called by the BMA Junior Doctor Committee does not signal that they are ready to be reasonable.

"We urged them to put an offer to their members, but they refused.

"Five days of action will put enormous pressure on the NHS and is not in the spirit of constructive dialogue."

This will be the 10th strike by junior doctors since March 2023. It will follow a six-day strike by junior doctors in January, the longest in the history of the NHS, which saw about 100,000 appointments cancelled.

Nearly half of NHS doctors are junior doctors - a group that spans those just out of university through to some who have 10 years or more experience.


The BMA is also balloting junior doctors on further industrial action beyond this strike.

More than 1.2 million medical appointments have been cancelled since December 2022, due to strikes by NHS workers, including nurses, paramedics and consultants.

The union is currently in talks with the government about a fresh pay deal for consultants, after rejecting the most recent offer.

‘Culture of fear’ at hospital where junior surgeons assaulted, report finds

A surgeon physically assaulted two trainees at a Brighton hospital during an operation, a fresh report has revealed.

(Gareth Fuller/PA)

By Anahita Hossein-Pour, PA

Wed 7 Feb 2024 

A review by the Royal College of Surgeons discovered instances of bullying and harassment at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, and a further “culture of fear” regarding the top leadership team.

Bosses at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, commissioned the investigation into its surgery services which took place in May 2023.

It was apparent to the review team that there was a feeling of relative hopelessness within the general surgery department and it was clear that these reputational and cultural issues had affected the morale of many passionate and committed members of staff, some of whom had worked in the trust for 20-30 yearsThe Royal College of Surgeons

The Royal College of Surgeons flagged serious concerns between surgical staff and the trust’s senior leadership and said whistleblowers were poorly treated, such as by being bullied or subjected to disciplinary action.

They said: “There were concerning reports of bullying by members of the executive leadership team, with instances of confrontational meetings with individual consultant surgeons, when they were told to “sit down, shut up and listen”, with no ability to express their own concerns, and where they were alone and outnumbered.

“It was apparent to the review team that there was a feeling of relative hopelessness within the general surgery department and it was clear that these reputational and cultural issues had affected the morale of many passionate and committed members of staff, some of whom had worked in the trust for 20-30 years.”

The team also discovered a “dysfunctional” team working within the general surgery department and surgical teams, and were told consultant surgeons were “dismissive and disrespectful” towards other staff.

They added: “Reports of negative culture and behaviours within the general surgery department and wider trust was of concern to the review team.



The report comes as Sussex Police detectives are investigating the deaths of around 40 people at the Royal Sussex County Hospital due to allegations of medical negligence (Jonathan Brady/PA)

“It is imperative that robust action is taken to tackle unacceptable behaviours, given the reports of bullying, harassment and physical abuse.”

Major concerns were also raised over high cancellations of planned surgery for patients, often on the day and after patients had been waiting up to seven hours without eating or drinking ahead of their operation.

They added: “The review team heard about patients being cancelled multiple times and this was causing patients psychological distress.”


The findings come as Sussex Police detectives are investigating the deaths of around 40 people at the Royal Sussex County Hospital due to allegations of medical negligence.

The claims relate to concerns over neurosurgery and general surgery between 2015 and 2021.

In the conclusions from the Royal College of Surgeons, it said the team found staff who were interviewed in their probe “extremely engaged, open and helpful”, adding: “Within the constraints of current challenges they were facing, it was clear that staff worked very hard to offer the best possible service for their patients.”

Long-term problems cannot be solved overnight but significant strides are now being madeDr George Findlay

The appointment of the chief of surgery was also highlighted as a positive step, with the new boss described as attentive and responsive when staff escalated concerns.

The trust’s chief executive Dr George Findlay said he asked for this independent report because of the “huge challenges” the surgery teams have faced over many years and that all trust staff are focused on improving care.

Dr Findlay said: “Since last May when the review took place, major changes have begun – we have invested in extra staff and are recruiting now, we are seeking more theatre and bed capacity, and we have approved the opening of a Surgical Assessment Unit.

“The reviewers also noted the open attitude of staff and good local leadership – essential ingredients for a good service.

“Long-term problems cannot be solved overnight but significant strides are now being made. We all want to further improve patient care, so the job of building a stronger structure around the team, and stronger relationships, remains an absolute priority.”

The report, which was published on January 17, is set to be discussed by the trust’s board of directors on February 8.

SCOTLAND

Aberdeen University staff vote to strike over languages cuts

University staff have voted to strike over changes to modern languages degrees

Staff at the University of Aberdeen will take industrial action in a row over modern languages cuts.

The University and College Union (UCU) said about 30 people were at risk of redundancy due to the changes.

In the ballot of UCU Scotland members, 80% of those who voted backed strike action in a turnout of 60%.

From the next academic year, students will not be able to start single honours degrees in French, German, Spanish or Gaelic.

Those wishing to study them will have to do so as part of a joint degree.

The university court announced the decision in December, based on a recommendation from the senior vice principal, Prof Karl Leydecker.

Its management said low uptake of the courses meant the current model was not sustainable.Uni strike ballot opens after cuts to languages
Aberdeen Uni to continue joint modern language honour degrees - BBC News
Uni should 'carefully consider' languages cut plan

The union's branch chairwoman, Dr Rachel Shanks, said members had "made it abundantly clear that senior managers need to rethink their plans to cut jobs and cut the university's offer in languages."

"The ballot result is a mandate for industrial action and to oppose job cuts," she said.

"Aberdeen is an important employer in north east Scotland and cuts of this scale will have a serious impact on the economy locally, the student experience, and both the university and city's reputation.

"It is not too late for university managers to work with UCU and others and to find alternatives that don't involve such drastic cuts and job losses."

Senior vice principal Prof Karl Leydecker recommended the changes to the university court

A University of Aberdeen spokesperson said the university was facing serious financial challenges and had to take "essential action to generate extra income and to make savings".

"We understand the strength of feeling across the university with regard to potential job losses," they said. "Early retirement and voluntary severance applications are our focus.

"Compulsory redundancy is something that the university always seeks to avoid.

"We hope that ongoing dialogue with colleagues in modern languages and union representatives will mean that industrial action will not take place. If it does, every effort will be made to minimise the impact on students."

The spokesperson said the university was exploring "all options for ensuring the future academic and financial sustainability of our modern languages degrees."

University staff back strike action over language course changes

The University and College Union is calling on the University of Aberdeen to rethink its plans.

UCU MEMBERS WERE BALLOTED OVER STRIKE ACTION (ANDREW MILLIGAN/PA)
PA WIRE

LUCINDA CAMERON

2 DAYS AGO

Staff at the University of Aberdeen have backed strike action over the institution’s plans to no longer offer single honours degrees in modern languages.

The University and College Union (UCU) said 30 staff are at risk of redundancy due to the changes, which will mean students will not be able to start degrees in French, German, Spanish or Gaelic alone.

In December, the university court made the decision based on a recommendation from the senior vice-principal, Professor Karl Laydecker.

It means that from the next academic year, those wishing to study the languages at the university will have to do so as part of a joint honours degree.

UCU Scotland said in a ballot of its members, 80% of those who voted backed strike action on a turnout of 60%.

The union is calling on management at the institution to rethink the decision.



Aberdeen UCU branch chairwoman Dr Rachel Shanks said: “By voting in these numbers, UCU members at the University of Aberdeen have made it abundantly clear that senior managers need to rethink their plans to cut jobs and cut the university’s offer in languages.

“The ballot result is a mandate for industrial action and to oppose job cuts.

“Aberdeen is an important employer in north-east Scotland and cuts of this scale will have a serious impact on the economy locally, the student experience, and both the university and city’s reputation.

“It is not too late for university managers to work with UCU, and others, and to find alternatives that don’t involve such drastic cuts and job losses.”

The university said it hopes industrial action can be avoided.

A spokesperson said: “The University of Aberdeen is like many others across the UK facing serious financial challenges. We are taking essential action to generate extra income and to make savings.

With Help from the Five Eyes, Argentina Doomed to Lose the Falklands War

For 74 days, the U.K. and Argentina fought bitterly for a small patch of land in the South Atlantic

by Stavros Atlamazoglou

In the early morning hours of April 2, 1982, Argentinian naval commandos landed three miles south of Port Stanley, the capital of the Falklands Islands. They made their way to the small barracks that housed a contingent of British Royal Marines. Once outside the building, they broke the windows and threw tear gas canisters inside to flash out the sleeping British troops. A few hours before, the Royal Marines had been alerted to the invasion and had barricaded themselves in the governor’s house, the administrative headquarters of the Islands. In the ensuing firefight, the British Royal Marines held at bay a much larger Argentinian force for more than an hour before finally surrendering. As the sun rose on the horizon, Argentina had finally captured the Falklands Islands after centuries of dispute.

The Falklands War that lasted from April to June 1982 was a conflict between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. Although short, the conflict was one of the largest in terms of the forces involved since the end of World War II. Overtly, the U.K. fought the war alone. However, the United States provided key diplomatic, logistical, and intelligence support to the country. Using the Five Eyes intelligence partnership, the U.S. shared critical all-source intelligence with its ally which proved key to the eventual British victory. However, U.S. support for the U.K. was not certain. Argentina was an important South American partner for the U.S., especially in the fight against Communism during the Cold War. Nevertheless, foreign policy and national security interests prompted America’s decision to support Britain.

GOING TO WAR WITH SOME HELP

When the British government decided to recapture the Falklands, it did so with the understanding that it would receive support, even unofficial, from its most important ally: the United States. As the Beatles sang in 1967, the U.K. was sailing to war “with a little help from [its] friends.”

Although publicly the U.S. wanted to seem impartial – with the risk of offending the British – privately, President Roland Reagan was committed to supporting the U.K. if he had to. From the start of the war, his position was one of neutrality over which country had a better claim on the Falklands but of strong opposition to military aggression – that is, to Argentina.  

Once the White House committed to supporting Great Britain, even behind closed doors, the intelligence started flowing. Intelligence sharing included “compartmental, sensitive source programs,” including signals and communication intelligence. The NSA provided almost real-time, key signals intelligence to the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the U.K.’s intelligence agency, that helped the British task force protect its aircraft carriers, perhaps the most valuable assets of the British military. Although the GCHQ worked with the Royal Navy and put HMS Endurance in the area to intercept Argentinian radio traffic long before the invasion, the British could not break the Argentinian code. The NSA then stepped in and helped their GCHQ comrades. Moreover, the NSA granted the GCHQ access to its satellite interception technology. Interestingly, the GCHQ was hesitant to share intelligence about U.K. troop movements with the NSA out of fear that the State Department would leak the information as U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig tilted toward Argentina.

However, the U.K. received intelligence beyond the signal intelligence stipulated by the Five Eyes agreement. The British received key intelligence on Argentinian military plans and intentions from the CIA’s A.G. Crypto operation. Moreover, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the intelligence agency that designs, launches, and operates spy satellites, relocated a satellite that was tracking Soviet movements in the Northern Hemisphere and dedicated it to the conflict. Using this raw data, the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) provided the U.K. with satellite imagery of the Atlantic Ocean west of the Falklands, the Falklands, and the small islands of South Georgia. Interestingly, the U.S. provided satellite imagery to both combatants: Under a U.S.-Argentine Memorandum of Understanding that the U.S. had to honor, NASA provided satellite imagery of the same areas to Argentina.

American assistance to the British campaign went beyond the sharing of intelligence. The Reagan administration allowed British aircraft and vessels to use American bases and provided logistical support. The U.S. military was even ready to lend aircraft carriers to the British in case theirs got damaged or sunk. The British also received support at the individual unit level. Delta Force, the U.S. military’s premier counterterrorism and hostage rescue unit, gave its British counterpart, the Special Air Service (SAS), cold-weather gear, FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and satellite phones.

PICKING A SIDE

Argentina was an important U.S. partner in South America. During the 1970s, successive U.S. administrations maintained good relations with the Argentinian juntas that came and went into power. When a new junta took over in 1976, U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was anxious not to let the Argentinian military officers think the U.S. was opposed to them. This junta would launch the “Dirty War” against domestic leftist opposition and other political opponents that would see thousands of people killed, tortured, disappeared, and imprisoned. But with the Cold War raging hot, the U.S. saw in Argentina a committed anti-Communist partner that could prevent a “Domino Effect” in America’s backyard. The U.S. also sold Argentina weapon systems worth hundreds of millions of dollars, though it stopped doing so in the late 1970s. When Roland Reagan was elected to office, the relations with Argentina improved further. 

Nevertheless, the U.S. chose to support the United Kingdom. The U.S. and the U.K. shared strong political and strategic interests. Reagan and Thatcher were close, and the U.S. President wanted to “[give] Maggie [Thatcher] enough to carry on.” Although Argentina was a valuable U.S. partner in South America, the Anglo-American defense and intelligence alliance towered over anything Argentina could provide the United States. Moreover, the U.S. was opposed to the use of military force and faulted the Argentinians for shooting the first shots. Further, U.S. public opinion was largely supportive of the British cause. Some even feared that Argentina would work with the Soviet Union after capturing the Falklands. In a personal letter to CIA Director William Casey, newspaperman Ernst Cuneo attached a copy of an article he had written urging to help the U.K. and prevent a Soviet opening in America’s backyard.

Another likely policy consideration that motivated support for the U.K. was the deep ties between the U.S. and U.K. intelligence agencies formalized in the Five Eyes partnership. In 1985, three years after the war, the U.S. Intelligence Community conducted an evaluation of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership, particularly of the UKUSA component. In the declassified but heavily redacted top-secret report, the Intelligence Community assessed the value of the relationship as “high [that] allows for a much fuller SIGINT [Signal Intelligence] effort than is possible with only U.S. resources.” The report stated that there was “heavy flow of raw intercept, technical analytical results, and SIGINT product between NSA and GCHQ, to include direct distribution of product by each party to both country users.”

However, in choosing to support the U.K., the Reagan administration faced a conundrum. Overt support would alienate Argentina. Moreover, the CIA had intelligence that indicated that the Argentinians were mobilizing intelligence and paramilitary units to “disappear U.S. citizens in Argentina if the U.S. government [adopted] the British position in regard to the dispute in the Falkland Islands.” This concern was complicated by the fact that the Argentinian junta was not in complete control of the country’s national security apparatus.

For 74 days, the U.K. and Argentina fought bitterly for a small patch of land in the South Atlantic. In the end, Britain prevailed and did so with important intelligence support from America. Against the backdrop of broader U.S. hesitancy to openly support the British position, the Five Eyes partnership played an integral role in Britain’s victory. Faced with policy and political conundrums, the Reagan administration chose to support the “Special Relationship,” as the relations between the U.S. and U.K. have been described. In the case of the Falklands War, that relationship proved very special indeed.

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and national security. He is a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and is pursuing a J.D. at Boston College Law School.

This article was first published by Sandboxx News.

UK

Conservative  MP Dehenna Davison criticises Rishi Sunak for 'disappointing' Commons trans joke

Wednesday 7 February 2024

The Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland has hit out at the Prime Minister for a "disappointing" joke in Prime Minister's Questions about transgender people.

Dehenna Davison warned that politicians' words "resonate right across our society".

It came after Rishi Sunak mocked the Labour leader's stance on "defining a woman" after the Commons heard the mother of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey was watching from the gallery.

Brianna Ghey's father calls Sunak transgender jibe in Commons 'dehumanising'

In a post on X, Ms Davison said: "The debate around trans issues often gets inflamed at the fringes. As politicians, it’s our job to take the heat out of such debates and focus on finding sensible ways forward, whilst ensuring those involved are treated with respect.

"Given some of the terrible incidences of transphobia we have seen lately, this need for respect feels more crucial than ever."That’s why it was disappointing to hear jokes being made at the trans community’s expense. Our words in the House resonate right across our society, and we all need to remember that."

Dehenna Davison has criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his Commons trans joke.

Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

The Labour leader condemned the Prime Minister’s remark, with a chorus of opposition backbenchers calling out: "Shame."

The exchange took place during the Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, as the leaders clashed over the Government's missing targets to reduce NHS waiting lists.

Sir Keir said: "He says he stands by his commitments. He once insisted if he missed his promises, these are the words he used: ‘I am the Prime Minister,’ and then he said: ‘It is on me personally'.

"Today, we learn from his own officials that he is the blocker to any deal to end the doctors’ strikes and every time he is asked, he blames everyone else.

"So, what exactly did he mean when he said it is on him personally if he doesn’t meet his promise?"

Mr Sunak replied: "We are bringing the waiting lists down for the longest waiters and making progress, but it is a bit rich to hear about promises from someone who has broken every single promise he was elected on.

"I think I have counted almost 30 in the last year. Pensions, planning, peerages, public sector pay, tuition fees, childcare, second referendums, defining a woman – although in fairness, that was only 99% of a U-turn.

"The list goes on, but the theme is the same: it is empty words, broken promises and absolutely no plan."

Sir Keir hit back, saying: "Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber. Shame.

"Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility."

Sir Keir had opened the session by telling MPs: "This week the unwavering bravery of Brianna Ghey’s mother Esther has touched us all. As a father, I can’t even imagine the pain that she is going through and I am glad that she is with us in the gallery here today."

Mr Sunak was later asked to apologise to Brianna’s mother for his "insensitive comment".

Labour MP for Blaydon Liz Twist said: "May I take the opportunity to ask the Prime Minister if he would consider apologising to Brianna Ghey’s mother for his insensitive comment?"

Mr Sunak did not directly respond to Ms Twist’s request.

Concluding Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Sunak said: "If I could just say also to Brianna Ghey’s mother who is here, as I said earlier this week, what happened was an unspeakable and shocking tragedy.

"As I said earlier this week, in the face of that, for her mother to demonstrate the compassion and empathy that she did last weekend, I thought demonstrated the very best of humanity in the face of seeing the very worst of humanity.

"She deserves all our admiration and praise for that."

Brianna Ghey's mum wants mindfulness taught in schools

Feb 7,2024
By Kristian Johnson

BBC News

Family handoutBrianna Ghey was described by her mother as "fearless, strong and brave"

The mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has backed calls to put mindfulness onto the national curriculum.

Sixteen-year-old Brianna, who was transgender, was stabbed 28 times in a "ferocious attack" by teenagers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.

The pair were handed life sentences on Friday.

Esther Ghey is now part of a campaign to create "a lasting legacy" to her daughter.

She has already launched a local campaign in Warrington, which has raised £50,000 to deliver mindfulness training in schools in the area.

She is now backing a nationwide campaign alongside Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols, which is calling on government to fund mindfulness programmes in every school in England.

Mindfulness is a calming technique. The charity Mind says it involves noticing what is happening in the present moment, without judgment.

I would speak to killer's mother - Brianna's mum
PM faces calls to apologise over trans jibe to Starmer
Teenage killers tried to get away with Brianna murder

"Brianna Ghey was sassy, beautiful, kind, courageous and authentically herself," Nichols told MPs at Westminster Hall.

"She was loved fiercely and her death was unspeakably tragic.

"No parent should ever have to bury their child, but to have gone through what Esther has and have the drive to seek positive change in the wake of that takes extraordinary courage and compassion."

Ms Nichols said the cost of such a programme would be "modest" and added: "This is an investment worth making for the future."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said there are currently no plans to introduce mindfulness into every school.

But they said the current Relationships, Health and Sex Education (RSHE) curriculum has a "strong focus" on mental health and wellbeing, and all schools have been offered grants to train a senior mental health lead by 2025.

Ms Ghey was present for the Westminster Hall debate, which took place just hours after Prime Minister's Questions, when Rishi Sunak faced criticism for his comments about Sir Keir Starmer's position on trans people.


The PM had ridiculed the Labour leader for U-turning on the "definition of a woman".
Watch: Sunak makes trans jibe to Starmer at PMQs

Sir Keir, who was due to meet Ms Ghey after PMQs, said: "Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna's mother is in this chamber. Shame."

Ms Ghey was not in the public gallery for the exchange, but entered later.

When asked whether the prime minister's comment was transphobic, his press secretary said: "I don't accept that at all."

'Drastic action' needed

Ms Ghey has recently called for "drastic action" to protect children.

Mr Sunak has previously said the Online Safety Act is strong enough to protect children online.

But speaking to BBC Breakfast, Ms Ghey said she believes there needs to be further changes to the law, and added that mobile phone companies should take more responsibility.

"I would like to see the law change so that children only have access to children's mobile phones, and that could look exactly the same as an adult's mobile phone but without the ability to download social media apps, and there is software available already," she said.

Ms Ghey has also said children under the age of 16 should not have access to social media apps on smartphones.

Esther Ghey wants a law introduced so under-16s cannot access social media on their phones

However, parents have told the BBC it is "practically impossible" to take smartphones away from children who already have them.

James Turnham, who lives in Hackney, east London, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he limits the amount of time his children spend on apps, but said: "The pressure is relentless."

Anna - not her real name - told the Today programme she launched a campaign after her daughter tried to take her own life.

Called Just Say No, Stick To Bricks, it calls on parents and schools to restrict smartphone access for children.

Kate Edgcumbe-Rendle, from Worthing, West Sussex, leads online safety workshops in schools and said: "Once those smartphones are handed to our children, it is near enough impossible to get them off them again. The effects are profound."

 UK Officials Prepare Fresh Sewage Crackdown With New Water Plan

The UK government is preparing to announce new measures to clean up rivers and waterways in a bid to show it’s cracking down on polluting sewage companies.

(Bloomberg) -- The UK government is preparing to announce new measures to clean up rivers and waterways in a bid to show it’s cracking down on polluting sewage companies.

Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is expected to announce an Accelerated Plan for Water, building on measures announced last April by his predecessor Therese Coffey. Before resigning in November, she put in place plans to lift the cap on how much water companies could be fined for polluting rivers and seas, and proposed banning disposable wipes that clog sewers.

An announcement on the new plan is imminent, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked to speak on condition of anonymity. One person said it may come as soon as next week, while another pointed to Parliament’s break from 8-19 February as a consideration.

Among the new steps laid out would be a whistleblower hotline to allow water company employees to anonymously call out wrongdoing, one person said.

Barclay has made tackling sewage spills a priority since he became Environment Secretary in November. Earlier this month, he met with water company executives to tell them that they would no longer be able to evaluate their own progress on tackling illegal river pollution. Campaigners have called for the Environment Agency to take over monitoring of water company permit compliance, a suggestion that was also welcomed by industry body Water UK.

Ministers are preparing to meet with Chris Weston, the new chief executive officer of Thames Water, the UK’s biggest water and sewage company. Thames has been at the center of a crisis that’s roiled the industry in the past 12 months, as mounting calls from the public and politicians to stop releasing sewage into waterways coincided with soaring debt costs.

“Thames Water’s performance is completely unacceptable and they must take urgent steps to turn this around. Its customers deserve better," Robbie Moore, minister for water and rural growth, told MPs in Parliament on Wednesday.

Moore said Thames Water is failing to meet its commitments to customers on eight of the 12 performance metrics measured by the regulator Ofwat, particularly on pollution and on ensuring a consistent supply of water.

It remains to be seen whether the new plan will take steps to curb river pollution from agriculture. Barclay’s top priorities include supporting farmers and cleaning up rivers. But agriculture and rural land is responsible for 40% of the pressure on rivers and waterways in England, according to the previous plan for water, while sewage spills account for 36% of pollution.

--With assistance from Kitty Donaldson.

bloomberg.com

UK Government agency failed to protect River Wye from chicken waste, court hears

07 Feb 2024

The river Wye near Hay-on-Wye. Photo David Jones, CC BY 2.0 licence)

Campaigners have accused a UK government agency of failing to apply the law and stop excess nutrients from polluting the River Wye, on the first day of a court hearing.

Anti-pollution charity River Action took the Environment Agency (EA) to court on Wednesday for a judicial review, claiming it is allowing destructive levels of nutrients from chicken manure to enter the Wye.

A judicial review is carried out when there is a dispute over whether a public body has acted lawfully.

While the hearing was at the Civil Justice Centre in Cardiff, the case was against a UK government agency.

Ecological crisis

David Wolfe KC, speaking on behalf of the claimants, said it was not in dispute that the River Wye was in an “ecological crisis” and the “single biggest contributor” to nutrient overload was agricultural run-off.

He argued the EA had failed to apply the Farming Rules for Water (FRfW), regulations issued by the Government’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which make it a criminal offence to add more fertiliser to farmland than the soil requires.

“The FRfW are not being lawfully enforced by the defendant, which is allowing farmers to continue to break the law,” Mr Wolfe said.

“Nutrient run-off from agriculture continues to cause serious ecological damage.”

Breaches

When there have been breaches, Mr Wolfe said the EA had failed to require fixes, with no timeline given to become compliant, while farmers were not told they were in breach of the law.

Between January 2020 and October 2023, there were 515 farm inspections on the Wye – with 31% found to breach regulations.

The Wye is the fourth longest river in Britain and partly forms the border between England and Wales as it runs from central Wales to the Severn estuary.

It is estimated that about 20 million chickens are raised in the Wye catchment area at any one time – about 25% of UK poultry production.

A large amount of organic manure has been spread over the area leading to a substantial increase in levels of phosphorus in the soil.

When washed into the river by rainwater, the phosphorus causes prolonged algal blooms which turn the water an opaque green.

Ahead of Wednesday’s hearing, River Action campaigners gathered outside the court, displaying banners and banging drums, demanding that the EA steps up to stop the spread of excess nutrients.

Feargal Sharkey

They were joined by Feargal Sharkey, the pop star turned water quality campaigner.

He said: “The simple truth of the matter is that every river in England is dying.

“Every special area of conservation, every Site of Special Scientific Interest is failing. The system is failing to protect them.

“How far are we going to allow large companies to exploit the environment to their benefit and not necessarily ours?”

Explaining how he got involved in River Action, he said: “I wanted to go fishing and the river I wanted to fish in was in a bad shape.

“I wanted to do something about it, I wanted to scratch that itch. And every time I scratched that itch I got a bigger itch.

“I see a lack of political oversight of the laws that were created to protect the environment and that has to stop.

“We hope the court will agree with our assessment that the EA and Defra have failed to apply the law the way it has been written.

“(The Wye) should be one of the most protected in Europe and yet it is failing, people can now see algae blooms, clear toxicity of the river.

“This is not something happening in some far off country on the other side of the planet, it is happening here and the government agencies set up to protect it are allowing it to be destroyed.”

Downgraded

Charles Watson, the chairman and founder of River Action, said the status of river had already been downgraded – and without protection the only way it could go is it becoming a “dead river”.

“It’s frequently voted Britain’s favourite river and it’s been allowed to go into a death spiral,” he said.

“The very bodies that are supposed to support it have failed.

“This is our last line of defence, the court is the place we can go to try to save our rivers. People are desperately concerned about this.

“Anywhere else in Europe someone would be locked up in prison for what is happening here.”

The case was adjourned until Thursday.

School children rally outside UK parliament demanding Gaza ceasefire

School children in the UK gathered outside the British Parliament, demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and urging an end to Israel's war on Gaza.

The New Arab Staff
07 February, 2024

Children write on the floor with coloured piece of chalk "Stop Bombing Children" during a Pro-Palestinian rally in Parliament Square [Getty]


Hundreds of school children gathered outside the British parliament in London on Wednesday to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as part of the National School Strike for Palestine initiative.

In a child-led press conference, striking school students delivered a powerful statement to the media and politicians urging for an immediate stop to Israel's war on Gaza.

They also spoke of their experience of witnessing a genocide through social media, voicing frustration and anger at the inaction of the British government and opposition.

The children made pleas urging for the safety of their peers in Palestine, after Israel's bombing campaign has killed over 10,000 children since 7 October.

"We are here because we have a voice, and you need to listen to us," a child, aged 8, said. "We are not too little to understand how awful it is what is happening in Gaza. We know that the killing of children is never acceptable and will never be normal."

The press conference, organised by Parents for Palestine in collaboration with the National School Strike for Palestine, urged the British government to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, end all arms supplies to Israel and resume funding for the UN humanitarian aid agency for Palestinians UNRWA.

UK arms dealers' gala disrupted by pro-Palestine protesters
World
Rosabel Crean

"Our children do not want to grow up in a country complicit in genocide. Whilst almost 12,000 children in Gaza killed by Israel will never get to grow old, our children will speak to their humanity," parent Kate Joseph of Parents for Palestine said.

"The Government and the Labour Party have not just betrayed Palestinian children, but have betrayed children all across this country who have a right to grow up in a world where human rights are protected and people of all races are treated equally."

Central London has seen regular weekly protests since Israel's war on Gaza began on 7 October, with hundreds of thousands marching to call for an end to the bloodshed, putting pressure on the UK government and Labour party, both of which have not urged Israel to stop its onslaught.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the UK would not rule out Britain eventually recognising a state of Palestine. However, he said this could only come if Hamas was no longer in control in Gaza.

ISLINGTON SCHOOL STRIKE FOR PALESTINE

Children's school strike protest outside Emily Thornberry's office
February 7, 2024

Parents and children gathered outside Islington Town Hall this morning taking part in a global call-out to strike in support of Palestine. The youngsters wrote letters and created artwork before marching to the constituency office of Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry.

There, one young person read out a poem she’d written, and we also heard a moving poem written as part of a journal by a Gazan child.

In front of Thornberry’s office, the children laid out pairs of small shoes to symbolise the huge number (estimated to be as high as 15,000) of Palestinian children murdered so far in Israel’s bombing and occupation. They also posted their letters through the door before clearing up and leaving.

 

SCOTLAND

Activists take part in national School Strike for Palestine



School and university students take part in a School Strike for Palestine walkout in George Square, Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA)

By Lauren Gilmour, PA Scotland

Wed 7 Feb 2024 

Activists from across Scotland have taken part in a national School Strike for Palestine, calling for an end to Israeli military action in Gaza.

As well as school pupils, trade unionists and educational institutions were among those to join demonstrators at George Square in Glasgow, in front of the City Chambers, in a call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Students and staff from the universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde and the West of Scotland were among those to join the demonstration at 12pm on Wednesday.




School and university students take part in a School Strike for Palestine walkout in George Square, Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The action was organised by the Glasgow Stop the War Coalition, which posted on its social media sites: “Every collective act, big or small, sends a message to those who are suffering in Gaza that we are with them and puts pressure on our government to call on the Israeli government to stop bombing Gaza.”

Shabbir Lakha, Stop the War Coalition officer and one of the organisers of the School Strike for Palestine, said: “Over a week since the International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered Israel to take all possible measures to prevent acts of genocide and to take immediate and effective steps to ensure the provision of basic services and humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, the mass killing of Palestinians – many thousands of them children – continues.

“Schools and universities have been clamping down on students for supporting the people of Gaza, including referring them to the Government’s counter-terrorism programme Prevent, which is an outrageous attack on their democratic rights and civil liberties.

“It is little wonder that young people up and down the country are determined to make their voices heard.

“We encourage children and adults from all communities to attend Wednesday’s events, and to use their voices to speak for safety, freedom and peace for all.”




School and university students take part in a sit-down protest in Queen Street Station (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Some campaigners occupied Glasgow’s Queen Street Station as part of the activity on Wednesday, carrying a banner reading: “End the siege of Gaza”, and chanting: “Israel out of the West Bank, Israel out of Gaza, Israel out of Palestine,” videos posted on social media showed.

Workers and students stage mass walk out to demand permanent ceasefire in Gaza


Protesters outside the University of Manchester Photo: Neil Terry Photography

WORKERS and students walked out across the country today to demand the government back a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as the death toll climbs to over 27,000.

As part of the day of strike action, called by the Stop the War Coalition and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, workers gathered for a lunchtime rally outside Parliament organised by civil servants’ union PCS. Members of NEU and the UCU also walked out across the country.

Media workers protested outside BBC headquarters over its coverage of Israel’s war crimes as the death toll for journalists tops 85.

A Media Workers for Palestine spokesperson said: “A number of the BBC’s own journalists have accused the corporation of investing greater effort in humanising Israeli victims of the war compared with Palestinians and failing to provide key historical context in its coverage.

“But their fear of reprisals meant they did so anonymously.”

They said that the protest “intends to give them, and all media workers with a conscience, a voice.”

NUJ members also walked out and staged a rally outside the Sheffield Star.

Students and lecturers joined the action and walked out of universities across the country including in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester.

Christian Hogsbjerg, a UCU member at the University of Brighton, said: “At a time when universities in Gaza are being bombed, with almost 100 Palestinian academics killed so far, alongside the wider horrors of this act of barbaric state terror by the Israeli government backed by the US and UK, the very least university workers in the UK can do is stand in solidarity with Gaza and refuse to be silent.”

MORNING STAR

Trade unionists mobilise for Workplace Day of Action calling for a ceasefire in Gaza

Coordinated local action and rallies took place nationwide from workers and students

Hannah Davenport 

7 February, 2024

Workers and students across the UK mobilised today for a Workplace Day of Action continuing the call for an immediate ceasefire.

Trade union members and staff organised a series of protests in workplaces throughout the day in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Health workers at over 13 hospitals hosted walk outs and lunchtime protests as part of the action, coordinated by Health Workers for Palestine and Stop the War Coalition.

Unions mobilising their members included the University and College Union (UCU), National Education Union (NEU) and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). Members of the PCS union who work in and around Whitehall staged a lunchtime protest outside Parliament, while PCS Scotland members led a demonstration outside City Chambers.

UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said all actions “big or small” are important in drawing attention to the campaign for a ceasefire and “building pressure on the government”.

“We demand that our government calls for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the horrific scenes we are seeing daily in Gaza”, said Grady.

“I am proud that our union has, since the start of this horrific period, consistently demanded a ceasefire and the return of all hostages.”

Education unions have continued to draw attention to the destruction of education facilities in Gaza, where every university has now been bombed and either partially or totally destroyed.

Over 11,500 Palestinian children have been killed in Gaza and the West Bank by the Israeli military so far since the Hamas attacks.

School and university students also walked out today in peaceful protest to demand an end to the bombings in Gaza. A coalition of media workers also held a rally in central London drawing attention to the killing of 119 journalists in the Gaza conflict.

Members of different unions stood in solidarity in their call for a ceasefire, with RMT staff joining GMB union staff to send support to the workers and people of Gaza, as well as Unite the union members joining GMB and UCU workers at rallies.

Mick Whelan, General Secretary of ASLEF union, will speak at a trade union solidarity webinar tonight calling on workers to unite against the arms trade with Israel.

(Image credit: Stop the War Coalition)

Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues

 

WALES

Tata Steel boss tells Senedd ‘why Port Talbot blast furnaces have to close’

07 Feb 2024 

Rajesh Nair at the meeting of the Senedd’s Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee.

Martin Shipton

The head of Tata Steel UK has dashed the hopes of workers and politicians by saying the only future for steelmaking in Port Talbot involves closing down the plant’s two blast furnaces and the loss of 2,800 jobs.

Rajesh Nair explained the group’s reasoning at a meeting of the Senedd’s Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee.

He was speaking less than 24 hours after MSs unanimously gave support to an alternative plan put forward by unions that would see one of the blast furnaces retained pending the introduction of a greener kind of steel production in the form of an electric arc furnace.

Tata Steel has been offered £500m by the UK Government to develop a more environmentally friendly electric arc furnace at the Port Talbot site.

Financial

Asked by committee chair Paul Davies whether the decision to close down the blast furnaces was purely financial, Mr Nair said: “We are towards the end of the life of most of the assets we have in Port Talbot, particularly at the heavy end – the blast furnaces and the steelmaking shops.

“As we get to the end of the life cycle of the assets, the predictability of these assets is compromised. Despite all the efforts of our people – their motivation and their passion – and the money that we are putting into it, the reliability of the assets is compromised. That also compromises our commitment to our workforce to ensure safe and reliable operations, and also compromises our ability to honour our commitment to our customers to ensure reliable, quality, timely delivery.”

Turning to the plant’s financial situation, Mr Nair said: “Over the past few years the business has been losing a tremendous amount of money. You’ve heard about the last quarter announcement where the business turned a loss of about £160m.

“And for the first nine months of this financial year, it’s about £330m. If nothing else were to go wrong and if everything else were to be in the same state of affairs, which we know it will not be, we are likely to turn out a loss of nearly £500m – that’s half a billion of loss in just one year. This is just not sustainable or viable for any company to handle.

“The third important point is the operation of the blast furnaces. You are all probably aware of our proposal which is to shut down the blast furnaces and the steel shop. A fundamental piece of the multi-union proposal was to run at least one blast furnace – they were accepting that one of the blast furnaces and the coke ovens need to be shut down because of the impact it has on the business and the nature of the asset.

“Essentially it was running one blast furnace all the way to the transition. I just want to clarify that our proposal involves building an EAF [electric arc furnace], which is the main part of our proposal, inside an operating steel shop. That has been done to make sure that the proposals work in a manner where we utilise our assets most efficiently. So getting to run this steel shop is the most critical part. If we build the steel shop we will not be able to build the electric arc furnace.

“Even if we were to take that on board and run the steel shop to the transition, we would have to go back to the layout we have designed. The layout has been designed to optimise efficiencies, to reduce complexity and to improve the cost position of the company. Going back on the layout significantly compromises our ability in the future to have a steel facility which is designed on the principles of efficiency, reducing complexity and cost. So we would basically compromise the future by even considering the option of trying to build a new steel facility inside an existing steel shop.

“Going further, even if we were to compromise the layouts, we would come very shortly to a time where we would just not be able to build the new asset in a steel shop which is operating with nearly 320 tonnes of hot metal and liquid steel that is moving around in the shop. We are looking to build a huge EAF steel facility inside that bay which is then fraught with a tremendous amount of safety risks, operational risks and costs.

“So these are the three fundamental reasons [for our proposal], and even if you were to ignore everything else, the fact that we would have to build in an existing shop – the basic analysis which the unions have also been made privy to – has a further impact of nearly £200m on the costs, from a £600m which is already worse off if you were to run a single blast furnace instead of shutting it down, And it further delays our projects by nearly 10 months. This is the background against which we are looking to consult on these proposals and move forward. The key thing is that there is urgency and we need to move at pace if we want to get this transition done in a manner in which we secure steelmaking in Port Talbot and the UK.”

The closure of the blast furnaces would also affect workers in Llanwern in Newport, Shotton in Flintshire, Trostre in Carmarthenshire and Swansea University, as well as several sites in England.

Deeply disheartening

Mr Davies issued a statement after the committee meeting which said: :“Today’s session with Tata Steel bosses is deeply disheartening and devastating for Wales’ steel industry.

“Despite huge opposition, and the terrible effects the closure of the blast furnaces will have on the workforce, their families and communities across south Wales, Tata are unequivocal and are not listening.

“This week the whole Senedd unanimously agreed that there is a viable future for the blast furnace – this has been completely ignored.

“Today we are calling on Tata to reconsider their position and to keep the blast furnace open.”

Sinn Fein says US visit will highlight ‘Palestinian freedom’ and ‘demand end to Israel’s war’


Declan Kearney (Brian Lawless/PA)

Kurtis Reid

Yesterday


Sinn Fein has reiterated the party will use their annual Washington St Patrick’s Day trip to highlight solidarity with those living in Gaza.

Speaking at an event in Belfast’s Europa Hotel this evening, MLA Declan Kearney said Sinn Fein will be “demanding an end to Israel’s war” and promoting “Palestinian national freedom” in visits to the White House, Capitol Hill and the US State Department.

Sinn Fein alongside NI’s other major parties annually travel to the United States on St Patrick’s Day where they meet with the US President.

The party has faced staunch criticism over their plans to visit the United States this year given the US Government’s role in providing aid and support to Israel.

Earlier this month, First Minister Michelle O'Neill confirmed her party would not boycott the US trip but would instead use it to advocate for an end to the “Israeli genocidal war”.

Read more
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At this evening’s Palestine solidarity rally, Mr Kearney said: “For over 124 days we have watched a war of genocide be broadcast and recorded in real time by the victims of that same genocide, with more than 27,000 Palestinians now confirmed dead.”

The event was attended by Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, and General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, Mustafa Barghouti on video link.

“Ethnic cleansing and genocide is being implemented across Palestine by the Israeli government with total impunity, and with the complicity of the US, Britain, and other western powers,” Mr Kearney added.

“Across Ireland, Sinn Féin is introducing motions in councils which will require the compliance of ethical investment and purchasing practices.”

He added that “all Irish influence must be used on behalf of Palestine”.

“We must not be silent. We will ensure the plight of the Palestinian people is spoken of, and heard everywhere. We refuse to stop talking about Palestine.

“The Palestinian people need the combined political and civic pressure of Ireland to be used at home, and internationally on their behalf.

“To achieve a permanent, unconditional ceasefire. The withdrawal of all Israeli forces from both Gaza and the West Bank. And an end to the human suffering of every Palestinian through effective initiatives, and campaigns.

“This should take primacy over everything else.”

The conflict between Israel and Gaza has continued following a Hamas-led attack against Israel which resulted in the death of over 1,000 Israelis and kidnapping of hundreds of hostages last October.

Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK

Following the attacks, Israel launched a counterattack by bombing the Gaza Strip and launching an invasion.

The Hamas-led health ministry in Gaza has said Israel’s military offensive has killed over 25,000 Palestinians and injured at least 62,000 people, with the United Nations saying women and children are the main victims.